8 Essential Aspects of a Successful Healthcare App

To ensure we’re on the same page, let’s first clarify what healthcare app is and what it isn't. Although the terms health app and medical app are often used interchangeably, they don't necessarily mean the same. Healthcare apps are intended to improve users' physical and mental health. While healthcare professionals can use these apps to monitor patient data and offer guidance, they differ from medical applications.

"Health apps are software programs on mobile devices that process health-related data on or for their users. They can be used by every health-conscious person to maintain, improve, or manage the health of an individual or the community. As an umbrella term, health apps include medical apps. Medical apps share the same technological functions and devices. Health professionals, patients, and family caregivers are the main user groups. Medical apps are intended for clinical and medical purposes and can be legally regulated as mobile medical devices." - PubMed

Depending on the application intent, complexity, potential harm and risk involved, all healthcare-related application my be classified differently, yet must comply with strict regulation relevant to each group - we'll get to details in a second.

Digital health is on the rise, and all the numbers reflect it. According to Grand View Research, the global healthcare IT market was estimated at $663 billion in 2023 and is expected to grow 15.8% in the next few years. Fortune Business Insights claims the global digital health market will be valued at USD 1,965.30 billion by 2030. Numbers may differ across sources, yet the growth tendency is present, meaning potential investors’ interest. 

Currently, about 35,000 mobile healthcare apps are available in the App Store, and the same number are available for Android devices. Your application must follow best practices and answer unique users’ needs in this rapidly growing competitive landscape.

Besides business reasons, it is essential to underline that healthcare applications have the power to transform patients’ lives on various levels. Consumer-oriented apps allow for the monitoring of chronic diseases, the prevention of illnesses, and the improvement of diagnosis. The stake is high. 

A smartwatch that monitors pulse, steps, calorie consumption, body temperature, and even sleep rhythm? That's already standard. Technology for patients is increasingly moving towards much more complicated solutions such as smart hearing aid or inhalers that send alerts to your phone when you've forgotten to take your medication. Electronics in the medical field have moved beyond medical facilities and consumers are embracing various medtech solutions daily. 

As the B2C healthcare software landscape continues to evolve, several key application categories have emerged:

1. Telehealth and Telemedicine Apps: These virtual care solutions enable remote consultations with healthcare providers, facilitate remote patient monitoring, and support the management of chronic conditions.

2. Patient Engagement and Education Apps: These applications designed to empower patients, focus on medication management, symptom tracking, and personalized (often mental) health guidance to foster self-care and better health outcomes.

3. Remote Patient Monitoring Apps: These apps leverage wearable devices to collect continuous health data, enabling early detection of issues and improved care coordination between patients and their providers. 

You're right if you feel like healthcare is one of the most regulated industries in the world. Developing healthcare software requires a deep understanding of the unique challenges and regulatory considerations that define this industry. Healthcare organizations operate within a complex web of privacy laws, data security standards, and industry-specific regulations. Let’s see what you can expect.

• Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulations help ensure the safety, efficacy, and security of software, drugs, medical devices, and biological products in the United States. Software or a device can be assigned to three classes depending on the risk and potential for harm. Generally FDA requires developers to demonstrate their app's safety and effectiveness through detailed risk analysis and adherence to quality control protocols.

• Medical Device Regulation (MDR) is probably the most important set of rules you need to follow when building a medical app that will be launched on the European market. It's a comprehensive set of regulations governing the production and distribution of products understood as medical devices (also applications).

Proper healthcare software classification is such a broad and complex topic that the whole article could be dedicated only to this issue. Let me then recommend you useful guidelines for further reading: Guide for European Market and Guide for the US Market.

Ensuring compliance with proper regulatory frameworks is paramount. Failure to address these critical aspects can endanger the success of a healthcare software project and put patient well-being and organizational reputation at risk. 

How to ensure this? 

• Familiarize yourself with all relevant healthcare regulations and standards for your specific application. 

• Implement comprehensive testing and documentation protocols to demonstrate and maintain ongoing compliance. 

• Collaborate closely with regulatory bodies and legal experts to ensure your software meets all requirements.

Organizations should view compliance not as a burden but as an opportunity to demonstrate their commitment to quality and patient safety. Although it might initially seem overwhelming, obtaining relevant certifications and classification ultimately means your application is reliable and safe—isn’t that a goal worth pursuing? 

Healthcare applications handle some of the most sensitive personal information possible, including medical histories and diagnoses, treatment plans and medication records, personal identification details and much more. As one can imagine, data is an invaluable asset that requires exceptional protection. 

