Healthcare Mobile App Categories and Best Development Practices!

The digital revolution has gifted the healthcare industry with pioneering healthcare app solutions that have transformed its functioning altogether. Owing to their innumerable advantages, Healthcare Mobile Apps have been widely adopted by practitioners, patients, medical facilities, and insurance providers.

Here are some numbers concerning the market size of these healthcare apps:

“As predicted by Statista, the market size for mHealth applications is going to exceed 50 Billion USD by the year 2025.”

This humongous demand for mHealth apps indicates that the Healthcare Mobile App Development market is booming with opportunities for businesses enterprises.

But, designing a flawless medical app solution that delivers a rich UX is no cakewalk. So, this post is meant for those who want to leverage this opportunity and create a healthcare app solution. The post enlists the key categories of healthcare mobile apps as well as the most effective strategies to implement during the entire app development process right from app ideation to monetization post-launch.

Healthcare Mobile Apps: Key Categories

Healthcare mobile apps come in various categories. The noteworthy ones are as follows.

Medical Record Maintenance apps

This category of mHealth apps come with the following functionalities:

• Scheduling doctor-patient appointments
• Easing out the process of updating patients’ records such as doctor visits, medical examinations, prescriptions, health parameters like blood pressure/sugar levels, etc. for tracking patients’ progress.
• Enabling practitioners to save healthcare info of patients using the prescription module
• Recording procedures and allowing searching patients via their I.D.

Risk Assessment Applications

These apps are integrated with wearable devices and EHR (Electronic Health Records) for real-time monitoring of medical conditions- tracking parameters like heart rate, identifying health risks in patients, electronic fetal monitoring for patients in labor (EFM), etc. Healthcare app developers often use machine learning techniques for pattern recognition when designing risk assessment apps.

Doctor-on-demand/Telemedicine Apps

Telemedicine apps commonly known as “doctor-on-demand” provide patients the convenience of receiving doctor consultations as well as treatment from the comfort of their homes or offices. Patients can choose from a wide range of practitioners, book appointments, attend the consultation session via video conferencing, and make payments using an integrated payment gateway. Some special features of telemedicine apps include:

• A two-way video connection between patients and doctors
• Virtual waiting rooms that track the patients’ waiting time and allow them to gather the required information prior to consultation
• Options that provide patients the feel of attending offline appointments including EHR, in-built messaging, e-Prescriptions, etc.

Healthcare Reference and Database Apps

Such applications keep doctors informed about the most recent healthcare information concerning diseases, medical conditions, symptoms about diseases, medications, etc.

Clinical Communication Apps

These apps facilitate communication with clinical specialists in a healthcare facility and thereby improve the process of clinical decision-making. The features include messaging, voice chatting, file sharing, and maintaining EHR systems. Some examples are sending PACS and Lab results to doctors, EHR integration for editing patients’ records in real-time, and storing files on a cloud-based platform like AWS, Google Cloud, Microsoft Azure, etc.

Lifestyle and Fitness Apps

These apps are a blend of daily tips on healthcare and fitness, diet, nutrition, exercises, and training/courses for improving an individual’s well-being and state of mind. These apps also track sleep patterns and assist in practicing mindfulness.

Healthcare Mobile App Development: Major Strategies

Identify a Unique Selling Point

The mobile app market is flooded with various outstanding solutions. Therefore, the healthcare app you have envisioned wouldn’t taste success unless it has a unique selling point. For this reason, you need to:

• Conduct a thorough market analysis of the existing apps to identify the gaps that can be filled and the specific features that will provide additional value to your application.
• Analyze your target audience to figure out their pain areas and comprehend their requirements; so that you can develop a customized medical app solution that suits their needs.
• Carry out competitor analysis to gauge the minimum benchmark required to succeed and spot the mistakes they have committed.

Having a word with the stakeholders of the healthcare industry such as doctors, patients, nurses, paramedical staff, etc. will provide insights on creating an end-product that is effective, practically handy, and genuinely helpful.

Adopt an Omnichannel Strategy

The following perplexing questions should pop up before you commence the development process.

• Which device is most suitable for the app – a smartphone or a tablet?
• Which platform to pick – Android, iOS, or both?
• Is there any need to activate the app/website with Google Assistant or Siri?
• Would in-person interactions utilizing the camera prove more beneficial for the app?

Well, before you decide on the ideal blend of touch-points for your app, you must consider certain factors. We are living in an omnichannel world wherein digital users do not interact with an organization using only one channel, and so adopting a multi-touch-point strategy will work.

However, your touch-point strategy depends upon the preferences of your targeted audience as well. This is because the preferences of users belonging to different age groups are not the same. For instance, elderly consumers mostly prefer either a tablet or a website, whereas the youngsters are likely to interact with your healthcare solution using a mobile app and voice assistants like Google Home Skill or Alexa.

Opt for the MVP-first approach

Another crucial decision is choosing the right approach – “Whether to create a full-fledged app at one go or build an MVP first and then gradually add features through updated versions?” Developing a feature-packed healthcare app may sound like a lucrative option, but for expediting the success of the app, the MVP-first approach is good to go with.

An MVP refers to the most basic version including all the essential features. The MVP-first approach is profitable because it speeds up the time-to-market. Furthermore, you get an opportunity to validate your app idea and can utilize user feedback to add the right set of features incrementally, thereby adding value to your product.

Integrations and APIs

For promoting interoperability, it is necessary to integrate your app with EMRs and EHRs. Additionally, integration with fitness and healthcare wearables and utilization of AI algorithms for obtaining actionable and insightful inferences based on the collected data works wonders for optimizing healthcare outcomes. For this reason, you must ensure whether the corresponding APIs are available for commercial usage and if there is any need to open source your code after you use them.

Adhere to HIPAA and HITECH regulations

For making your healthcare app HIPAA compliant, you need to adhere to the HIPAA Privacy Rule and the HIPAA Security Rule.

HIPAA Privacy Rule sets national standards in the United States for protecting the health records of individuals as well as their personal healthcare information including medical clearinghouses, health plans, etc., and the medical providers conducting healthcare transactions electronically. This rule limits the usage and disclosure of patient information without their authorization, provides patients the right to obtain a copy of their medical data and request corrections, etc.

As per the HIPAA Security Rule, apt technical, physical, and administrative standards have to be maintained for ensuring the security, confidentiality, and integrity of electronic medical data.

HITECH, the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act, mandates the adoption and meaningful utilization of health information technology in mHealth apps. It addresses the safety and privacy concerns related to the electronic submission of medical information and facilitates the civil and criminal enforcement of HIPAA regulations.

Conduct Extensive Testing

Healthcare apps require rigorous testing to ensure the creation of an impeccable end-product. This is because the bar for accuracy, quality, safety, and security is considerably high; and your app must conform to the highest standards of quality assurance before you publish it on the app store. Check out the standardized testing approach all medical app testers need to follow.

• To ensure confidentiality and privacy of healthcare data, set up stern authorization and access control measures within the app. This way the data will be delivered to only the intended recipients.
• Medical data being a soft target for hackers, testers need to identify and get rid of all areas of vulnerability. So, encrypt data via a transport layer security to enable data validation within the app.
• A usability test is crucial as even a minor error can lead to clinical issues and adversely impact the app’s overall outcome.
• Test the app against high load and performance benchmarks as ready access to patients’ data has to be provided whenever needed.

Plan App Monetization Strategies

Take a look at the commonest app monetizing strategies.

• Offering free trials to users in case of paid apps
• Adopting the models of in-app purchases and subscription
• Generating revenue via advertisements and medicine sales

Final Verdict:

I hope this post has enlightened you about the key areas you need to watch out for while developing a disruptive healthcare mobile app. Contact us for further queries.

If you have already built a fully functional Healthcare application, let us know your experiences in the comments section below.

To know more about our core technologies, refer to links below:

RoR App Development

Java App Development

Swift App Development

How Conference Sponsors Benefit from Innovative Virtual Conference Apps?

Event apps or virtual conference platforms have completely transformed the way how events used to be conducted. Here are some interesting scenarios:

• Angel Capital Association, a renowned organization based in Washington DC, made use of a modern-day event application for proactively conducting their annual summit virtually, which used to be held in-person otherwise. This enabled the organization to offer networking opportunities to the participants as well as marketing exposure to the event sponsors.
• ICANN, an American nonprofit organization and multi-stakeholder group, based in Los Angeles, CA, had planned for an in-person event, but owing to the ‘stay at home’ conditions amid the Covid-19 pandemic, the group deployed the event to a robust virtual conference app, and hosted the app successfully, thus, providing incredible value to all stakeholders.

These scenarios prove how technology has drastically impacted the event industry. All kinds of events, whether private or corporate, can be conducted from anywhere, without even renting a venue location.

