One of themost remarkable aspects of evolution of mobile apps is the ability to improvemedical and health care services. Health and wellness apps are transforming the way that peopleobtain their medical advice, therapy, and prescription medication. There are manyapps that let you connect with medical professionals virtually, and they varywidely in features and services. With this technology, users have access to board-certifieddoctors 24/7, general information on various symptoms or remedies, as well asmultiple counseling and therapy services. There are also apps that help youcompare pharmacies varying prescription prices! By using these apps, you canbypass the unneeded hassle that comes with scheduling appointments and goinginto the doctor's office while still maintaining doctor patientconfidentiality. While a doctor may not be able to physically touch you toassess your situation, there are still many variables that can accessed throughyour smartphone and many steps they can take, including writing prescriptionsthat can be picked up at your local pharmacy! Thanks to this technologicalbreakthrough, it is now easier to connect with the elderly and provide benefitsto those who were once overlooked by the digital revolution.
There are various reasonsthat health and wellness apps are gaining popularity, but one of the mainreasons is the vast amount of specialized features each app offers thattraditional gyms can't compete with. There are many different sectors withinthe health and wellness industry, and it seems as if the apps on the market touchon almost all of them. With this still being a fairly new industry, there arestill many ways to launch your own health and wellness service or propel yourcompany into the digital realm, but first, you need to understand the fourmajor industry sectors that have been affected by these trends: Conventionalpharmacies, doctor appointments, mental health services, and physical fitness.
ConventionalPharmacies
Conventional pharmacieshave arguably been affected the most by the digital revolution. From what onceused to be a dreaded task most had to do after a long day at work, filling yourprescription is no longer a major time commitment, nor a financial one, thanksto the Walgreens and CVS mobile apps, as well as supporting apps like GoodRx.
- Walgreens and CVS- Both companies have similar services on their mobile apps as their mission is to bring their customers the same services. These features include mobile pay, pill reminders/identifiers, low medication alerts, appointment setups, and live chat. Through the mobile app, consumers can scan the barcode on the back of their store card or type in their account number manually and receive rewards points they would in store as well as additional points for using the app. By enhancing their digital presence, they were able to enable healthier lifestyles, save the customer money, and save the customer time.
- GoodRx- This company has a different perspective on the industry. Instead of providing you with medical advice, GoodRx helps you find the best deals possible based on local pharmacy price comparisons.
MentalHealth Apps
Mental health appsarehelping shine light on an often-overlooked problem. People experiencing mentalhealth problems often dread the unavoidable doctor or therapist appointmentwhere you have to open up about your personal problems to someone who doesn'tknow you. Rather it be an urgent situation that can't wait until an appointmentcan be setup or a small occurrence that doesn’t call for a face to facemeeting, these apps have your back. Mental health apps are also unique becauseof their ability to cater to the elderly and through its new medium oftreatment.
- TalkSpace is an app that provides text, audio, and video therapy or counseling from licensed therapists on your Android device with no appointment needed. They offer unlimited texts to any of their 2000+ licensed therapists anytime, anywhere, while helping nullify the fear of being judged.
- HeadSpace takes a more proactive stance on mental health by guiding you to health and happiness through meditation and sleep strategies. There are exercises on everything from managing anxiety to stress relief to breathing, happiness, and focus. Chronic insomnia affects an estimated 10-15% of adults, and another 25-35% struggle with sleep issues occasionally. Luckily, HeadSpace offers sleep exercises that include sleep meditations, sleep music, and sleep casts to guide you to a place of rest.
- MindMate is focused more on preventing mental illnesses such as dementia and Alzheimer’s in the elderly using games. According to Dean Takahashi from VentureBeat, Dementia affects over 60 million Americans, and the use of apps like MindMate can help catch the decline in a patient's cognitive ability before a doctor would be able to and hopefully stop it in its tracks, or even reverse it.
Doctor Appointments
Settingup and appointment with your personal doctor no longer has to be a month-longprocess. With the help of apps like Doctors on Demand, you can connectwith board-certified physicians and doctoral-level therapists to help withproblems that range from urgent care, to allergies, to depression, withouthaving to hassle with the germ ridden waiting room. You can see a doctorimmediately or schedule an appointment at your convenience without the need ofinsurance! On top of that, you can even get a prescription written for you topick up at your local pharmacy. Apps like these are dramatically changing themedical industry due to the overall convenience they provide, and many industrygiants are taking notice by offering deals with third party providers.
Physical Fitness
Smartphoneshave been blamed for people becoming lazy and living unhealthy lifestyles forfar too long, and app developers are here to put a stop to that. What once usedto be used to watch tv in bed is now their primary motivation to exercise.There are a multitude of fitness apps on the market now that range from simpleworkout routines you can perform at home to locating various fitness classesaround your local area. Although, it’s important to realize that creating asuccessful exercise app is not as simple as offering exercise tutorials andmeal prep advice; you must make it easy to use and enjoyable.
- Volt is an AI powered app that helps you train like an athlete with specified exercises in 30+ different sports, tactical fitness, and overall strength development. This app will create a custom workout plan optimized for your sport, position, gender, training experience, strength levels, and more. While you complete your training, Volt’s AI technology tracks your progress to make sure each set is a step above the one before, ensuring you don't become stagnant in your exercise.
- ClassPass has another take on the fitness scene. Although many people dislike going to the gym, some people still enjoy the community that comes from it, and ClassPass takes advantage of that natural desire. Through this app, you gain access to 15,000+ studios and gyms right at your fingertips, including popular options like Peloton and Crunch. You simply search to see what is in your area and book your session. You can also stream on demand video and audio workouts to your home at any time!
Whenconsidering a strategy to enter the mobile health industry, there are manythings you need to know. Arguably, the most important thing to know is that youneed to have a specific target market identified. There are simply too manyvariables to be able to cover all health aspects in one mobile app, but thatonly means that there are even more opportunities for success. Another idea topoint out is to make sure your app offers something besides being able tobypass the brick and mortar experience. What you offer must truly be beneficialto your customer. Offering features like AI powered fitness tracking, 24/7physician availability, and reward programs will motivate users to use your appmore frequently.