Organizations must prioritize security and privacy from the earliest stages of development and maintain robust security measures throughout the application lifecycle. Here are the two most important regulations. 

HIPAA (The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act) 

• Mandatory for all US healthcare applications

• Requires strict protection of Protected Health Information (PHI)

• Mandates specific security controls and regular audits

• Includes requirements for data access, storage, and transmission

GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation) 

• It is binding in European Markets, yet U.S. companies fall under the GDPR's jurisdiction as either data controllers or data processors.

• The strictest privacy and security law in the world

• Explicit consent requirements for handling personal health data

• It governs how the personal data of individuals in the EU may be processed and transferred 

Violating these regulations results in severe financial fines for the company, the risk of reputation damage and reduced market share. “Sensitive data breaches can have major consequences for both providers and patients. The average cost of a healthcare breach reached nearly $11 million in 2023.” 

Please note that before releasing any application to Google Play or App Store, you have to take care of specific requirements for healthcare applications (linked above) and curate privacy and data protection policies.

After painting such a bleak picture, let’s remember that managing data properly ensures the safety of the application and translates into patients' trust. When users perceive an application as trustworthy, they're more likely to maintain a long-term relationship with it and engage with it. 

How to ensure this?

• Implement secure data storage, transmission protocols, and authentication methods like this one for Vue.js, Node.js, or RoR apps. 

• Adopt industry-standard encryption techniques.

• Ensure your software can securely integrate with other healthcare systems and databases to facilitate the exchange of critical patient data.

• Regularly audit your data security practices and stay current with the latest threats and best practices. 

When handling such a sensitive topic, it’s good to have an experienced technology partner with relevant experience and knowledge to assist you. Having helped our clients swiftly transition to the new GDPR in 2018 or when developing Eargo app (allowing for sixth-generation and seventh-generation FDA Class II exempt hearing aid), we learned firsthand how to provide the highest level of data security in each application. 

Healthcare software, like any software, must be designed with the end-user in mind. User-centered design (UCD) directly impacts user experience, the quality of patient care, and even treatment adherence. What if you compromise on UCD? Unfortunately, poor design can lead to medical errors, reduced usage, and even putting patient health at risk. 

The critical aspect of healthcare apps is accessibility and inclusion. What does this mean exactly? Inclusive product design allows a diverse audience to access and benefit from a product or service. Your health app should be easy to use and accessible to everyone, regardless of age, ability, language, or tech-savvy level. 

Think of people with chronic illnesses. They may have problems with vision, movement and information processing. Your application should cover basic requirements such as support for various disabilities, adjustable font sizes and contrast, screen reader compatibility, voice command options etc. Designing with empathy and deep knowledge of user needs should accompany work on the project at every step.

How to ensure this?

• Gain a deep understanding of your target users' needs, pain points, and preferences. 

• Involve users in the design process through UX research methods like interviews, usability testing, and iterative prototyping. 

• Continuously gather feedback and incorporate it into your software design to ensure a seamless and user-friendly experience.

• Follow the current guidelines and the work-in-progress accessibility regulations in WCAG 3.0.

We advise our clients to participate in discovery workshops, whether they want to reshape their existing product or start from scratch. These face-to-face or remote meetings are dedicated to efficiently unraveling and validating their business ideas. During such workshops, October Health managed to map out user journeys to help understand how the pieces fit together to bring this product to life as an MVP.

Personalization in heathcare apps means adapting to individual patient needs, preferences, and health characteristics. Patient-Generated Health Data (PGHD) serves as the foundational information that enables this deep level of customization. The term encompasses health-related information directly collected by patients through wearable devices (fitness trackers, smartwatches), mobile health application or manual symptom tracking. 

Personalization and use of patient-generated health is a game-changer in modern healthcare software. It brings enhanced health awareness to the table and encourages users to a more proactive health management. Thanks to that patients receive dedicated health guidance and tailored advice and you gain competitive advantage.  

How to ensure this? 

• Introduce proved data collection mechanisms (continuous health monitoring, automated data capture, user-input health journals) and provide clear explanations of what data will be collected and how it will be used for personalization.

• Implement recommended personalization strategies. For example, let users set their preferences and goals to tailor the app's recommendations.

• Employ machine learning algorithms to analyze PGHD and provide real-time, personalized feedback, such as exercise recommendations, meal plans, or medication reminders.

• Use predictive analytics to alert users about potential risks (e.g., elevated blood pressure trends) and recommend preventive actions.

