This post is sponsored by MobileSmith.
Today’s healthcare providers are facing unprecedented financial pressures. For the third year in a row, costs are the #1 concern for hospital CEOs. Among various cost reduction strategies employed by hospitals, many are turning to branded mobile apps.
And why not? In 2014, health app usage increased 89%. It makes perfect sense for providers to engage patients on mobile. But how can apps save costs?
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MobileSmith MobileSmith™ is an enterprise-class, flexible mobile app development platform that enables organizations to rapidly create, deploy, and manage CUSTOM, NATIVE apps for iPhone, iPad, and Android smartphones without writing a line of code. We empower organizations to get to market quickly with unique self-built mobile apps that drive business value. Our clients create award-winning […]
Below are three great mobile use cases.
ER/Urgent Care App
When a medical emergency strikes, the last thing people can afford is to waste time digging for information. A branded Urgent Care app offered by their trusted provider can be a handy mobile tool, allowing patients to:
- Check dynamically updated ER and Urgent Care wait times;
- Find and map the nearest Urgent Care facilities;
- Get GPS directions, hours, and tap-to-call.
A Deep-dive Into Specialty Pharma
A specialty drug is a class of prescription medications used to treat complex, chronic or rare medical conditions. Although this classification was originally intended to define the treatment of rare, also termed “orphan” diseases, affecting fewer than 200,000 people in the US, more recently, specialty drugs have emerged as the cornerstone of treatment for chronic and complex diseases such as cancer, autoimmune conditions, diabetes, hepatitis C, and HIV/AIDS.
By providing a branded app like that, a healthcare system can significantly reduce its ER traffic and route some of the potential ER clients to more affordable Urgent Care facilities within their reach.
Medication Tracking App
Last year, 2,610 hospitals were hit with Readmission penalties. One of the top problems identified as contributing to preventable readmissions is poor adherence to prescribed medications and regimens. Mobile apps can empower patients to take better control of their health and improve adherence:
- Track medication dosage/intervals;
- Set and receive timely reminders;
- Track appointments, diet, and various health indices.
A customized Medication Tracking app is not only a great cost-saving tool, but also a potential community-building resource. Include health tips, interactive gallery and social media – let patients get hooked!
Physician Referral/Directory App
These are great tools for both patient and physician. An instant mobile directory, like the one provided in the UCLA Health app, helps foster physician relationships and streamline appointment-setting. Users can:
- Search physicians in the system by name, location or specialty;
- Request appointments or contact physicians;
- Explore services, insurance & billing.
A branded, native app is great for patients on the go, or with limited or no Internet access. As more patients engage with their provider on mobile, interactive mobile tools can help them get care easily and efficiently.
How to Save on Building a Cost-Saving App
Despite the engagement power of mobile apps, they are still perceived to be an extremely costly and troublesome endeavor. A custom-developed native app may take months to complete – only to disappoint in the end.
A great alternative many hospitals have discovered is a code-free app development platform that allows non-programmers to easily prototype, test, launch, and manage a variety of useful apps.
With such a flexible tool, organizations can save up to 70% in native app development costs, as well as bring the process closer to the people who know their patient best – and who can quickly measure whether an app is working or not. After all, mobile technology is only as good as it delivers on key business metrics. With apps that deliver, CEOs can breathe a little easier!
MobileSmith™ is an enterprise-class, flexible mobile app development platform that enables organizations to rapidly create, deploy, and manage CUSTOM, NATIVE apps for iPhone, iPad, and Android smartphones without writing a line of code.
We empower organizations to get to market quickly with unique self-built mobile apps that drive business value. Our clients create award-winning mobile apps, easily integrate their data sources, securely manage each mobile app from a dedicated online CMS, and take advantage of proximity-based push messaging via MobileSmith/Gimbal integration.
