5 apps that are changing healthcare today
Ten years from now, we may look back at 2017 and remember it best for the launch self-driving cars or the rise of 3D printing. But when it comes to remembering 2017 according to the healthcare market, this year will be remembered as a time when apps truly revolutionized the way consumers engage with industry players.
Combining healthcare initiatives with digital technologies is not a wholly new concept, but recent research shows that today, people are utilizing healthcare-related mobile apps in unprecedented numbers, especially in comparison to similar mobile app usage in previous years.
To help keep you current on the latest and greatest in mobile healthcare technologies, we downloaded, signed up for, and tested hundreds of apps this month. Then we selected the top-5 game changers to share with you!
The first app to make our list is Healthgrades. This app helps people find convenient, affordable healthcare providers - like doctors or hospitals - based on each user’s location and specific healthcare needs. With a series of detail-oriented filters, users can whittle down the (sometimes overwhelming) selection of providers in a specific area by specialty, gender, patient satisfaction rates, certifications, and more. You can even add your own insurance information to prompt the app for a quick rundown of in-network matches. One user wrote of her experience with Healthgrades, “This app is really easy to use and is great for helping out family members. I needed to find a doc for a grandparent in Phoenix and this makes it super easy to learn about new docs and keep them in my phone.”
When is comes to first aid, the American Red Cross First Aid app has your back. This app provides users with step-by-step instructions for a variety of first aid scenarios like asthma attacks or dealing with a broken bone. As an added user-focused bonus, information and guidelines within the app are preloaded so that users don’t have to worry about accessing cellular service during an emergency. First Aid also offers safety tips for natural disasters and preparedness quizzes to keep you on top of your game in any situation. And because the American Red Cross is a nonprofit organization, the app also gives users ideas on how they can give back through charitable donations or giving blood. First Aid by the American Red Cross is kind of like the Swiss army knife of healthcare apps – it has a little bit of something to help you in every situation!
The next app on our list, Round Health, is a pill tracker developed by Circadian Design. This app takes on the responsibility of organizing all your various medications and vitamins in one place so that you can worry less, live healthier, and be happier. The app is easy to setup and does an excellent job of discreetly reminding patients when to take their medications. Appealing to the hyper-organized, Round Health is even color-coded by the time of day users are supposed to take medications! This app also has a plethora of background information on different medicines, so you’ll be notified when you need to refill a prescription, when you need to eat food with certain medications, and when you can start or stop taking certain medications. There’s no forgetting with this app!
For anyone who hates waiting in line, Doctor on Demand is the app for you. This little piece of technology eliminates the waiting room to get you in front of a provider within seconds. Doctor on Demand sets up live video appointments with certified doctors based on your medical needs and insurance parameters. It may sound too good to be true, but according to the app, video calls can treat most of your non-emergent medical needs AND it’s usually cheaper than going to a doctor’s office in person. Video calls through Doctor on Demand start at $50 for a medical visit, $79 for a therapy session, and $229 for the first session with a psychiatrist (then $99 per follow up session). Next time you have the common cold, maybe consider a video call instead of battling the waiting room.
Another app making waves is the ReSound Smart App by the Danish hearing technology giant GN ReSound. The ReSound Smart App is a revolutionary solution for people who wear Bluetooth enabled hearing aids. It offers users the ability to personalize and control their hearing aids directly from a smartphone or Apple Watch – any time and in many ways – leading to maximum discretion. Through the ReSound Smart app, volume and treble/bass settings can be easily adjusted for both hearing aids together, or for just the right or left separately. Users can also save frequently visited places with a geo-tagging function that allows users to assign different hearing aid programs to specific sound environments. For example, the next time you walk into your favorite restaurant, the ReSound Smart App could automatically adjust your hearing aids to your preferred settings for that establishment. This app maximizes sound quality and audibility, while at the same time minimizing listening effort on behalf of the user!
Successful healthcare marketing requires more than a strong mobile app. For help with your entire campaign, contact us via email or social media today!
