Telemedicine, or telehealth, is a form of medicine that uses technology to offer long-distance patient care. It was initially used in the United States to reach patients who lived a long distance away and has since become a popular procedure due to its simplicity. Telemedicine platforms often offer physician assistance in non-emergency situations where prolonged inpatient care is not needed. It is an entire multipurpose healthcare program that offers medical and mental health assistance. Following registration, a patient connects with a user-friendly system and a physician directory to choose a consultant and initiate or plan an online consultation.

Did you know? By 2025, the global telemedicine market size is expected to reach USD 80.61 bn.

Reasons why people choose telemedicine apps.

People are gradually losing their apprehension towards electronic healthcare devices. Their faith goes up, and those apps are becoming more appreciated because they are:

• Swift Responses

Individuals who have a minor health concern or are too ill to visit a specialist in person save time from not having to go to a pharmacy, fill out patient paperwork, and stay in a waiting room.

• Emergency.

These applications help reduce emergency department visits by addressing common cold-related infections, some respiratory disorders (e.g., asthma), allergies, eye and skin problems, muscle strains, wounds, bruises, and discomfort, among other things.

• It is convenient.

Telemedicine simplifies the process of obtaining required doctor’s records, such as a job or school reasons for patients who need a day or two to heal. After a physician updates the form, the patient receives a notification that the note is ready for printing or emailing.

Check: healthcare software development services

Features of Telemedicine App

Each app must have some standard components during production; however, several unique features distinguish telemedicine applications for healthcare from other forms of wellness apps. The following section discusses the capabilities of a telehealth network.

1. Profile of the Consumer

A user profile is a necessary component that displays the following information about the user: an image (optional), address, gender, place, time zone, email, phone number, and alternate numbers for account setup or emergencies. Additionally, it must show a history of previous visits and a calendar of upcoming appointments.

2. Web/Mobile Patient Panel

Typically includes a panel of doctors’ services, a list of medical conditions for which treatment is available, and a form for scheduling appointments. A typical tabbed page set would include a medical, mental, and family health history page, a lifestyle page, payment methods and settings, and patient activity on the platform.

3. Geographical positioning

Telemedicine applications are intended to help patients escape unnecessary travel. As a result, they always request the user’s geolocation to locate nearby pharmacies and hospitals, provide directions, and estimate the user’s arrival time at the selected destination.

4. Methods of Communication

To maintain treatment monitoring and real-time coordination, the incorporation of the following must be prioritized:

• The choice for an in-app chat.
• Calling option within the application.
• Session via live stream.

A development team’s mission is to create an intuitive messenger with file sharing, audio, and video help to maintain the quality of files submitted and maintain a stable link.

5. Electronic Medical Records (EMR)

The implementation of a telemedicine application involves the incorporation of an EMR to ensure the following:

• The adaptability of the workflow,
• Access to utilities,
• Computer usability.

The EMR concept is based on entering data on a new patient and reviewing it for each subsequent visit. It enables further diagnostics on a patient by including a status update on the patient’s health. EMRs centralize patient health status documents, minimize physician documentation, and eliminate duplication of health reports.

EMR aids in the resolution of security concerns. The infrastructure is built around data blocks that can be accessed at varying levels by various specialists. For instance, an accompanying physician can view the entirety of a patient’s record card. Moreover, other care personnel delivering additional treatment to a patient are limited to working through specific blocks of details included within the record. Thus, the implementation team’s responsibility is to provide safe data connectivity and storage structure for both patients and treatment practitioners.

6. Check for Symptoms

A symptom checker is a supplemental service that assists patients in defining their symptoms and responding to concerns about their actual general illness. The computer generates several potential conditions based on the data entered, but only a practitioner makes the final determination.

7. Tracking Prescriptions and Medication

If a doctor prescribes drugs, a tracker notifies the patient where they should pick them up at the pharmacy. The patient would also show their identification, insurance card, and an electronic copy of their medication.

As in one of our previous ventures, the app will provide an interactive online pharmacy or marketplace. Additionally, the framework should include features that enable patients to receive purchased prescriptions through home delivery. This feature is advantageous for people who have medical needs who are unwilling to obtain a prescription drug from a pharmacy independently.