Such virtual event apps offer numerous other advantages and everyone using the event apps benefits from them. But one party gets a lot more goodies and privileges from them- “the Sponsors”. These event apps attract and engage participants and this generates more value for sponsors.

Let’s have a glance at a few more advantages, rather reasons why the sponsors love the conference applications.

Key Reasons why the Sponsors Love the Virtual Event Applications

Provides Instant Event Information to Participants

Generating sales is the principal goal of the sponsors. For this, the event sponsors would want to provide valuable information to the attendees. Also, they would want to educate the attendees about their products and services. The event apps act as a platform in this case. The apps enable the target users to download the content of those products and services before, during, or after the events are hosted. It is also possible to include external links or bios in the profiles of sponsors and even exhibitors. This will allow the app users to instantly access and gather a lot of vital information through the app.

Helps the Planners and Sponsors Go Green

Event apps help in cutting down costs of printing invitation cards paper handouts, flyers, etc. as such messages can be sent directly to the smartphones of the attendees. Also, any other content or important information can be displayed on the app itself and attendees can instantly access that information. This not only reduces costs but also supports the ‘go green’ approach.

Event Apps Drives More Traffic for Sponsors

Sponsors would always want that more and more participants find them and communicate with them. Customized conference apps help the vendors in achieving this goal. Facilities like interactive maps and the information provided to attendees through the apps help the attendees to easily find the sponsors in less time. Also, another new-age feature- gamification in the apps, helps to design interesting activities for engaging the attendees. These activities include- earning points when they connect with sponsors through the app. Attendees may also earn points after answering certain questions about the products or services of the sponsors.

Virtual Conference Apps enhances Branding

The logos of the sponsors can be added on the splash pages in the apps, so that, when the users use the apps, they can see those logos and get to know about different brands of the sponsors. The company names or brand names of the sponsors can be highlighted on various pages on the apps for brand exposure.

Enables the Sponsors to Collect Insightful User Data

These applications enable the sponsors, and vendors to gather insightful information about the event attendees through user profiles, QR codes, etc. Attendees too can access the information as required. They simply need to scan a QR code so that they can easily connect with sponsors or vendors. This process also helps to eliminate the need to upload contact lists manually and eliminate the errors to a great extent. Consequently, the sponsors can gather the data of potential leads using the insights collected from the conference app.

Improves ROI for event sponsors

When the event is a hit, then attendees automatically talk about how much fun they had and they tend to add such feedback on the apps too. The apps add engagement, excitement, and value to the events. Besides, they help in creating an amazing attendee experience which in turn attracts more participants. This increases the ROI of the events and makes the sponsors happier.

Event Applications Enable the Sponsors to Collect Reviews and Feedback

The feedback collected from the participants and guests through the event apps helps in understanding the progress of the events. Feedback can be collected instantly after the events or even individual sessions, keynotes, etc. Besides, attendees can easily provide feedback, or fill surveys when this facility is available at their fingertips on their smartphones. Also, using the Audience Response Engagement Systems in the apps, it is possible to gather real-time data about the opinions of the attendees. This data helps the sponsors to understand how their event promotional activities are working and accordingly take further steps to improve them if required for generating more leads.

Final Thoughts

Conference apps prove to be an impactful tool to help the event sponsors, and also the event marketers to make the events highly successful. These apps help to increase interaction during events, improve engagement of participants, build a community of like-minded people, and boost the revenue of sponsors. Owing to such myriad advantages, virtual conference apps are gradually becoming an industry standard over the globe.

Will like to wrap up this write-up at this point. Do share your views with us.

Also, if you want us to architect an amazing conference application for conducting virtual as well as live apps, connect with us. We are a leading Event App Development Company having expertise in designing virtual events apps for diverse types of events.

Is hiring an Offshore Software Development Team a safe bet?

Hiring an offshore outsourcing software development company to execute product development is gaining momentum amongst the business enterprises located in top-tier countries like U.S., Canada, etc. A report by the online research portal XTGLOBAL, states:

“In the year 2020, almost 80% of the top-most firms worldwide i.e. fortune 500 companies, possessed offshore teams for accomplishing their business operations, and this trend is expected to grow in the years to come.”

These stats indicate the unprecedented popularity of the offshoring approach – outsourcing development tasks to vendors located in offshore countries. Yet, some entrepreneurs are unsure about the profitability of this strategy and wonder whether offshoring is a safe bet.

This blog weighs the benefits as well as drawbacks of offshoring and enlightens you about the reasons to consider the offshore model for software development. But before we commence, let’s take a quick look at how these offshore teams work.

How do Offshore Product Development Teams Function?

An offshore software development team usually follows an agile methodology which helps create a clear roadmap that fosters team collaboration, iterative development, and transparent communication. Such teams focus on a common objective of delivering the best possible experience to their client partners. Moreover, their developers are experienced, proficient, organized, and analytical individuals who clearly understand the clients’ specific requirements and strive hard to accomplish the best quality in the product development process as per client needs.

Top Reasons to Invest in Offshore Software Development

Obtain Access to a huge Talent Pool

Would you like to obtain the best software development services available across the globe without much ado? Well then, offshoring is the most viable option. Why? If you intend to hire an in-house team of professionals for your project, you have to go through the hassles of fetching and recruiting programmers. This process is not only time-consuming but also involves lots of effort and expenses. Contrarily, offshoring enables you to move beyond the confines of your geographical boundaries and choose from a huge pool of talented professionals around the globe.

Reduced Turnover Rates

It is observed that turnover rates go higher when the demand for the workforce exceeds the supply. To address this challenge, the U.S. IT firms, adopted the initiative of offshoring product development during the late 1990s, and this strategy succeeded well, as it reduced the local demand to a great extent.

Besides, most of the popular offshore destinations experience high unemployment rates and much lower demand for software services from their domestic markets. As such, these countries promise much lower turnover rates and so, they’re worth the investment.

Lesser time invested and Greater Productivity

Hiring an offshore vendor agency eliminates the need for the client company to invest time in routine activities such as project management, HR processes including employee hiring/retention, and many more. Besides, the client firm need not waste time on the task of training new developers as the offshore staff possesses the necessary skills. Hence, this approach saves time and leads to greater productivity for the client company. After all, time is a crucial factor for start-ups and mid-sized companies to thrive in today’s competitive scenario.

Cost-efficiency

Client enterprises located in high-tier countries like U.S., Canada, U.K, etc. can cut down project expenses considerably by hiring offshore development services. The reasons are as follows.

• Offshore locations come with much lower and highly affordable developers rates due to the lower cost of living.
• The client firms need not pay for overhead costs like renting office spaces, payroll expenses, recruitment charges, insurance benefits, or employee vacations. Payment has to be made only for the services they use and all other costs are taken care of by the vendor company.

Effortless Scaling

Every business enterprise, particularly start-ups, comes across a situation when their team needs to be scaled or changes are to be made in the technology stack, as required by the scope and stage of the project. This turns out to be quite challenging and hiring an in-house team for this purpose could cost a fortune.

Offshoring, on the other hand, enables the clients to effortlessly scale their business as per the need. This is because the offshore software development company hired, will provide clients with an additional workforce whenever the need arises and they can easily switch developers between projects. Furthermore, the dedicated development team will take care of various other aspects like providing advice on the technologies in which the client firm should invest, profitable engagement and marketing strategies, plan of action for staying competitive, etc.

Access Most Recent Technologies at Affordable Rates

It is not feasible for most business organizations to access and maintain the latest technologies owing to their high expenses. The offshore agencies, on the contrary, focus on upgrading their skillsets and acquiring the latest technology stacks, as offering quality software development services is their prime objective. Additionally, they provide their clients with exceptional procedures, structured strategies, and highly organized documentation. These vendor agencies update and replace their clients’ software/systems whenever required.

Time to Focus on Core Business Functions

Certain software development activities like creating UI/UX designs, mobile app/website creation, implementing latest technologies like Blockchain, IoT, AI, etc. require continuous skill improvements, team supervision as well as a substantial amount of time and focus. For this reason, businesses are likely to get distracted from core functions.

Nevertheless, offshoring these tasks to reliable technology partners allows them the time to focus on core business operations. Thus, the workload gets divided and this synchronized way of functioning enables client enterprises to accomplish their goals.

Probable Risk Factors along with Remedial Measures

Take a look at the probable risk factors of offshoring and their remedial measures!

• The vendor agency might fail to meet the product delivery deadlines and cause unnecessary delays. But, hiring a proficient manager/IT executive for monitoring and managing the project will zero down this risk factor.
• The protection and security of data may involve certain risks when offshoring projects. However, to rule out this possibility, you need to be extra cautious while protecting and handling intellectual property rights. Besides, offshore firms, too take efforts to maintain data privacy.