Although wearables and applications that collect data and then prepare personalized health or wellness plans were popular before 2020, the COVID-19 lockdowns, caused great surge in usage of such apps since then. The global wearable technology market size was valued at USD 120.15 billion in 2023 and is expected to grow till 2030. 

A fantastic example of a modern wearable is the Elvie Pump–a wireless breast pump that gives nursing women undisputed comfort. Launched in 2019, it became a game-changer among women’s health products and continues to be among the highest-rated and top-sold products.  

Healthcare apps often start small but experience exponential patient data and user base growth over time. The challenge is sometimes handling an increasing number of concurrent users and the need to maintain impeccable performance simultaneously. As the industry evolves, the software must be able to scale and adapt to new requirements without compromising user experience. So, when building a medtech app you should design for future growth and changing healthcare needs while ensuring long-term supportability and updates. Only such an environment enables healthcare software to remain relevant and impactful over time. 

How to ensure this? 

• Choose the right technology for your project. What should you consider? Almost everything—your business type, project size and complexity, architecture flexibility, long-term support, integration capabilities, developers’ availability, and community support. 

• Prioritize maintainability by documenting your code, establishing clear upgrade paths, and ensuring the software can be seamlessly updated to address emerging needs or regulatory changes. 

• Allocate resources for ongoing support, bug fixes, and feature enhancements to keep your healthcare software up-to-date and valuable for users.

Every technology has its pros and cons and best use cases, and it’s not your job as the business owner to know them all. What makes more sense is to partner with an experienced software agency that knows how to squeeze out the best of each framework. With Ruby on Rails, React Native, Vue.js and others, we have delivered over 390 projects for different industries.  

Interoperability means that healthcare data can flow seamlessly between different systems and providers. You’ve probably taken your blood tests at least once and could experience the convenience of modern healthcare solutions. When tests are ordered, the lab system automatically receives the order electronically, processes the sample, and returns the results to the ER system. Simultaneously, you get the update in the patient primary care portal. Easy right? The interoperability in medtech apps is essential because it helps enable a collaborative environment, improves communication between parties, and reduces the risk of medical errors for patients. 

How to ensure this?

Use standardized data formats and communication protocols.

• Adopt industry-standard data exchange protocols to facilitate smooth integration with electronic health records (EHRs), practice management systems, and other healthcare IT infrastructure. 

• Collaborate with industry stakeholders to ensure your software adheres to interoperability guidelines.

Health is a universal value, yet healthcare systems vary significantly worldwide. There are many public healthcare systems in Europe, while the United States offers only private medical services. The goal of creating an app for any cultural environment remains the same–providing the best possible care through accessible health technology. Understanding patients' diverse cultural backgrounds and preferences is crucial in tailoring the software experience. Being sensitive and attentive to cultural nuance leads to better user engagement and satisfaction.

How to ensure this?

• Conduct market research to understand the cultural diversity of your target user base.

• Incorporate design elements, language options, and features that cater to different cultural groups' unique needs and preferences. 

• Collaborate with community leaders and patient advocates to gather feedback and ensure your software is culturally appropriate and accessible.

One great example of a successful app tailored to a specific country's needs is Merck. The global science company wanted to build a user-friendly platform for doctors in Africa. The process involved digging deep into Kenyan culture and internet use habits and investigating Kenyan healthcare providers' communities to understand their needs better.

Even the most cutting-edge technology and a unique business idea will only make effective software with the right people. It takes a village to raise a kid and an interdisciplinary team to build successful healthcare software. Bringing together healthcare professionals, IT experts, and domain specialists fosters effective communication, knowledge sharing, and alignment between all parties involved in the development process. This way, you ensure the software meets the user's unique needs. 

How to ensure this?

• Assemble a diverse team that includes IT professionals, user experience designers, and subject matter experts. 

• Establish clear communication channels and encourage the free flow of information between these stakeholders. 

• Actively seek input from healthcare providers to understand their pain points and integrate their feedback into the software development process.

As the healthcare industry continues its digital transformation, the need for effective, patient-centric software has never been more crucial. By embracing a strategic approach to healthcare software development, organizations can create innovative applications that improve access to care, empower patients, and ultimately, transform the way healthcare is delivered.

The healthcare application market is a competitive one though. To succeed, a company must have a strong concept of a unique product or feature and an idea of how to make it contemporary, trustworthy, and useful. That’s when expert help can be beneficial. Let’s connect and see how we can help you establish your presence on the market and redefine medicine with technology–one line of code at a time. Learn how Monterail approaches healthcare app development and build your digital product with us.