With a heavy emphasis on improving patient satisfaction and customer service, providers are shifting their focus to patient engagement to grow and maintain market share. And mobile will be the tool they push.
According to a recent report from research2guidance, the number of mobile health apps published for the iOS and Android mobile operating systems more than doubled in the past two and a half years to reach 100,000, and 75 percent of clinicians are using smartphones and tablets. This will require hospitals to develop multi-channel strategies (web, mobile and social) to stay in touch with the patients they serve as well as referring physicians.
[See also: 6 tips for developing the right patient education app]
On the business side, new technology entrants like social, cloud and data analytics are creating new operational efficiencies that require scaling with regard to “bring your own device” (BYOD) policies and procedures. Another trend, the consumerization of IT, is forcing healthcare IT professionals to change their suite of technology investments as they are pressured to provide systems that are fast, scalable, virtual, user-friendly and mobile. But with all the security breaches in the news lately, IT experts must balance ease of use with enterprise-grade security in order to protect patient data.
With all of these factors, how should providers start thinking about the way they prioritize their innovation efforts? Here are some things to consider when developing apps for patients and for providers:
Developing a mobile app for patients
[See also: In doctor-patient communications, paper is out, and apps are in]
1. Define your mobile app strategy. You want to start out by thinking about what you want to accomplish with your app and who your target audience is. Who will download your app? Will your app be a part of a larger mobile app strategy at your organization? Then figure out whom you want to work with to build your app - an internal development team or an outside firm? The team you assemble will help you with the phases of app development: ideation, custom design, integration, testing, app management and app marketing, including app store optimization.
You also need to decide what type of app you want to offer. There are two operational categories: native apps, which operate off the native mobile device operating system, like iOS, and require installation or download via an app market; and web apps, which operate via a general purpose web browser, sometimes referred to as WAP or mobile site. Think of these apps as a separate mobile web site that optimizes for mobile attributes.
Finally, you want to figure out what will make your app sticky (engaging) and how you will measure its success - how many active users do you have, the number of downloads or transactions in the app, etc.
2. Develop apps beyond standard fitness monitoring. If you want to increase your brand loyalty with patients, you have to give them something that directly makes their life easier when dealing with your medical services. Don’t just develop another wellness or fitness app with your brand attached to it. Consumers want convenience features - online scheduling, online refills, an online provider directory, a virtual tour or location services, etc.
While direct-to-consumer apps like MyFitnessPal, RunKeeper, Runtastic, MapMyRun, LoseIt and Workout Trainer may work for motivated and health-conscious individuals, it’s important to develop apps that make it easier for all types of patients (whether they are healthy or sick) to interact with your services - empowering them to take an interest in their health and stay engaged.
3. Repurpose content for digital app consumption. Too often, patients receive critical information about new diagnoses, treatment plans and surgical procedures in the most ineffective means possible: paper-based pamphlets and Xeroxed handouts. Even when providers use EHRs or patient portals, they still rely on embedded content in those applications for patient education. The content is rarely personalized or easy to read and only localized to a few secondary languages.
The cloud allows for platform-agnostic applications to be accessible and deployed wherever the patient needs access to information. If you want to create a successful patient engagement app, re-purpose your paper and web-based content into timely, personalized health information nuggets that will engage patients on their terms - from any device, anywhere.
Developing mobile apps for professionals and the enterprise
1. Data security is paramount. If your app is storing protected health information (PHI), you must consider HIPAA and how you will capture, store and share data in your app. You will want to implement secure data storage and, when possible, don’t store/cache data on the device (including cookies, web history, etc.). You should also encrypt your app data during data transmission and allow for strong user passwords and authentication.
HIPAA and the HITECH Act will apply if your app is hosting health-related data and you are a covered entity or business associate to a covered entity. The FDA has put out guidelines on whether your app needs to be approved as a medical device.
2. Develop apps that improve workflow. Apps that free up doctors and nurses from their offices and workstations and streamline workflows are the easiest targets for rapid adoption. You want to identify workflows that are already widely used by clinicians but are extremely time-consuming and burdensome and can easily be improved by going mobile - for instance, improving access to clinic schedules, patient lists, lab results, making it easier to do clinical hand-offs, dictation or logging billing information on the go.
Whatever the new workflow, it needs to be able to fit into a mobile platform, with simple tasks and notifications, as well as integrate with your active directory or identity management system.
Focusing innovation on mobile development is key to transforming your business. Building apps that personalize your patient experience while also enabling your staff to take meaningful action will keep all audiences coming back for more. The end result is a more productive workforce and better engagement with your patients.
Missy Krasner is managing director of Healthcare and Life Sciences for Box.
[See also: Top mHealth apps as rated by doctors]