When should you offshore Product Development?

You have Budget Constraints

Hiring in-house software professionals will cost you a fortune. So, if you have budget constraints, offshoring is the best bait as it will allow you to hire talented engineers at much lower rates.

You need to speed up development

Time is money! But, if you do not possess sound technical knowledge and enough experience, essential tasks like recruitment of software developers, extensive research on the best development tools, technologies, etc.; will be challenging and time-consuming. But, the highly competitive market you are involved in demands reduced time-to-market and prompt utilization of opportunities as soon as they emerge. So, to speed up the development process, offshoring proves beneficial.

You intend to minimize Liabilities

The entire process of the software product development process right from the inception phase to deployment of the end-product requires resources, time, attention, and focus. Moreover, a dedicated team has to be maintained and the necessary tools and technologies are to be acquired. All these crucial prerequisites may prove heavy on your pockets, particularly if you are a start-up or mid-sized company, hence trying to reduce liabilities and utilizing the available resources is most important to reduce the cost.

You need Flexibility

There are times when you prefer short-time contractual software developers instead of hiring and maintaining a full-time in-house development team. In such scenarios, offshoring employees help as your obligation to those professionals ends after the completion of the project.

You lack Quality and Innovation

Quality and innovation are stepping stones towards the success of software app development and allow you to gain a competitive edge over peers. Hence, if you find that your product quality is below average and the standard of innovation is deteriorating, it’s high time to adopt the offshore software development approach.

Bottom Line:

Adopting the Offshore development approach is a lucrative option and guarantees a higher ROI for businesses. This strategy does have a few pitfalls, but these can be resolved easily. In other words, the myriad advantages of offshoring undoubtedly outshine the drawbacks.

Looking for a reliable outsourcing firm and would like to gain more insights on this approach? Contact Biz4Solutions, a leading Offshore Software Development firm with extensive experience in serving global clients!

To know more about our core technologies, refer to links below:

Flutter App Development Company

PHP App Development Company

Wordpress Development Company

What do the Modern-day Patients Expect from a Healthcare Application?

The trend of delivering healthcare solutions via a Mobile Healthcare App is garnering popularity and recognition at a fast pace! Medical facilities, as well as providers, are heavily investing in healthcare app solutions to enhance the service quality and encourage the approach of patients’ self-management. These solutions usher in immense benefits like timely medical aid regardless of the patients’ location, reduced errors concerning diagnoses and treatment, improved doctor-patient communication, lesser medical expenses, and many more.

Yet, it has been observed that the adoption rate of healthcare apps is lower than expected despite the availability of endless options. The reason is simple. Most apps fail to satisfy the expectations of the end-users. So, before you proceed to hire a Healthcare App Development Company for crafting that perfect app for you, you must be aware of what features your target customers are looking for. Now, the million-dollar question is, “What do patients expect from a healthcare app?” Well, my write-up answers it all.

This blog throws light on the consumer expectations from a healthcare app and also provides guidance on the essential features to include in a patient-centric healthcare app.

What do Patients expect from a Mobile App?

Patients using a healthcare application generally prefer the following features:

• Effortless scheduling/canceling/postponing of a doctor appointment
• The facility of obtaining ePrescriptions including the dose recommendation and being able to access health records easily
• The availability of the directory containing all health records at a single place
• Online screening of minor symptoms that do not require a physical visit to the doctor
• Regular aid concerning healing and early rehabilitation of patients

Key Features to include in a Patient-centric App

Plain Sailing UI

Patients using healthcare applications belong to various demographics and so we cannot expect every one of them to be tech-savvy. For this reason, your app must involve an easy login procedure, preferably through a single ID card or a Google account. Its functioning should be such that the users receive the maximum output of healthcare information by providing minimum or precise inputs. An audio-based patient compliant portal will be a perfect example in this case.

If the first page of your app asks for too many details, the users are reluctant to survey further. Therefore, it is important to devise progressive reduction methodologies for integrating information and sections so that the patients’ contribution gets reduced.

Moreover, your app must stimulate self-explanatory navigation for switching between various interfaces. Hence, it is a good idea to implement virtual assistants or audio-based instructions in multiple languages, for guiding users as they sail through your app.

Furthermore, all aspects of your app should be visually likable and instantly available. Remember that the patients’ grasp on your app is dependant on factors like fonts, colors, theme, loading speed, and response time of the application.

Simple but Amazing User Experience

Most apps fail to impress end-users owing to below-average user experience. As such, it is important to deliver an amazing digital experience by providing a user-friendly UI and eye-catching data visualization based on the target audience. For instance, if your target audience happens to be elderly individuals, it is advisable to opt for larger-sized app icons and texts.

Actionable Healthcare Information

Patients are going to stick to your app, only if it offers detailed, valuable, and actionable medical information. This is because patients prefer obtaining detailed information about their medical condition, and its causes; so that they can take necessary action based on the opportunities available. Hence, your healthcare app solution should provide all-inclusive and actionable details on a particular medical condition.

Online Appointment Scheduling and Reminders

The online appointment scheduling facility comes with the following advantages for patients.

• The convenience of booking appointments online and the flexibility to alter the appointment schedule or cancel the same
• Round-the-clock availability, ease of booking appointments, and also a great time saver.
• Better error handling by hospital staff and efficient management of appointments

Besides appointment scheduling; modern-day customers, specifically those with chronic conditions, prefer receiving reminders concerning appointments, medicine timing, prescription renewals, follow-up schedule, and checking of vitals like blood pressure, heart rate, etc. Such reminders are provided via text message notifications and even phone calls. This strategy works wonders in retaining customers as well as attracting new ones.

Telehealth Video Conferencing

Telehealth Video Conferencing has elevated doctor-patient communication to a new level altogether. It provides an effective platform where the patients can connect to their practitioners and avail of online consultations instead of physically paying a visit to the medical facility. Check out its distinct benefits for patients.

• saves patients’ time as well as expenses
• allows patients to easily co-ordinate with specialists
• ensures the continuity of care
• provides remote care for patients residing in remote places
• enables medical providers to stay informed about the patients’ condition and remotely monitor their medical data

Integration with Wearables

Wearable devices like smartwatches, fitness bands, and health trackers are quite popular amongst the masses. So, if your healthcare app has the ability to integrate with wearables, it would be widely adopted. Wearable devices collect crucial medical data like blood sugar levels, heart rate, tremors, sleep patterns, posture control, workouts, etc. enabling patients to know more about their fitness regime and manage their medical conditions in a better way.

HIPAA Compliance

Most patients these days look for HIPAA compliant healthcare apps to make sure that their healthcare data is protected and the personal information shared by them is not compromised. Patients are critical about the medical data shared as this data is used for insurance coverage as well. HIPAA (The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act) mandates that any app accessing PHI (Personal Healthcare Information) must adhere to HIPAA regulations and security standards. A HIPAA compliant app ensures that sensitive personal information and patients’ data are protected.

Patients’ Community

Adding the feature of a patients’ community will add value to your healthcare application as patients wish to connect and interact with each other. For example, a patient who has been diagnosed with a specific health condition or disease would want to contact individuals suffering from a similar condition. This strategy allows patients to garner the much-needed comfort level and peer support, and is an excellent way to engage end-users.

Roadmap: Generation of Actionable Insights from your Target Audience

It is advisable for app providers to build an MVP first instead of a full-fledged application as this is the best budget-friendly way to know what your target audience expects from the healthcare app. An MVP is the most basic and generic version of the envisioned app, with all the primary features and functionalities. In the case of a mHealth app, an MVP plays a vital role in generating actionable insights from the beta testers and early adopters. Once, you identify the areas of improvement through user feedback, promptly resolve the shortcomings and implement the necessary add-ons by launching updated versions. This will make your healthcare mobile app all the more convenient and accessible.

Final Verdict:

There is a high market demand for a highly functional and scalable healthcare app. However, in today’s dynamic and competitive market your app will fail to succeed if the right strategy is not adopted. Hence, all Medical & Healthcare Application Development Companies must possess clear visibility of the expectations of their target audience and plan accordingly. Be smart enough to read the patients’ minds and include patient-centric functionalities for building a game-changing app.

Contact us for further queries and assistance in hiring healthcare app development services!

To know more about our core technologies, refer to links below:

RoR App Development

PHP App Development

Flutter App Development

An Overview: Architecting a Feature-rich On-demand Delivery App!

The on-demand market has emerged to be a fiercely competitive market in recent years. Almost all existing industrial domains, whether food, grocery, health, and medicines, education, entertainment industry, home service, transportation, or even freelancing jobs, have been captured by the on-demand economy in a very short period of time.

