With the boom of technological advancements and the Internet of Things (IoT), innovations in the healthcare industry have continued to emerge. Hence, they’re becoming more essential than ever. With IoT in the healthcare sector, the medical industry’s processes have become more streamlined to deliver essential tasks to improve patients’ wellbeing. Also, they have reduced the burden of many healthcare professionals when providing quality services to patients.
One of the noteworthy achievements of the Internet of Things in the healthcare industry is healthcare apps’ development. On-demand healthcare apps provide patients with medical services without leaving their homes. Hence, on-demand healthcare/telemedicine apps revolutionized the healthcare industry through virtual medicine. With healthcare apps, access to medical services has become more efficient, preventive, less expensive, and more conducive to every patient’s wellness.
Even before the recent pandemic, healthcare apps are already becoming popular due to the flexibility, convenience, and safety they provide compared to traditional on-site medical consultations. Thanks to healthcare apps, virtual medicine is easily accessible anytime, anywhere, making it one of the best alternatives to comprehensive healthcare during quarantine restrictions. That said, on-demand healthcare apps have eliminated extra fuel consumption from non-critical trips to the doctor, lessened the costs by reducing access time, improved preventive care, and advocated safer access to medical consultations.
Benefits of On-Demand Healthcare Apps
Many physicians worldwide have already adopted on-demand healthcare apps to deliver quality and convenient medical services for their patients. We describe some of the benefits you can experience when using healthcare apps for your remote medical consultations.
In terms of the process of medical consultations, on-demand healthcare apps are similar to clinical visits, except they’re done remotely. Hence, the experience is the same as speaking to your doctor about your medical concerns. The advantage of these apps is that they allow physicians to provide suitable treatment instantly, regardless of your location and time. You can have on-the-go medical consultations as long as you have an active internet connection.
Healthcare apps offer a more convenient and organized way for doctors and patients to create, schedule, and manage appointments. That said, patients can easily book a medical consultation with their preferred doctors through these apps. Also, patients can easily find and call on-call caregivers on the app. On the contrary, caregivers can also organize their daily schedules efficiently. For doctors, they can organize their schedules for patients according to their availability. In some cases, physicians can cancel any scheduled appointments and reschedule them whenever an emergency happens.
For physicians, on-demand healthcare apps help them expand their coverage to a significant extent. That said, you can easily cater to more patients and provide them with remote medical assistance. Many people have already switched their preference to online medical consultations through telemedicine apps. Hence, if you’re a physician already implementing these apps as part of your process, you have more advantage by becoming more accessible to patients.
Another noteworthy feature of on-demand healthcare apps is transparency. They help patients stay updated with recent healthcare trends and innovations. These apps also act as a bridge between patients and caregivers. As a result, it’s easier for patients to find and book caregivers near their location to address their urgent medical needs. As mentioned, on-demand healthcare apps have streamlined the doctor’s scheduling system. Hence, no need for patients to queue longer in the doctor’s clinics or any healthcare facilities.
In some cases, physicians offer special discounts and promos to their patients. Through on-demand healthcare apps, doctors can inform their patients about the latest promos they offer. Aside from that, they also provide discounted consultation fees for their long time patients. As part of their efforts for continuous improvement, doctors can ask for honest feedback about their services.
Are On-Demand Healthcare Apps Safe?
Like any IoT features, you’re probably wondering about the safety of on-demand healthcare apps. Hence, we also highlight the importance of choosing healthcare apps from trusted companies to protect your privacy. One way to ensure the reliability of healthcare apps is to read reviews and ratings carefully on the App Store or Google Play Store. Aside from that, you can also visit the developer’s website if they have any history of mishandling user’s confidential data. Another thing is that you can verify for any red flags.
For instance, if a particular app doesn’t have any privacy policy agreement or a vague policy, you should avoid downloading it. Another method to protect your identity is to disable the location-tracking services of the app. Some mobile apps have implemented more secure privacy settings that let you configure locations within a particular area.
Take note; a good healthcare app should also work with other medical systems, such as the Electronic Health Records software. Through this integration, it’s easier for physicians to work with patients, letting them access their medical records to provide appropriate diagnosis and treatment plans.
Regardless of the healthcare app you’re using, you should get the most out of your investment with ease and confidence. Hence, we have curated the ten on-demand healthcare apps recognized for their reliability, quality, and overall experience for your convenience.
- Doctor on Demand
- Teladoc
- LiveHealth Online
- Amwell
- PlushCare
- Spruce
- Lemonaid Health
- MDLIVE
- Epocrates
- SimplePractice
Doctor on Demand
A list of the best healthcare apps isn’t complete without Doctor on Demand. As one of the telemedicine initiative frontrunners, Doctor on Demand lets you have a video consultation with a physician. The drawback with Doctor on Demand’s video consultation feature is that some states don’t authorize medical prescriptions and consultations via videoconferencing. Hence, if you’re residing in restricted states, you can try other healthcare apps from this list.
