Healthcare is changing so fast that it’s hard to keep track of the latest tech trends. Here’s a peek at some promising technologies for healthcare apps.
1. Telemedicine
Not everyone can visit a doctor in person. That’s why telemedicine programs have already begun to revolutionize the healthcare industry. Telemedicine apps allow users to remotely contact a doctor without visiting a cold and clammy office. Some apps, like Lemonaid, are free to install but charge a consultation fee. Others, like MDLIVE, offer unlimited visits with a monthly payment. Regardless of the price, Telemedicine promises a new era of mobile doctor visits.
2. Internet of Things
The Internet of Things (IoT), which describes the connections between multiple computers or devices over the internet, constantly grows more popular in health and fitness applications. In particular, IoT technology could reshape how developers design health and wellness apps. By connecting a special medical device or even a Fitbit to a smartphone, users could constantly monitor health data like heart rate, blood pressure, blood sugar levels, or even just how many steps they. Then the application could alert the user when their condition changes. Smart insulin pens like Gocap and Inpen already use IoT tech to keep patients aware of their health status, and future apps will likely follow in their footsteps.
3. Blockchain
Blockchain is, more or less, a digital ledger of transactions. However, while other ledgers, like that of a bank, are completely controlled and verified by that central authority, blockchain is decentralized. Learn more about how Blockchain works.
What makes Blockchain so useful for healthcare apps is that it allows doctors and patients to share and store sensitive data with low risk. If this information were centralized, a single point of failure would risk the entire system. However, a decentralized system keeps health records, PHI, medical insurance claims, drug purchase information, and medical audits safe and verifiable.
4. Cloud-Based Infrastructure
A data breach is never good. However, any security incident is always much worse for a healthcare company because of how sensitive and important patient data is. As a result, healthcare companies should seek to build secure environments for their applications. That’s where the cloud comes in. Cloud-based infrastructure promises better security and a lower cost. The difference between cloud and on-premise infrastructure is so monumental that huge enterprises like 3M, one of the largest healthcare software companies in the world, use AWS services like S3, EC2, and RDS. Cloud infrastructure services are incredibly valuable for any application, so reach out to learn how AWS architecture can improve your system.
5. Augmented Reality
While Augmented Reality (AR) remains most visible in games and social media, it adds surprising value to healthcare applications. Sometimes, a doctor or a patient is limited by their ability to see and describe symptoms. However, apps that layer images or graphics on top of a camera view of the real world make everything from basic training to diagnosis simple. Apps like AccuVein and VeinSeek let doctors visualize and locate veins, while Holo Eye Anatomy improves ocular education. As a result, it’s easy to see why AR is such a promising technology.
Fyresite keeps up with the latest tech and design trends to deliver customer-focused applications that fit your business. Get in touch with us through our contact form or call us at 888.221.6509.