You would be amazed to know that the on-demand economy in the year 2016-17 accounted for 14 billion USD for just the transportation sector in the US alone. This report by a renowned portal- Statista, aptly proves the potential of the on-demand sector.

Also, as stated by a PWC report, by the year 2025, the on-demand apps and websites market will cross the revenue of $ 335 billion.

These numbers depict how massive the future scope of this industry is. So, it is essential for budding entrepreneurs and start-up companies, and even the big players in the corporate world to have knowledge of this economy. And this article is a brief guide on this topic- on-demand app development. Here we will be covering details like on-demand app benefits, their types, features, working, etc. Please read ahead to know more.

Top-notch Benefits of the On-demand Apps

• Unlimited business opportunities in diverse domains
• Scalability and security
• Cashless payment facility
• Ease of ordering the products or services for customers
• Real-time tracking
• One-click cancellation of orders
• Enhancement of customer service
• Reports and analytics of users’ activities
• Measurable online presence

Step-wise Workflow of the On-demand Apps

All varieties of on-demand delivery applications have similar work principles. Here are the fundamental steps that explain the working of such apps.

1. Registration- Firstly, the consumers, as well as the service providers, need to sign up using either their mobile number or social media accounts, or other available options.
2. Inquiry or Order Placement- Next, a consumer searches for the required products or services and then, places his/her inquiry or order on the app.
3. Acceptance/Denial of Request- Then the service provider accepts or denies the order. Usually, denial happens in rare cases when there occur some internal or technical issues. Once the order is accepted, the service provider can approve it for further processing.
4. Payment- Payment delivery depends completely on the consumer’s wish. Some consumers may make online payments in advance and in some cases, they may opt for cash-on-delivery after the order is completed.
5. Order Tracking- Next, the consumers, as well as the service providers, can track the order in real-time using the on-demand app. During this stage, the consumers can connect with the service providers if required. They may even cancel the order if they want.
6. Final Delivery- Finally, when the product gets delivered to the consumers, the process is complete. After this, the consumers may drop reviews on the app, but this is optional.

Basic Types of On-Demand Service Apps

Consumer to Consumer (C2C): This kind of on-demand mobile app is an interface between the local service providers and end-users or consumers. Examples of these types of apps include Airbnb, Tinder, and even some ride-sharing apps.

Business to Consumer (B2C): This type of business model connects the consumers directly with the businesses. These apps are usually created by individual businesses, for instance, a restaurant creating a food delivery app for its consumers, or a pharmacy creating a drug-delivery app for its customers.

Business to Business (B2B): In this type of application, one business enterprise sells its products or services to other businesses or enterprises. Walmart is an apt example of this category. It has its own on-demand app for tracking and managing its products while dealing with other businesses.

Tech-stack used for creating Futuristic On-demand Applications

For creating an impactful app, it is vital to use an advanced tech stack. The on-demand app developers and the concerned team should be equipped with some of the core technologies like the below:

Frameworks: Angular, React Native, React, jQuery, Bootstrap, Node.js, Ionic

Programming Languages: Java, Swift, Laravel, PHP, Kotlin, JavaScript, Flutter, HTML5, CSS3

Database: MySQL, MongoDB, PostgreSQL

Hosting Platform: AWS

Web Server: Apache HTTP Server

Utilities: Microsoft Azure, Cloudflare

Analytics: Google Analytics

Payment Gateway: Stripe, PayPal

Push Notifications and SMS Integration: Twilio

Must-have Features of the On-Demand Mobile Applications

For Consumer App

• User profile for the customers to register and sign in
• Searching products/services and booking orders
• Push notifications and alerts of their orders, latest offers, discounts, etc.
• GPS for live tracking of orders
• Secure and flexible payment models like credit cards, debit cards, wallets, cash, etc.
• Order history to check previous orders, refund data, etc.
• Reviews, ratings, and feedback
• Customer support

For Service Provider App

• Profile creation for the service providers to easily register and sign in
• Accepting and declining requests within a stipulated time
• Alert messages and push notifications
• Choosing online or offline status for showing their availability for any service
• Payment module for having a record of their earnings
• Chatting feature to communicate with customers
• Special panel for vendors or service providers for managing their riders, staff, services, end-users, billing, etc.
• Informative dashboard for viewing service histories, performance, earnings, losses, and related statistics

For Admin App

• Interactive admin dashboard
• Panel for customer management- customer information management, order cancellation, payment management, discounts, etc.
• Panel for management of service providers- managing the listing of earnings, penalties, coupon codes, discount offers, etc.
• Information of pricing and commissions
• Real-time service tracking
• Tracking analytics and reports for business decision-making

Procedure to Fabricate a Full-fledged On-Demand Delivery App

Determining Business Goals and Target Audience

Before starting with the technical part of the app development process, it is necessary to decide on the purpose of the project, the end goals, and the details of your target audience. For this, research about your competitors, get data from online surveys, and get ideas from similar apps in the market.

Creating a Checklist for Executing the Development Plan

The next step is to prepare a checklist for your development team to ease out the execution of the project. This checklist should include the following:

• Products or services to add to the app, their availability, details of catalog, etc.
• Feature list as required
• Confirmation of order requirement from the customer point of view
• Details of integration
• Third-party suppliers
• Costs of products/services
• Deadline of project completion

Preparing a Business Checklist of Vital Project Considerations

What type of application software do you want to develop? A flower delivery app? A travel on-demand app? Or what else? Also, what features do you want to integrate into the app? Are there any other considerations? Ask these questions to yourself and create a checklist accordingly; the checklist may include:

• Customer support service
• Logistics and suppliers
• Merchant data
• Flexible hours
• Delivery charges
• Discounts and offers
• Any legal authorities and standards to abide by
• Security considerations

Hiring the Right App Development Partner

Now you are set to begin with the technical responsibilities. So, it is time to hire your technical partner i.e. the apt app development firm, if you do not have an in-house team. This partner must have the proven experience, skills, and expertise to develop a modern-day on-demand application. So, perform thorough research and hire a dedicated team.

UI/UX Design and Technical Considerations

Discuss your concept with your designers and developers for them to create a wire-frame of the project. Also discuss with them all the technical aspects of the project like programming languages to be used, app platforms, etc. before beginning with the project development.

Creation of MVP or a Full-fledged App

It is always a better idea to develop an MVP i.e. a Minimum Viable Product because it helps to test your app idea in the market and gain early customers on low budgets. Creating an MVP is comparatively a low-risk idea. But, if you have the flexibility of time and money, you may opt for a full-fledged app as well.

App Development

Once you have decided on whether to develop an MVP app or a feature-rich on-demand app, it is time to begin with the development process. Make sure that your team follows agile development techniques for an organized approach and optimum output.

Testing and Launching the App

Test the app at every stage of development and also after the development process is completed. The quality analysts should get all the bugs and errors fixed to ensure successful project delivery and also make sure that the app offers the best possible user experience. Finally, launch the app on the respective platforms.

Concluding Words:

On-demand apps are flourishing more than ever and they are surely going to be the next big thing in the mobility world. Moreover, the pandemic situation due to the outbreak of coronavirus has given rise to numerous on-demand platforms in almost every business sector. So, undoubtedly, there is tremendous scope for new on-demand ideas and apps.

To know more about our core technologies, refer to links below:

Java App Development

.Net App Development

Node.js App Development

Onshore, Nearshore, and Offshore Software Development: A Comparative Study of the Advantages and Downsides!

Today, a major chunk of IT firms prefer outsourcing their software projects to skilled professionals or a dedicated development team. Outsourcing refers to the process of hiring a vendor agency for executing the process of product development. Herein, the vendor provides the client firm with the necessary resources including proficient developers, a project plan as well as the necessary technological tools. 

Business enterprises choose to outsource owing to the following reasons.

• The lack of adequate financial resources, scalability, and flexibility
• A dearth of in-house expertise and the requirement for specific skills
• The increasing demand for uninterrupted services and the urgency to enhance productivity

Outsourcing undoubtedly helps a company to reduce their operational costs, enhance product quality, access a huge pool of talent, and enable a firm to concentrate on core competencies. However, to reap the benefits of this strategy, one must pick the right one amongst several lucrative outsourcing models available.

This post compares the pros and cons of the most popular outsourcing models and will help you to select the best-suited outsourcing model based on your project/business requirements.

Prominent Outsourcing Models: An Overview

The three most prominent outsourcing models are - offshore software development, onshore software development, and nearshore software development. Check them out!

Onshore Outsourcing: Under this model, companies outsource product development tasks to service providers based in the same country.

Nearshore Outsourcing: This model involves outsourcing projects to countries that lie in close proximity with similar or minimal time zone differences. For instance, a nearshore location for a US-based firm looking to outsource would be either Mexico or any of the South American nations.