Through Doctor on Demand, board-certified physicians can also cater to non-emergency medical conditions such as flu and colds. In some cases, they attend to patients with concerns regarding allergies, respiratory infections, heartburn, sports injuries, and pediatric issues.
Some physicians on the Doctor on Demand app can refill existing prescriptions and prescribe medication for travel purposes. Thanks to Doctor on Demand’s latest integrations, patients can now book an online consultation with a psychologist/psychiatrist. Aside from that, they can also have a remote lactation examination through Doctor on Demand.
Depending on the service you want to avail of, Doctor on Demand has a minimum of $75 flat-rate fee for medical consultations, as well as a $129 starting price for therapy services for patients without insurance. Aside from insurance policies, Doctor on Demand also offers discounts for patients employed in partner companies.
Teladoc
Teladoc isn’t a one-stop-shop virtual medicine solution, nor a platform intended to cater to emergencies. Instead, Teladoc offers a more convenient way for patients to access a national network of physicians. Although patients can access Teladoc through its desktop version, it’s more accessible to download and install Teladoc’s mobile app. Through Teladoc, patients can speak to remote healthcare professionals about health conditions and routine illnesses.
For physicians, Teladoc provides them with extended coverage of their medical services. They can also enjoy a more flexible way of addressing patients’ variety of needs in the palm of their hands. Hence, patient relationships don’t have to be exclusively for a long-term basis. Instead, instant access for them to advise and listen to patients’ medical concerns.
Teladoc’s service is made for non-urgent medical concerns only. Aside from that, the app lets doctors prescribe routine prescriptions for medicines, such as minor behavioral medications, antihistamines, and antibiotics. Teladoc doesn’t allow prescriptions for controlled substances, and emergencies should be addressed to the nearest clinic or hospital.
Overall, Teladoc is developed to cater to patients who prefer easy and real-time access to routine medical care or services.
LiveHealth Online
One of the HIPAA-compliant healthcare apps on this list is LiveHealth Online. The app offers 24/7 access to virtual doctors for proper diagnosis and treatment of common diseases.
LiveHealth Online is integrated with a protected webcam feature for its desktop and mobile versions and takes data privacy on advanced levels due to its compliance with the HIPAA. One noteworthy feature of LiveHealth Online is it lets physicians meet their regular patients through videoconferencing.
LiveHealth Online charges a flat rate fee per medical consultation. If you’re covered with insurance, you can pay a lesser fee. For online psychology services, the price varies depending on the type of consultation. LiveHealth Online has a diverse range of partnerships with major insurance companies; hence, many patients are mostly paying with lesser rates.
Speaking of patient confidentiality, LiveHealth Online is compliant with HIPAA; hence, its policies are aligned with the HIPAA rules.
Amwell
Amwell is another on-demand healthcare app that offers a video visit for every medical consultation completed with a physician. It has a simple and straightforward interface for every procedure done through the Amwell mobile app. Patients can see a specific physician’s profile with overall experience and ratings from previous patients. Hence, they can create informed choices regarding which physician is appropriate for their medical needs.
As part of its compliance with HIPAA, Amwell’s video calling with a physician is secure and treated with the utmost confidentiality. Amwell has three types of patient support, ranging from an FAQ page, a toll-free number, and an email address. Depending on the patient’s preference, Amwell offers 24/7 customer support for all modes of support.
Amwell’s mobile app offers transparent pricing, including the fees associated with a diverse range of medical and psychological services. The base rate for urgent care needs starts at $69. The fee is applicable for common illnesses, such as headaches or sinus infections. On the contrary, Amwell also offers a reasonable price range for mental health services, including therapy sessions with a certified professional.
PlushCare
One of the simplest on-demand healthcare apps is PlushCare. Regardless if you’re an Android or iOS user, PlushCare can easily book an appointment with your preferred physician. The medical consultation is 100% online with access to a secure video platform. PlushCare is compliant with HIPAA; hence, patient profiling and data privacy are treated as highly confidential.
Speaking of its unique integrations, PlushCare is developed with the patient’s pharmacy, insurance provider, and laboratory for providing more streamlined healthcare service. PlushCare’s services cover a diverse range of medical conditions, ranging from treatment of chronic conditions such as thyroid, diabetes, and hypertension to routine primary care illnesses, such as pink eye, sinus infections, and sore throat. Aside from that, PlushCare also handles prescription renewals.
PlushCare’s pricing is transparent and simple. Patients without insurance can pay a minimum of $99 plus associated membership fees. The company also has affiliations with major insurance providers, such as Anthem Blue Cross, Aetna, United Healthcare, and Cigna. As a result, the majority of PlushCare users pay a lesser price for their services.
