Mobile Apps in Healthcare: How the Top 200 Healthcare Organizations Use Apps
Niamh Conneely
Read Time: 6 minutes
Posted on August 25, 2023
In today’s digital age, mobile applications have become an integral part of our lives. From ordering food to booking a taxi, there seems to be an app for everything. And the healthcare industry is no exception. Mobile apps are increasingly being used by healthcare organizations to improve patient care, streamline processes, and enhance communication.
If you are new to app development take a look at our blog, Healthcare Application Development – Ultimate Guide 2023. In this blog post, we will explore the use of mobile apps in the healthcare industry, with a focus on the top 200 organizations. We will delve into the key findings and trends, analyze the most popular app categories, and discuss why healthcare organizations choose to use Fliplet to create their apps. By the end of this blog, you will have a comprehensive understanding of how mobile apps are transforming the healthcare industry.
Key Findings and Trends
To conduct our research, we analyzed the top 200 healthcare organizations based on market cap value, excluding healthcare insurance organizations. We used data from public app stores like Apple and Google, as well as search engines. Here are some of the key findings and trends we discovered:
- 56% of the top 200 healthcare organizations have apps published on app stores, indicating a significant adoption of mobile apps in the industry.
- A total of 500 unique apps were found, with 288 published on both Apple App Store and Google Play, 106 on Apple App Store only, and 106 on Google Play only.
- The largest portion of apps, accounting for 23.8%, is dedicated to the medical devices industry. Other significant categories include drug manufacturers (19.4%), diagnostics and research (14.2%), and medical instrument supplies (10.4%).
- Higher-ranked organizations tend to have a greater number of apps, highlighting their investment in digital healthcare solutions and technology-driven advancements.
- There has been a significant increase in app development between 2019 and 2022, with a drop-off in new app creations in 2023. This suggests that organizations are focusing on optimizing and updating existing apps rather than creating new ones.
The Most Popular App Categories
Now let’s take a closer look at the most popular app categories in the healthcare industry. Based on our analysis, the following categories stood out:
- Events: These apps support both in-person and virtual events, providing features such as event schedules, floor plans, directories of speakers and attendees, chat and discussion options, check-in/out, and reports and analytics. Events accounted for 13.8% of the total apps created. If you are wanting to build an Event app take a look at the Event Budget Template you need in 2023.
Take a look at Fliplet’s Events solution and build your event app for free.
- Reference and Information: These apps provide curated and reliable data and resources for quick on-demand information. They often include medical databases, multimedia content, diagnostic tools, medical calculators, and clinical guidelines. Reference and information apps accounted for 11.8% of the total apps.
- Patient Support: These apps facilitate health management, provide resources, and enable professional communication. Features include appointment scheduling, medication reminders, health information access, secure messaging, telemedicine, patient communities, health metrics tracking, and emergency assistance. Patient support apps accounted for another 11.8% of the total apps.
- Product Information: These apps offer detailed and searchable information and reviews about specific healthcare products. They include features such as product catalogs, search and filter options, multimedia content, notifications and alerts, product ordering capabilities, and service request submissions. Product information apps accounted for 9.8% of the total apps.
- Health Monitoring: These apps track, analyze, and report personal health data. Features include data tracking (steps, heart rate, sleep patterns, etc.), integration with wearables, goal setting, analytics and reports, personalized insights, notifications and alerts, health logging, and data sharing. Health monitoring apps accounted for 8.8% of the total apps.
- Learning: These apps facilitate learning through interactive courses, tutorials, and educational resources. Features include course libraries, interactive content (videos, audio lectures, quizzes, simulations), progress tracking, discussion forums, assessments and quizzes, learning reminders, offline access, and certificates. Learning apps accounted for 5.6% of the total apps.
Take a look at Fliplet’s Learning solution and build your learning app for free.
If you are new to app building and don’t know where to start check out our Ultimate Guide: How to scale mobile enterprise app development without coding or IT resources
Why Healthcare Organizations use Fliplet
Fliplet is an app building platform that allows anyone to rapidly build apps that can run on Apple, Android, and web platforms. Here are some of the reasons why healthcare organizations opt for Fliplet:
- Unique solutions: With Fliplet, organizations can create customized apps with unique features and content, setting themselves apart from their competitors.
- Enterprise-grade security: Fliplet apps have robust security measures in place to ensure the protection of sensitive patient information. All data is encrypted, and access can be controlled to authorized personnel only. Find out more about Fliplet’s security.
- White-labeling: Fliplet apps can be fully customized to match an organization’s brand guidelines, creating a seamless and professional user experience.
https://youtu.be/h3BkHgr9CvQ - Integration capabilities: Fliplet apps can easily integrate with existing systems, such as databases, electronic health record systems, and payment gateways. This allows for seamless data exchange and enhanced functionality.
- Public or private solutions: Fliplet apps can be published on public app stores or distributed via internal app stores. This flexibility allows organizations to choose the best approach for their specific needs.
- Cross-platform compatibility: Fliplet apps work across desktop and mobile devices, ensuring a consistent user experience regardless of the device being used.
- Multiple use cases: Fliplet allows for the creation of multiple use cases within a single app or across multiple apps, providing organizations with a comprehensive suite of solutions.
- User-friendly maintenance: Non-technical staff can easily maintain Fliplet apps, making updates and changes without the need for extensive coding knowledge.