Offshore Outsourcing: This model indicates outsourcing projects to countries that are located far away with substantial time zone differences. To cite an example, an offshore software development agency in India or other South Asian countries would be the ideal offshore location for a U.S. firm seeking outsourcing services.

Comparing the Advantages and Downsides of Various Outsourcing Models

Onshore Outsourcing

Advantages

Since the client and their technology partners are located in the same country, there are no chances of encountering barriers concerning language, culture, or time zone differences; resulting in an easy, speedy, and comfortable communication process. Moreover, this approach enables the client firm to closely monitor the product creation process in real-time, makes it easy to touch base with the development team, and allows them to apply new changes quickly.

Downsides

The onshore model incurs huge expenses and turns out to be way more expensive as compared to offshore and nearshore models. Furthermore, the range of services offered by an onshore development agency is narrower because of the lesser talent pool available, leaving the client firm with much lesser choices.

Nearshore Outsourcing

Advantages

Nearshoring promises geographical proximity and minimal time-zone differences between the client and the vendor agency. Therefore, it allows better communication with the vendor and more convenience and flexibility in controlling the development process; in comparison to the offshoring approach. Besides, despite the presence of some cultural differences, these are not significant enough to affect the project’s functioning.

In comparison to the onshore model, nearshoring involves lesser labor costs and greater access to development expertise.

Downsides

Nearshore development may involve risks concerning Patent and Copyright violations on account of different copyright rules followed by the country in which your vendor is located. Furthermore, clients nearshoring a project have to incur more expenses than the clients who choose to offshore their project.

Offshore Outsourcing

Hiring an offshore software developer for IT projects is the most preferred and trending practice as client enterprises can reap the benefits of premium quality software development services at budget-friendly rates. Given below are the benefits and drawbacks of this approach.

Advantages

• Cost reduction: The most popular outsourcing pools are concentrated in locations with lower hourly rates for developers. This allows you to reduce project costs to a great extent and hence provides significant savings for long-term as well as short-term collaborations.
• Access to better skillsets: Clients can access a humongous talent pool, harness the potential of a wider range of skillsets, and also hire experienced, specialized, and trained developers who are capable of architecting top-quality software products from scratch.
• Effortless scalability: Software development happens to be quite tricky as it’s difficult to predict the exact resource requirement prior to the commencement of the project. Offshoring resolves this issue by allowing the clients to easily scale their development team up or down as per the need. Remember that it’s way more convenient to add extra developers to your offshore development team instead of appointing new employees for your in-house team.
• Reduced time-to-market: The client company saves time as hassle-prone responsibilities like hiring and training employees passes on to the vendor agency.
• Adherence to deadlines: The right Offshore vendor firm will ensure the creation of a top-notch product and maintaining strict product delivery deadlines at the same time.
• Gain innovative opinion: Companies working with offshore development teams will benefit from the innovative opinions of offshore professionals for obtaining another vision to enhance the final product.

Downsides

• Communication woes: Communication woes are likely to crop up due to differences in time zones and language barriers. Moreover, it may not be always feasible to visit the offshore production site. However, this issue can be resolved by streamlining the communication procedure using advanced technologies.
• Cultural differences: The work culture of an offshore team may be different and in such cases, adjustments are needed from both sides.

Advice on Choosing the Most Befitting Option

The most befitting outsourcing model entirely depends upon your priorities and the specific needs of the project. So, you need to ponder; “Which of the following are you looking for – The best price, highly proficient developers, more security, the least amount of hassles, or a uniform blend of all of these aspects?”

Onshoring allows you convenience but involves high expenses. Contrarily, offshoring allows you to leverage skilled development services at lower costs, but the time-zone differences may create roadblocks at times. Nearshoring, on the other hand, perfectly balances the advantages of offshoring and onshoring. However, the offshore model happens to be the most popular outsourcing option.

Final Verdict:

Outsourcing, particularly the offshore model, has turned out to be immensely profitable for several start-ups as well as the big market players. Thanks to innovative technologies for digitally connecting the entire world regardless of cultural and time differences, the strategy of hiring an Offshore Software Development services Company for executing software development projects, has ushered in unprecedented gains and provided a competitive edge to client firms.

In case you require assistance in picking the right outsourcing agency, contact Biz4Solutions, a prominent Offshore Software Development firm and reliable technology partner!

To know more about our core technologies, refer to links below:

Swift App Development Company

.Net App Development Company

Java App Development Company

Medical APIs and their Significance in Revolutionizing the Healthcare Sector!

Did you know that before EHRs i.e. electronic health record systems came into the picture, interoperability of the medical information was carried out using fax machines and phone calls? But today, there are various EHRs used by healthcare facilities to cope up with this challenge. For instance, one EHR is in the office, another in the hospital, another in some other branch, or Sr. specialist in the hospital may be using another one. The principal drawback of the old method is that the crucial patient data is mostly fragmented and spread across several chambers. However, to deliver the best possible patient experience, it is of immense importance to have all the records in one place so that the complete picture of the patient’s health conditions and past treatment is easily available.

In regards to this issue, the experts in the healthcare industry realized that there is a need for more robust interoperability standards and medical APIs can be an apt solution for this. These APIs can facilitate data exchange and its processing between numerous systems in medical firms.

So, this article will take you through what are APIs in healthcare, how they are used in healthcare software applications, and how they benefit healthcare app development firms. Let’s commence.

What are Medical or Healthcare APIs and their Potential Benefits?

APIs i.e. Application Programming Interfaces are a set of protocols and definitions that helps a software system to communicate with other services and products without knowing how it is implemented. Likewise, medical APIs can be integrated within a medical software for elevating the effectiveness and the overall efficiency of that product. It helps the data systems like EHRs communicate seamlessly and transfer the medical information between each other and thus, improve interoperability.

What else does a Medical API do?

• It helps to provide collective medical information required for creating reports.
• It ensures that a software system receives or sends the medical data and automatically updates the patient information in the system.
• It enables accessing and storage of medical information in a secure manner.
• It allows the healthcare app developers to integrate the medical applications with specific devices and even the entire ecosystem. The developers can utilize predesigned API integration features and tools during the app development.
• APIs help the doctors easily find the complete patient history in one place for providing the most appropriate treatment; thus facilitating medical decision-making.
• Patients too can benefit from these APIs. They can access and provide their medical records to a new organization for diagnosis and treatment, without making any unnecessary calls to receptionists or so. Thus, they can have better control over their health information.
• These APIs enhance international collaboration of the medical data for facilitating research. This helps the scientists and researchers study different cases and discover advanced therapies for chronic or genetic health conditions.
• Furthermore, a medical API can be employed by a host of service providers for managing staff requirements, reducing paperwork, eliminating errors, and thus, elevating the overall efficiency of the healthcare sector.

These were the key benefits of medical APIs. These APIs prove beneficial to numerous parties like individual clinics, large healthcare bodies, medical app development companies, health clubs, other medical service providers, drug developers, patients i.e. end-consumers, pharmacies, health payers, transaction services, and even the concerned government agencies.

Now, let me take you through several types of medical APIs being used in the industry.

Types of Medical or Healthcare APIs

Scheduling API

The appointment scheduling feature is one of the most liked, rather mandatory features of the new-age medical apps. Scheduling API comes with features meant for incorporating the appointment booking feature, cancelling or rescheduling appointments, sending reminders, synchronizing the available slots with the calendar, etc. in the medical apps or software systems.

Registration API

These APIs are utilized for handling the functions related to registration processes involved with various EMR/EHR systems. These APIs can be embedded with EMRs for exchanging patient-specific data. Both patients and physicians will be able to easily register using the Registration API.

Financial API

As the name suggests, this API is used for managing money transactions between patients, medical institutions, pharmacies, or insurance agencies. It helps to generate invoices and bills, send prescriptions, and also manage claims related to insurance. It can further be narrowed down as claims API or billing API, depending on the functions it is used for. However, the healthcare app development firms must make sure that they choose the financial API that has robust security features.

Hospital Management API

This API is purposed to managing clinical data exchanges and other related operations within a medical facility. This API helps in sending and receiving medical information from various units as and when required. This information covers patient records, immunizations, treatment plans, family medical history, etc. Clinical API is another API used for performing similar kinds of tasks.

Ancillary API

There are several processes in a medical facility that lie outside of the organization; for instance, pharmacies, laboratories, radiology units, etc. Using the Ancillary API, the concerned healthcare professional can communicate with these external units, refill the requests with them, and also gather the required data from them. A good example of this is when a hospital wants to exchange some medical information like prescriptions with external pharmacies and refill requests. Ancillary API can be helpful in this scenario.

