The COVID-19 pandemic has showcased the state of the healthcare sector worldwide. The world continues to struggle against its fight with the tiny, invisible pathogen. Where has the healthcare sector gone wrong? Is it because of the unawareness of the industry? Or is it because of the use of the traditional methods in this fast-paced world? A few years ago, the World Bank and WHO issued a report, wherein nearly 400 million people had no access to health services. When people can order food, book taxis, and do online shopping via the online medium, why can’t they access proper healthcare facilities?
The COVID-19 pandemic has propelled the need for healthcare sectors to go digital. The gap between doctors and patients is widening with each passing day. While a physical bridge is almost impossible with COVID-19 hanging around the corner, the virtual medium can be an ideal way to close the gap. Enabling telemedicine solutions to local people can be the way out amid this pandemic scare. With almost 4 billion people having access to smartphones, telemedicine apps can come in handy.
If you are an entrepreneur looking for a potential breakthrough in the app industry, do not hesitate to develop an app like Practo. In this blog, let’s look at how digital solutions can revolutionize the flourishing healthcare segment.
What’s the need to invest in a telemedicine platform?
One of the primary questions that pop up to almost any entrepreneur is the need for investing in a business. Both the market numbers and popularity must align with entrepreneurs’ expectations. Let’s look at some of the stats here,
- According to a recent survey, as many as 42% of the respondents preferred online consultations to conventional modes.
- Nearly 72% of the US population will surf the Internet regarding doctor reviews and ratings before availing appointments.
- Almost 71% of the US millennials prefer digital appointment options over in-person visits.
- 66% of the US-based healthcare systems are eyeing to turn digital, making online doctor appointments.
- The US telemedicine market, valued at $6.61 billion in 2019, will grow by a massive CAGR of 14.6% between 2019 and 2026. By the end of 2026, the market will reach a significant value of $17.14 billion.
The pandemic situation is fueling the need for virtual consultations. The time is ripe for entrepreneurs to invest in this lucrative business opportunity.
What are the benefits of introducing telemedicine app solutions?
Any business without benefits ceases to sustain in the highly competitive market. Telemedicine app solutions come with numerous benefits for multiple stakeholders – entrepreneurs, patients, doctors. Let’s discuss them here,
- Easily accessible: Patients needn’t wait in long queues to get appointments. With just a few taps on their smartphones, they can access specialized doctors anywhere in the world. This accessibility and convenience make a Practo clone app gain massive reception among the masses.
- Enhanced transparency: The telemedicine app brings about clarity in services. Patients get to know the doctors’ availability, their experience, etc., before making appointments. Similarly, doctors can access the patients’ entire medical history before providing consultations. This way, transparency can lead to betterment in services.
- Anytime, anywhere: Patients have access to doctors on any given day and time. Besides, they needn’t visit clinics or hospitals within fixed working hours for appointments. With a smartphone in hand, they can book doctor appointments in a jiffy.
- Reduced paperwork: Hospital personnel finds it difficult to manage a massive load of paperwork, involving appointments, medical history, prescriptions, etc. This clumsiness in work can lead to reduced productivity and the mishandling of data. A Practo clone app can make the entire process automated, paving the way to enhanced productivity and no human intervention.
- Multiple sources of revenue: From an entrepreneurial perspective, you can enjoy income from various sources through a telemedicine app. From paid commissions to in-app ads, you needn’t worry about your ROI after investing in this potential business venture.
What makes a telemedicine app unique?
Uniqueness is one factor that can draw user attention at a massive rate. Users will switch from existing apps to your app only if your Practo clone app development has a unique selling proposition. Let’s discuss some of the unique features here,
- In-built VR assistance: Patients who aren’t familiar with smartphone applications need to be comfortable using it. By having a VR assistance to guide them through the services, they can book appointments and consult the respective doctors without any hassle.
- Digital prescriptions: It is pointless to consult doctors over the online medium and expect patients to note medications. Ensure that after every consultation, the platform generates digital prescriptions. This way, patients can share these prescriptions with pharmacies, making the whole process seamless.
- Sync calendars: By syncing calendars in both doctors’ and patients’ apps, they can get reminders regarding upcoming appointments. Besides, both parties get to plan their day better with notifications regarding consultations.
- In-app chat: Patients can communicate with the support team and doctors in case of queries through the chat feature. This way, they needn’t worry about their health condition as they can reach out to help with just a tap.
- Electronic Health Records (EHR): Doctors cannot suggest medications without having access to the entire medical history of patients. Ensure that your app is EHR-compliant so that the platform can store previous health records in a remote server.
How can one develop a telemedicine app?
When it comes to app development, there are two popular methods among entrepreneurs. Let’s discuss them in detail here,
- Development from the ground: In this type, you build an app right from scratch. You conduct market research, gather resources, and develop the app by reaching out to freelance developers or app development companies. This type takes a minimum of 3 – 5 months and incurs a hefty development cost.
- Customizing readymade solutions: If you are looking to venture into the market instantly, this type can be your best bet. In this type, you reach out to app development companies for Practo clone app solutions, customize the clone app, and launch it right away. This type is cost-effective, time-conserving, and highly scalable.
It depends on your resources to decide your best-suited app development technique.
Conclusion:
The COVID-19 pandemic is providing an ideal situation for telemedicine platforms to flourish. People are expecting digital consultations with their respective doctors. All entrepreneurs have to do is to roll out a highly efficient telemedicine app like Practo. With the situation favoring the rise of digital solutions, an entrepreneur can reap the rewards and benefit patients and doctors substantially.