If you aren’t satisfied with the service, PlushCare offers a 100% money-back guarantee.
Spruce
Spruce is another HIPAA-compliant healthcare app that has received one of the highest ratings through the App Store. With Spruce, physicians can enjoy a simplified and secure way to speak to their patients through video conferencing. Aside from its safe video integration, Spruce allows patients to share photos, videos, and files securely with their physician.
This on-demand healthcare app is integrated with Spruce Visits. Through Spruce Visits, patients can respond to pre-built screening assessments to collect the necessary information. As a result, physicians can save time to provide assessments based on the patient’s responses.
Without a doubt, Spruce is a comprehensive telemedicine app that highlights virtual care, communication, and collaboration in one place.
Spruce has two straightforward subscriptions, namely the basic plan and the communicator plan. If you want to have an initial overview of the app, Spruce offers a 14-day free trial. Cancel any time without any hidden fees.
Lemonaid Health
Lemonaid Health offers 30 areas of coverage, including hair loss, depression, genital herpes, and flu. Aside from illnesses, Lemonaid Health also lets you schedule a diverse range of testing, such as cholesterol tests, STD testing, blood type test, and blood sugar test. Regardless of the service you avail of, Lemonaid’s website offers detailed information on the necessary procedures.
Lemonaid Health starts at $25 as the base medical consultation fee. Lemonaid’s mobile app offers a one-stop-shop for all your healthcare needs. Hence, the app has three special functions: prescription delivery, same-day laboratory tests, and remote consultations with a physician or nurse practitioner.
In terms of usability and interface, Lemonaid’s app delivers seamless and straightforward navigation. That said, it’s easy to schedule an appointment with your preferred physician.
Lemonaid stands out in terms of affordability; hence, the company remains true to its advocacy to providing its customers with more accessible and less expensive medical services.
MDLIVE
One of the reputable healthcare apps you can download for free is MDLIVE. The app offers convenient, easy, and quick access to a physician for non-critical conditions. It’s one of the best healthcare apps you can invest in your telemedicine needs. MDLIVE treats three major conditions categorized as behavioral, medical, and dermatology as part of its coverage. Hence, any medical condition can easily be treated through the app.
MDLIVE offers a straightforward procedure for treating patients. All you have to do is download and install the MDLIVE mobile app, register for an account, schedule an appointment, and receive the necessary treatment from a preferred doctor.
MDLIVE’s pricing is 100% transparent, and you’re guaranteed to pay fair pricing. The company is affiliated with major insurance companies; hence, MDLIVE accepts insurance for covering your medical expenses.
With MDLIVE, you’re guaranteed to receive proper treatment from state-licensed and board-certified doctors.
Epocrates
Epocrates provides a comprehensive database for your medical inquiries. That said, you can access archives with numerous medical articles, guidelines, and essential resources. With Epocrates, you can read detailed disease information with associated exam details and history. It’s similar to having a walking encyclopedia but exclusively for medical-related information.
With an Epocrates+ subscription, you can read additional content, such as alternative medicine and robust disease information. Aside from that, you can access information regarding hundreds of diagnostic and laboratory information. Hence, Epocrates is one of the best refresher apps for physicians, providing a handy tool for accessing medical information. Through this app, they can efficiently provide suitable treatment plans for their patients.
Although the app is primarily developed for physicians, patients can also use this app to reference anything related to medicine dosage, drug names and alternative medicines, and types of drugs.
Aside from being a reference app, Epocrates also offers a secure HIPAA-compliant messaging service that lets physicians and other healthcare professionals text each other using the app conveniently in real-time.
SimplePractice
Another comprehensive healthcare app is SimplePractice. With SimplePractice, physicians can easily set up and manage their virtual clinics. The platform provides both physicians and patients with a secure and reliable video appointment system. Speaking of data privacy, SimplePractice is HIPAA-compliant. That said, both website and mobile apps adhere to the rules and regulations covered under HIPAA.
SimplePractice offers new and existing clients a more streamlined way to book their video appointments, with flexibility and convenience. Aside from that, the platform also offers a simplified process for filing insurance claims. In terms of payment, physicians can configure payments with AutoPay and credit card processing.
Through SimplePractice, physicians can enjoy a practice management platform, letting them go 100% virtual, on-site, or a hybrid. The app is integrated with paperless features, an online scheduling system, telemedicine, insurance processing, online billing, and customer support. It’s everything you need in one comprehensive healthcare app.
Aside from integrated tools and features, SimplePractice offers physicians to become the best versions of themselves through blogs, eBooks, guides, magazines, and live classes.
SimplePractice offers two paid subscriptions; however, you can start a 30-day free trial with access to all its premium features without providing credit card details.