Public Health API

Such APIs are utilized for exchanging reportable clinical data records with the professional, public, or federal registries, and also with research institutions. Public Health APIs can also be employed for gathering public health records in the scenario of a rampant widespread threat like the ongoing Coronavirus Pandemic. Due to their ability to easily exchange data, these APIs can also be utilized for public health surveillance from data systems like EHRs.

IoT and Activity Tracker API

Wearable Health apps use these APIs for data collection from several IoT-enabled devices like activity trackers, wearable devices, etc. Such data streams help in the monitoring and management of personal health, especially for fitness enthusiasts.

Human API

This API is usually employed by doctors and physicians for viewing test results, prescriptions, patient profiles, and similar other important records. This helps the doctors to access the medical data easily, save time and money, and refrain the patients from longer wait times during appointments.

Some API Challenges

Though APIs have resolved the interoperability issues to a great extent, there are still a few technological gaps.

Since there is a lack of data standards in the healthcare sector, it is essential to create customized APIs that aptly caters to the needs of the concerned service.

In case a system incorporates myriad APIs, then data transformation into a readable format could take several months or even years.

Furthermore, when there are multiple APIs in a system, it can become tedious to manage those APIs, especially when the systems need to be replaced or upgraded.

Testing of these APIs could pose another challenge because healthcare systems usually deal with complex data; which at times, may not be replicated in the testing environments.

There could also be challenges in the privacy and security of the medical data and so, the APIs must be developed to provide safe data storage and exchange, using technologies like Blockchain, encrypted protocols usage, advanced authentication, etc.

Experts have also predicted that there could be some financial concerns, lack of proper documentation, lack of tools for designing, testing, etc.

The Future Scope of Medical APIs and Interoperability

Though there are several challenges coming up, medical APIs are going to be the key when it comes to interoperability and data security. Needless to say, medical APIs have a bright future. Besides, the data exchange laws of the 21st Century Cures Act, are supportive of these APIs. They encourage the proliferation and standardization of these APIs. So, it is expected that healthcare APIs will expand and develop to deliver the best possible services to patients as well as service providers. 

Final Words:

It's evident that medical APIs can boost the communication, overall performance, and efficiency of healthcare organizations. It is expected that these APIs in healthcare will expand to enhance the patient experience, connect healthcare providers to complete data, enable the patients to easily and safely access their medical records, etc. and thus, be advantageous to every medical & healthcare application development company competing to deliver the best services. So, medical APIs are the future of this sector.

With this, I would like to wrap up my article. Do share your views and experiences about the medical APIs in the comments below.

To know more about our core technologies, refer to links below:

WordPress App Development

Node.JS App Development

Flutter App Development

Architecting a Mobile Conference or Event App: Benefits, Features, and Pricing!

As per a study, 37% of event planners make use of mobile event apps for event-related tasks. This is a sign of the rising demand for mobile conferences or event apps for organizing the events. Whether private meetings or large conferences, these mobile event applications are transforming this event planning sector at a fast pace.

So in this blog, we will have a glimpse at several aspects like vital features of the event apps, and their pricing. But before that, we will have a quick look at the key reasons behind the popularity of these apps. Let’s begin.

Significance of Event Planning App Development

• One App for Multiple Events: A single branded event application can be utilized for organizing a host of events. It can become a trusted channel for the event planners, their staff, and all attendees.
• Simple and inexpensive way to gather and deliver information: An unlimited amount of event-related information can be easily added to the app. This information can also be edited and immediately conveyed to the attendees through the app.
• Enhanced Engagement and Interaction: A feature-packed event app comes with features and functionalities that enable high-quality meetings, better interaction, engaging activities, etc. Besides, conducting surveys, questionnaires, asking for ratings, generating reports, etc. is possible with such an app and this boosts user engagement.
• Advanced Planning: The app acts as a smart resource for proper planning of events and streamlining the event hosting. It helps to efficiently implement the best-known project management practices.
• Better Networking Capabilities: An event management app offers a great opportunity for attendees to build a strong network in their arena.
• Creating New Revenue Streams: Event apps help to open up new opportunities for growing partnerships with sponsors and creating additional revenue streams as well.

Top-grade Features of the Best Conference or Mobile Event Apps!

Push Notifications and Data Synchronization

Like other apps, push notifications are one of the most useful features available in the event apps too. These notifications help in informing the attendees of the event details well in advance and also remind them a day before the events. Besides, the data synchronization with the server, it enables informing the attendees regarding any modifications in the event program, time, schedule, location, etc. in real-time.

Maps and Geolocation Tracking

This feature helps the attendees to aptly reach the location of the event.

Besides marking the event location in the integrated map, you can also do the following:

• Employ live directions for assisting the participants in real-time.
• In case the event is held over a larger area, build an inner map in the event app with different points of interest.
• Also, try making the geo-location feature work offline for the attendees to use the app navigation even during unstable network connections.

Calendar and Planner for Schedule

It is of utmost importance to display the details of the event program in the calendar and add them to the schedule. This feature is immensely important for users to remain informed of the event. Also, the planner i.e. customizable notification system will ensure that the users won’t miss any program.

Event Preview

Several people will decide on whether or not to attend the event based on the final preview of the event. So, the event preview should include some interesting content that resonates with the target audience and allures them to participate.

News Feed

The basic purpose of every mobile event or conference app is to inform and entertain its audience and ‘News Feed’ can help to do this well. It also helps to keep the users of the app updated with the latest news or modifications about the events or other important announcements. Besides, this feature enables the organizers to share event photos, videos, interviews, ads, etc. for keeping the users excited about the event.

Networking Ability

Most of the time, the attendees are looking for developing networks through an event, especially corporate events. Rather, networking and building contacts are some of the major reasons why professionals attend events. So, the app must allow the attendees to freely connect, chat and share content with others. At the same time, make sure that spam or unnecessary sales pitches are avoided.  

Ticket Booking

This is a powerful feature that can be used for better event planning for participants and monetization purposes as well. The in-built ticket booking feature of the event app saves the participants from the efforts like finding tickets from other sites or offline locations, printing tickets, payments, etc. All this can be done easily through the app.

List of Speakers

For a mobile conference app, it is a must to add a list of speakers, especially when the events are corporate and could include open-air lectures or so. Technically speaking, integrating this feature is not much difficult. A single-screen needs to be added that has the speakers’ details, photo elements, text, social media links, etc.

Ratings and Feedback

Reviews, ratings, and real-time feedback by the attendees are essential for every budding event planner or event app owner. It helps to get insights for improvement of the app as well as particular events that were organized using the app. By using this feature, the participants can chat in real-time with the speakers or experts in the events and rate them too.

Event App Development Cost Considerations

Architecting an impactful event app is no easy task. It depends on a plethora of factors like types and numbers of features to be integrated into the app, location of the development firm, experience of event app developers, app platform, API integrations, app security measures, UI/UX design, devices that the app supports, usage of smartphone hardware, support and maintenance requirements, and much more.

However, here are a few aspects based on which you will be able to get a rough idea about the event app development pricing.

• Companies offering Event app development services can take 8-10 weeks for creating a good event management app.
• The hourly rate of developers can range from $20 to $50 or more, depending on the location and reputation of the offshore software company.
• A simple event app can cost anywhere from $20,000 to $40,000. An app with medium complexity can cost from $40,000 to $60,000 and a full-fledged app with complex features can cost $ 60,000 and above.
• Additional costs can be incurred for features that are related to attendee engagement, brand awareness, etc.

But every project has individual specifications and requirements. So, if you want to get an exact estimate for your mobile conference app project, get in touch with Biz4Solutions, we will provide you the estimates within 48 hrs.

Final Thoughts

Mobile technologies have advanced to their best capacity and have disrupted the event management industry in myriad ways. Mobile event apps or conference apps have become a must-have for modern-day event professionals. But without the right set of engaging features, these apps cannot provide better attendee engagement, real-time insights of events, and thus, increased business. So, in this blog, we have made an effort to list down those features, with event app benefits and also explained the event app development cost considerations.

Hope this blog helps in making important decisions in your event planning app development journey.

For any further assistance on this topic, comment below or drop us a mail.

Handy Tips on Choosing the most Effective Hospital Management System (HMS)!

Present-day patients expect services like receiving reminders via email/text messages, accessing their electronic health records whenever needed, and availing of online video doctor consultations from their medical consultants and physicians. Practitioners too, prefer advanced and smart Healthcare management software solutions for easing out their workload. Therefore, it has become necessary for hospital bodies to revamp their traditional infrastructure and implement a technology-infused approach. And, what can be a better option than employing a comprehensive HMS (Hospital Management System)?