Prescriptions for laboratory tests are written to describe health problems. After the video visit concludes, the patient can see a collection of labs to send samples. The physician’s electronic order is then sent to the laboratory of choice, notifying a laboratory technician to plan for the examinations.

8. Modes of Payment

Different apps have different methods of payment. For Doctor on Demand app, there are several payment options available, and enjoy  the services:

• Debit card/ credit card
• Insurance coverage (Medicare or Medicaid).
• Coverage by the employer.
• Discount coupons.

Telemedicine app development cost

The expense of telemedicine startup and the estimated time required to create a telemedicine app are often variable, depending on the team’s familiarity with related healthcare ventures, the team’s scale, and strict deadlines. However, you should keep in mind a few distinct features that typically need additional funding to ensure a high-quality outcome. A standard telemedicine application development would cost between $75,000 and $100,000.

• Analytics in Big Data

Each telemedicine computing platform must be capable of collecting and storing enormous quantities of data. Big Data analytics is used in EMRs to enable real-time alerting and to consolidate information about diseases to prevent them in the future. The structuring and determining methods to maintain a particular quest is a difficult job for a developer and requires additional expenditure due to the complexities of extensive data management.

• Integration of Artificial Intelligence

This is another pricey but necessary solution. AI chatbots are a cost-effective method of mental health treatment. Apart from assisting patients with sign-up forms and guiding them via the software, they act as an medical & mental health assistance and communicate with patients through intelligent questionnaires about their mental health. Moreover, by demonstrating empathy, more advanced chatbots assist people in coping with compulsive thoughts.

When the doctor is absent or has difficulty disclosing their issue during the consultation, a chatbot may provide medical advice. They may be designed to analyze a patient’s symptoms, educate them about the condition, and write medications for minor health conditions in the absence of a medical practitioner.

• Quality Assurance 

QA specialists ensure the software functions as intended and meet customer requirements. Some can see quality assurance as an expensive and time-consuming process, as it comes into the heading of extra expenses. Moreover, it saves money by compensating for the time you would have wasted contacting IT companies to repair platform malfunctions.

Other factors affecting the telemedicine app development cost

The type of the team

As a client, you can use different approaches to select the teams you want to work on your project. However, it all depends on the nature of your project and your preference. Different types of teams have varied advantages and disadvantages. Below is a simplified table showing variations in the telemedicine app development costs based on the type of team.

By the location or region of the telemedicine development team

Developers located in different regions charge differently based on a number of elements. Below is a table highlighting approximate costs of telemedicine app development based on location.

Type of the app

Depending on the type of telemedical app you want, the charges will vary as outlined in the table below:

Steps to follow when developing a telemedicine app

Take the following simplified steps to bring out the best telemedicine app that will meet the client’s requirements.

• Select the best OS or device

Choose the OS or devise that will suit your product, putting in mind the target audience. It can be iOS, Android, or a cross-platform app, depending on the user base.

• Design selection

Choose a design that will enhance a good user experience, ensuring the users won’t have a hard time exploring and using the app.

• Select the API

Depending on the OS or device you selected, you will need an API that you will integrate with your app. The most common APIs include Twilio (which can be used on any mobile or browser platform), Vidyo (which enhances live communication between doctors & patients), and VSee software development kit (applicable on both Android and iOS devices for video calls).

• The appliaction development

With everything in place, you can now start building the app. It is significant to first develop an MVP to minimize the costs and get what the users want so that the final product can penetrate the market with ease.

• Quality Control & Testing

Once you finish the development process, it is possible to experience bugs. Therefore, before the official product launch, the QA team should test the product before releasing it to the market. This step will be completed successfully by conducting stress tests.

• Implementation & Upkeep

After the QA team finishes the quality testing step and proves the product is viable, the remaining step is to release and deploy the product to the app store. Once deployed, it is significant to keep track of the app’s progress by updating it where necessary. This will enhance higher-user retention and encourage other users to download the app.

Final Thoughts 

Telemedicine systems are increasingly gaining the interest of several consumers, making them an exciting new option for company owners. Technologies will assist you in constructing a whole facility without any physical building, schedule medical visits efficiently, and provide adequate care to patients without requiring them to leave their homes.

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Also check: Online pharmacy app development cost | cost to build a healthcare app | Healthcare app ideas