Every year the market of mobile telemedicine applications grows and develops more and more. This gives rise to the emergence of new developers. On the one hand, this is very good, but on the other – not so much.
The fact is that the process of developing such applications is quite complex and has many nuances that not every telehealth app development company can cope with. Let’s consider them in this article.
What Is A Mobile Telemedicine Application
First, let’s figure out what kind of application it is. So, a telemedicine application allows the user to consult a doctor via the Internet via video link.
The most common types of such applications are:
1. Real-time video conferencing programs. Completely focused on remote interaction between a doctor and a patient in real time.
2. Store-and-Forward applications (asynchronous video). A program with which a doctor gets access to a patient’s medical history, evaluates his case and provides him with services.
3. Remote patient monitoring (RPM). Thus, the doctor will be able to monitor the patient’s vital signs, his condition and general health.
4. Mobile health (Mhealth). With their help, the user will be able to monitor his health independently with the help of fitness trackers and similar devices. They are indispensable for monitoring outbreaks of diseases or managing chronic diseases.
Key Nuances That Arise When Developing Telemedicine Applications
Most often, developers face the following problems while developing telemedicine applications.
Failure To Follow The Rules
When developing an application aimed at the United States, one should never forget about the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), which protects the privacy rights of individuals who use the medical services of this country. Its provisions are quite strict and have certain requirements for the processing, placement and management of patient data. In case of non-compliance or violation, the developer will have to pay a fine.
For citizens of the European Union, a similar law applies – GDPR, and for citizens of Canada – PIPEDA.
Poor Data Security
The confidential information of the app users must be well protected from hacking, and its developer is obliged to prevent any data leaks.
To do this, it is necessary to consider ways to provide the developer with access to the patient’s medical history to prevent leakage of information not related to a specific case of treatment and it is necessary to implement a multi-factor authentication function or biometric ID verification.
Low Quality Of Sound And Video
The most important thing in applications of this kind is the establishment of clear contact between the doctor and patients.
This is not possible without the use of high-quality conferencing that provides good video and audio quality.
The Presence Of Technological Limitations
Unfortunately, telemedicine as a technology has certain limitations. Some types of examinations cannot be performed using telemedicine applications:
● Ultrasound;
● X-ray;
● Physical examination.
Some applications can provide certain laboratory services, but in general, telemedicine is more suitable for preventive and supportive medicine, rather than for actual treatment.