A digitally smart HMS has been garnering popularity in the healthcare industry for the last few years. However, for receiving optimum benefits, it’s crucial to employ the right HMS that perfectly aligns with the requirements of your medical facility. So, while selecting the vendor agency that offers Healthcare Development Services, there are certain factors to consider and some standard practices to follow. My write-up provides all-inclusive guidance on how to pick the right HMS (Hospital Management System) for your healthcare facility. But, before we delve deeper, let me provide you useful pieces of information on HMS and its benefits.

Hospital Management System: Overview

A Hospital Management System, commonly known as HMS, refers to an app or a software system that is employed for gathering and digitally storing patient data and keeping the diverse departments of a healthcare facility connected on a common platform. An HMS offers several modules like Patient management system software, Doctor Management System, Online Appointment Management System, Lab Test System, Invoice Management System, Administrative Rights Management System, Drug Management System, etc.

An HMS executes the following functions.

• Assists in tracking, planning, and carrying out daily activities in a healthcare organization
• Minimizes management burdens through automation of processes and the availability of information to all stakeholders
• Manages the entire lifecycle of patients’ treatment starting from their hospital admission till their discharge.
• Records medical data, stores medical reports, generates e-prescriptions, processes bills, maintains patients’ contact details, tracks appointment schedules, saves insurance information for future reference, etc.

Hospital Management System: Benefits

Take a look at the key benefits ushered in by an HMS.

• Provides easy access to patients’ healthcare data as well as the accurate medical history of patients
• Minimizes chances of errors and enhances the efficiency of medical practices resulting in improved patient care
• Ensures security of sensitive data and retrieval of data whenever required
• Saves time and turns out to be cost-efficient
• Reduces the documentation workload
• Exercises better audit control and compliance to healthcare policies
• Ensures better revenue management and accountability for hospital bodies

Picking the Right HMS (Hospital Management System): Best Practices

Identifying the Requirements

It is crucial to identify the specific requirements based on the workflow of your healthcare facility before you proceed to select an HMS for your hospital. This can be done by holding discussions with your hospital management staff and other stakeholders on the necessary functionalities as well as additional features needed by your organization. These brainstorming sessions will not only assist you to pick the best suited HMS; but also provide you a clear understanding needed for comparing and analyzing the pros and cons of different HMS products.

A Thorough Background Check

Before selecting an HMS it is important to conduct a thorough background check of various HMS available in the market as well as the recognition and previous work experience of the vendor agency. For this, you need to check online ratings and reviews and feedback from the company’s existing/previous customers.

Live Demo of HMS Software

Before finalizing the HMS for your medical organization, your vendor must present a demo of the HMS features. Such a demo will not only enable you to validate the specifications from the products but also determine if that HMS will prove useful and reliable for your patients and organization. Prior to the demo, prepare a report containing your concerns and pain points and keep this report handy during the demo. This strategy will help you comprehend during the demo how usable the HMS will be for your facility and what problems will it address.

HMS Implementation: Standard Practices

The effective implementation of HMS involves processes like establishing the basic setup, training of staff, and pilot testing. The conventional approach of implementation includes commencing with a modest beginning and then implement an enhanced automation prospecting. On the other hand, the phased approach of HMS implementation empowers the hospital management to reduce the workload of hospital operations bit by bit.

Training of Hospital Staff

Improper knowledge and understanding of the HMS by the hospital staff may result in disastrous outcomes. Therefore, train your staff well for educating them about its functioning and maintaining the privacy and security of medical data. The training session may include fundamental setup and pilot testing and can be customized for various departments as per their needs.

Opting for a Customized HMS

Even if you have finalized HMS software after careful scrutiny of requirements and features, you’re likely to miss out on certain indispensable functionalities. Moreover, you might need to implement advanced features down the line to cope up with changing times. Such issues can be resolved if you opt for a customized HMS. Customization happens to be a crucial prerequisite when automating your hospital functions. As such, it is advisable to pick a vendor who will craft customized HMS software tailored to meet the needs of your hospital’s workflow and allow you to add advanced functionalities as and when required.

Cloud-based System for Hospitals

When installing an HMS solution for your medical facility, you need to decide on its location – whether a client-server or a cloud-based system. Also, it’s advisable to go for cloud-based HIS software. The reasons are as follows:

• It can be effortlessly be scaled and will help you to accommodate the growth of your organization in the coming years.
• This system provides remote access via a browser and hence is accessible from any location.
• Furthermore, this model turns out to be a cost-efficient solution as it involves paying monthly charges and rules out the need for investing in resources and managing them.

However, while finalizing the HIS/HIMS software, do not forget to validate its scaling abilities.

Upgrading the existing HMS instead of replacing

‘Your hospital already possesses an HMS, but needs to be enhanced as per the latest practices!’ Well, in this case, there isn’t any need for reinventing the wheel by replacing the existing software. Instead of investing in new software, look out for vendor firms who will upgrade your existing HMS as per your need and integrate the additional features in the old version itself.

Support and Updates

Your hospital’s HMS software is subject to real-time scenarios as well as the loads which mandate the reputation of your workforce post-implementation of the HMS. Several spontaneous and unanticipated issues are likely to crop up. Such issues need correct handling within the right SLA (service level agreement). Additionally, HMS systems need auto updations from time to time. Hence, select a vendor who provides the facilities of updations and support.

Key Takeaways:

Times are changing and so are the expectations of patients, doctors, and also the hospital staff! Ever since the HMS solutions have transformed the functioning of the healthcare sector, the doctor-patient community prefers the digitally functioning hospital set-up over the traditional one. So, it’s high time to adopt a highly functional HMS that fulfills the needs of your hospital body.

Looking for reliable healthcare app development services to craft a customized HMS for your healthcare body? Contact us!

To know more about our core technologies, refer to links below:

.Net App Development

Java App Development

ROR App Development

Best Countries to Consider for Offshore Software Development in 2021!

It was in the year 1989 when outsourcing i.e. offshoring the projects started becoming a popular approach, and today, in 2021, it has become an integral part of global business operations. This trend is growing exponentially. So, let’s have a glance at a few statistics on offshore development.

• Before the Covid-19 pandemic, the market size for global offshoring services crossed $92.5 billion.
• In the USA, every year almost 3 lakh jobs get outsourced.
• During the pandemic too, outsourcing of IT services increased from 12.7% in the year 2019 to 13.6% in the year 2020.
• IT outsourcing market is estimated to rise to $98 billion, at a CAGR of 5%, from the year 2020 to 2024.
• About 46% of the firms who outsource the projects say that outsourcing gives them access to talented and skilled professionals who aren’t available in-house.

These estimations by Fortunly.com, a well-known portal for news, reviews, and market analysis, give us a peek into the rising scope of offshore software development services and their demand.

So, this blog gives you a deep insight into the world of offshoring as we have enlisted the top locations across the globe for hiring software offshore development firms. We will also share some tips on how to begin with offshore development. So, if you are an entrepreneur or a start-up company willing to outsource your software project, then this post is for you. Let’s begin.

List of the Best Outsourcing Destinations for Software Development

Asia

Asia is like a paradise for global companies to hire world-class offshore software development services. In Asia, there are approximately 7 million developers and the average rate of these offshore software developers ranges from $20 to $40 per hour. Below is the list of popular Asian countries for outsourcing:

• India
• China
• Vietnam
• Indonesia
• Philippines
• Malaysia
• Nepal
• Sri Lanka
• Pakistan

Bangladesh

Out of these, India is one of the most popular destinations across the globe for outsourcing, due to its budget-friendly prices, availability of talented developers, advanced infrastructure, favorable government policies, etc. Today, the technology and engineering graduates in India are about 2.6 million. Furthermore, India consists of almost 5 million experienced software developers and their charges are comparatively lower ranging from $20 to $30 per hour. Due to all such reasons, today, approximately half of the fortune 500 firms prefer India.

Eastern Europe

East European countries possess a huge talent for outsourcing software services. There are more than 40 tech universities in Romania alone, producing 5,000+ software professionals per year. In Bulgaria, this number is about 3,500 graduates.

Overall, there are almost 1 million software professionals in Eastern Europe and they possess the broad commercial experience required for delivering world-class services. They are also equipped with the latest programming languages like JavaScript, Java, Python, and more. Their hourly rate is from $25 to $40. Besides, their convenient time zones, huge talent pool, cultural similarities, etc. make East European countries a top choice for outsourcing. A host of East European countries that outsource their services are listed below:

• Ukraine
• Czech Republic
• Russia
• Hungary
• Belarus
• Poland
• Romania
• Bulgaria
• Estonia
• Slovakia

Latin America

In recent years, Latin America has experienced a growing demand for offshoring its software services. The hourly rates of the developers vary from $30 to $55 per hour, depending on their work experience, and qualification. The countries in Latin America have similar time zones like North America and so, there is very little difference in time zone.