By choosing Fliplet, healthcare organizations gain access to a powerful platform that enables them to create customized, secure, and user-friendly apps that meet their specific needs.
Case study: Healthcare app in action
Providence Anesthesiology Associates faced a challenge that many healthcare organizations encounter: how to efficiently consolidate multiple internal resources for employees and clinicians into a single, accessible platform.
Challenge
Providence needed a solution that would enable their team to access important tools and resources on their mobile devices. The goal was to build a single dashboard that would aggregate various internal resources required by clinicians and employees in one place.
Solution
Providence turned to a mobile app that serves as a centralized access point for all the essential documents from their internal cloud storage solution, as well as resources from internal mobile sites, including surveys and data collection tools.
Results
The app has received excellent feedback from stakeholders, and the Providence team is already reaping the benefits of a truly mobile-optimized solution that enhances accessibility and efficiency for their clinicians and employees.
To learn more about how Providence Anesthesiology Associates successfully developed and implemented their mobile app solution, read the full case study.
The future of healthcare is mobile
The healthcare industry is undergoing a digital transformation, with mobile technologies playing a pivotal role in reshaping how healthcare services are delivered and accessed. Today, mobile apps have become an integral part of the healthcare ecosystem, providing patients, doctors, and healthcare professionals with the tools they need to stay connected, informed, and empowered.
Summary
Mobile apps have revolutionized the healthcare industry, allowing organizations to enhance patient care, streamline processes, and improve communication. The top 200 healthcare organizations are embracing this trend, with a significant number of apps published on app stores.
In this blog post, we have explored the key findings and trends in the use of mobile apps in the healthcare industry. We have analyzed the most popular app categories and discussed why healthcare organizations choose Fliplet to create their apps. By leveraging the power of mobile apps, healthcare organizations can provide better care, improve efficiency, and empower both patients and healthcare professionals.
As technology continues to advance, we can expect to see even more innovative uses of mobile apps in the healthcare industry. Whether it’s tracking health metrics, accessing medical information, or facilitating virtual consultations, mobile apps are transforming the way healthcare is delivered. By staying at the forefront of these technological advancements, healthcare organizations can continue to provide the best possible care to their patients.
Niamh Conneely
Niamh Conneely is the Content Writer and Marketing Executive at Fliplet – an app building platform that enables anyone to easily create engaging and interactive mobile and web apps.
Niamh has experience in content creation and writing and has achieved two level 6 awards for The Chartered Institute of Marketing. She has developed skills to help organizations deal with the challenges of a fast-moving marketplace. Connect with Niamh on Linkedin.
FAQs
How do I create a healthcare application?
Creating a healthcare application requires careful planning and consideration of various factors, such as the target audience, features and functionality, and regulatory compliance. Follow these six steps to help you get you on your way:
- Find your apps purpose
- Pick a platform
- Select a plan – remember your budget!
- Choose a template to get you started
- Add your content and make the app your own
- Now its time to publish your app
- Keep an eye on your apps analytics
What are the main steps in application development?
The main steps in application development are as follows:
- Planning: In this stage, you define the purpose of the application, identify the target audience, and conduct market research to understand user needs and preferences.
- Design: In this stage, you create a design plan for the application, including user interface design, feature and functionality specifications, and data models.
- Development: In this stage, the actual coding and development of the application take place. Developers use programming languages and development frameworks to build the application.
- Testing: In this stage, the application is tested for bugs, errors, and usability issues. The goal is to ensure that the application is reliable, secure, and easy to use.
- Deployment: In this stage, the application is released for public use. This involves publishing the application on an app store or website, configuring servers, and deploying the application to production environments.
- Maintenance: In this stage, developers continue to monitor and maintain the application, fixing bugs, adding new features, and ensuring that the application continues to meet user needs and expectations.
What are the 7 factors that go into how application development is done?
There are several factors that go into how application development is done, including:
- App Purpose: The purpose of the app is critical in determining how it is developed. Whether it’s a mobile app or web app, the features and functionalities that are needed depend on the purpose of the app.
- Target Audience: The target audience for the app influences how it is developed. This includes understanding their preferences, habits, and behaviors.
- Development Approach: The development approach determines the tools and frameworks used to build the app. It can be native, hybrid, or web-based development, and this decision is based on the app’s purpose and target audience.
- Design: The design of the app is critical in determining its success. User interface, user experience, and visual design are key factors that determine how the app is perceived and used.
- Data Management: Effective data management is critical in the development of any app. This includes determining how data is stored, managed, and secured.
- Technical Complexity: The technical complexity of the app plays a role in how it is developed. Some apps require more complex coding, while others can be developed using simpler tools.
- Budget and Timeline: The budget and timeline of the project determine how the app is developed. Developers have to work within budget constraints while also meeting the project’s deadlines.
These factors are just a few of the many considerations that go into how application development is done. The approach and process may vary depending on the project’s goals, the development team’s expertise, and other factors.
How Much Does it Cost to Create a Healthcare App?
The cost of developing a healthcare app can vary widely depending on various factors such as the type of application, its features, and functionality, complexity, platform, and location of development. No-code solutions are usually cheaper as you don’t have to pay for a developer.
In general, healthcare app development tends to be more expensive than other types of apps due to the unique regulatory requirements, privacy and security concerns, and the complexity of the healthcare industry. It is important to work with an experienced healthcare app development company that can help you determine the specific needs of your project and provide an accurate estimate of the costs involved.