Here is the list of top offshoring countries from Latin America:

• Brazil
• Argentina
• Chile
• Costa Rica
• Panama
• Colombia
• Peru
• Mexico

Africa

Amongst all the destinations, African countries are the cheapest to hire offshore software developers as the hourly rates of the developers are lower than $20. There are approximately 20,000 software professionals in Africa. But a few professionals with good experience can even charge around $40 - $50.

Here is the list of African offshore development countries:

• Egypt
• Nigeria
• Morocco
• Kenya
• South Africa

Australia

Australia has steadily emerged as a preferred zone for outsourcing software services. As compared to other Asian countries, Australia has a geographical advantage. Also, their native language is English, which is another huge advantage. However, the hourly rate of developers can be very high ranging from $100 per hour to $180 per hour.

Some Tips to Begin with Offshore Software Development

How to Start with Offshore Development?

While choosing the apt offshore destination for you, you first need to finalize your project requirements and then, choose the best-suited destination to hire offshore software developers. Next, you need to research for deciding the offshore company by looking for client reviews, the company’s specialization, their years of experience, company reputation, team size, etc. Also, before starting the project, you should have a rough picture of your project goals, the budget, and the timelines. This will help to avoid any miscommunication with the offshore team and help achieve the results as required.

Criteria for an Offshore Team

Here are some criteria that you should look for while selecting an offshore software development firm:

• Technical education and expertise of the professionals
• Ranking of software developers and their firm
• Time zone and location differences
• English language expertise
• Experience in highly complex projects
• Tech competency diversity

Final Thoughts

The outbreak of the Covid-19 Pandemic has brought a massive shift in the work culture and forced countless entrepreneurs to partner with offshore software development services for their development needs. And why not? Offshoring saves costs while delivering top-quality services and allowing businesses to focus on their core competencies.

So, in this blog, we have shared some of the top-notch locations for offshore development that will help budding entrepreneurs find the right tech partner for their projects.

So, was this blog helpful? Do share your feedback with us.

For any assistance on hiring an offshore software development firm, get in touch with us.

To know more about our core technologies, refer to links below:

Node.js App Development Company

Flutter App Development Company

PHP App Development Company

How will an On-demand Mobile App boost the profitability of your Car Repair Business?

The vehicle repair sector has undergone a rapid transformation in last few years. With the advent of technologically advanced luxury cars decked up with avant-garde software systems, the task of repairing has become no less than a high-tech occupation.

Moreover, in today’s fast-moving era, tech-savvy car owners are reluctant to pay visits to the repair facility and prefer obtaining hassle-free repair services at their desired location instead. As a consequence, on-demand car mechanic apps are trending these days.

A well-crafted app proves highly profitable and advantageous for a car repair store. Therefore, several automobile businesses are roping in an experienced on-demand app development company for designing customized auto care and repair software solutions.

This post enlightens you about the reasons why developing a customized car repair app proves to be an intelligent business strategy. Before we proceed further take a sneak peek into how an on-demand automobile repair app work and the must-have features of a car repair app.

 

How Does an On-demand Automobile Repair App Work?

• The vehicle owner i.e. the customer logs into the app and chooses the model of their car.
• The customer chooses the service required and instantly receives a fair quote for the opted service.
• The customer books an appointment.
• The technician provides the desired services for the car and drops the car back.
• The user makes an online payment using the app

 

Car Repair App: The Essential Features to Include

• Inclusion of apps for admin panel, car owners as well as mechanics
• Advanced search filters and an in-app messaging facility
• Real-time GPS tracking for tracking mechanics and easily reaching the customers’ location
• Transparency in pricing so that customers get to know about the actual value of parts changed and the service charges separately
• In-app wallet facility and secure payment options
• Facilities of fare estimation and invoice generation
• Support for multiple languages and even currencies if required
• Online support and push notifications
• Customer reviews and ratings
• Discounts and offers

  

Business Benefits of a Customized Car Repair app

Establishes Digital Presence

Modern vehicle owners rely on the web or smartphone apps for obtaining every product or service they require. Hence, possessing a mobile app or even a web version showcasing your car repair services; enables your business to appear in the market search. This increases your visibility in the local area resulting in more customers; this can be achieved using the QR codes in smartphone apps. Thus, this approach not only establishes your online presence but also allows you to effortlessly expand your customer base.

 

Delivers User-friendly Services

An on-demand car repair application proves super convenient to users. Users can instantly book skilled mechanics with the help of a few clicks on their smartphones. Once the consumers submit their vehicle details and choose the required service, garage owners send repair personnel for service assistance to the customers’ home, office, or any other desired location. Besides, there are times when vehicle owners encounter sudden hassles like a car breakdown or a flat tire in the middle of a highway; and it becomes a daunting task to find a nearby garage or repair services. During such situations, an on-demand car repair app turns out to be the savior; as vehicle owners can book repair services via online channels at any time, from anywhere. Additionally, the car owners enjoy the facility of scheduling future appointments digitally, for follow-up service and maintenance.

 

Enhances the Productivity of your Services

Thanks to the vehicle repair software embedded within apps, one gets portable access to all data and technical information concerning auto repair. As such, technicians don’t need to leave their current location while repairing; for accessing desktops/laptops. This eases out complex tasks, thereby saving the technicians’ time and enhances the overall productivity of your car repair facility.

Take a detailed look at how this process is executed!

• Smartphones utilize their in-built Bluetooth connection adapter to establish connectivity via a particular port which is used by the mechanics for searching methodologies, wiring diagrams, illustrations, videos, technical service bulletins, diagnostic data, etc. within a couple of minutes.
• A wide variety of auto mechanics models, ranging from basic guides to advanced mobile apps, are available. These assist the engineers in creating new ideas and products concerning vehicle repair.
• You can convert all the models and data into electronic files using WiFi, and this data can be easily managed by various systems of car repair facilities.

 

Secure Paperless Store Management

CRM software (customer relationship management software) is immensely beneficial for your auto repair business. It helps in providing you clear visibility of every customer interaction, and enables you to track sales, eases out collaborations with different teams, organizes/prioritizes opportunities, etc. Furthermore, the adoption of CRM software enables vehicle repair stores to execute paperless operations while maintaining safety protocols. Also, it provides backup which is a sigh of relief for the owners.

The technical offerings of this software include the following:

• OBDII scanner through Bluetooth
• Quick estimator
• VIN scanner tool and License plate
• Custom service palette and custom packages
• Ordering of accurate parts
• The facility of exporting data, wiring diagrams, and videos
• Order usage history, sales tax reports, and service bulletins

The aforesaid goodies have modernized the car industry operations to a great extent. And surprisingly, such a modernized car repair solution proves to be far more cost-efficient as compared to the erstwhile manual approach of executing the required tasks.

 

Ensures Accuracy while Scanning of Data

Vehicle repair and maintenance, call for loads of hassles. This is because, for addressing issues like bug fixes, providing smart vehicle specs, and service bulletins; there arises a need to collect and store a host of data, export wiring diagrams, and videos for implementing ingenious solutions. All these action items become quite challenging if the human workforce is involved and things are executed manually.

However, the vehicle repair software has simplified these tasks. It provides the onboard diagnostic scanner (OBDII scanner/OBD2) via Bluetooth. As such, technicians can easily scan a collection of information for creating specs that include VIN Barcodes, speech to text conversion, and diagnostic trouble code (if any). The software can also display live data streaming from the camera as well as impart a bi-direction control - capacity of the controllers to execute actions other than normal operations with fingertips.

 

Maintains Records for Custom Vehicle Reports

An intelligent vehicle repair application offers the facility of auto repair care services to dealers, fleet managers, and vehicle owners unanimously. Its real-time car maintenance authorization tool works wonders in fulfilling customer demand and expectations. Coming to the task of vehicle repair, the software version digitalizes all the functions of the entire process.

For instance, key functionalities available to customers are customer authorization, balance reminders, service bulletins, reminders concerning legal documents, preferred service providers with ratings, etc. While providers enjoy features such as a searchable database with specs of vehicles, digital inspection including wiring diagrams, a database including parts and items, workflow status, and many more.

  

Concluding Views:

The evolution and expansion of mobile app technologies have opened up new horizons for delivering exceptional user experiences and expanding the customer base. So, it’s a golden opportunity for automobile businesses too, to leverage the potential of phenomenal app solutions for generating revenue and promoting business growth. The ones reluctant to adapt themselves to changing times are bound to fall behind in today’s dynamic and competitive market. So, it’ll be a smart move to seek the assistance of on-demand app development services for fulfilling your objective.

 

Have you already smartened your car repair business with futuristic app solutions? If so, do share enlightening occurrences you’ve experienced.