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Health Data Integration: Why It’s Good and How to Do It Right

Posted on August 28, 2023September 20, 2023 by Pavel Tantsiura

Content:

What Is Health Data and Why Integrate It?
Health Data Integration Challenges in Hospitals
What Is the Best Way to Integrate Data? Redox vs. InterSystems vs. Direct Integration
Action Plans for Tackling Data Integration
Health Data Integration with The APP Solutions: Orb Health Case
Conclusion

When we talk about healthcare data integration, emphasis is often placed on components, such as EHR systems.

Sometimes, the problem isn’t about collecting data, but how to manage and use it easily. Imagine if everyone in healthcare used the same system for their data – that would make things a lot simpler, right? But, unfortunately, that’s not the case.

Different companies use different systems and ways to store their data. Even within the same company, information can be fragmented across various systems. Mishandling of this data can lead to repeated information, inconsistent care for patients, or issues when trying to share it.

For everyone to be able to access it, we need to bring all that information in one place. This is what we call “health data integration.” But how do we go about it? Should we use systems like Redox or InterSystems, or just combine everything directly? Also, what issues might a clinic face while putting all this data together? Let’s dive deeper to answer these questions.

What Is Health Data and Why Integrate It?

Health data is information about an individual’s or population’s health. It includes aspects such as medical history, diagnostic results, and beyond. It also extends to environmental and behavioral factors that might influence medical outcomes.

In the past, doctors used to gather all the health information they needed when a patient came to see them. They would use this data to decide on the best treatments based on evidence.

But now, things have changed thanks to digital health technology. Doctors can now get important information much faster. Plus, they can use these new technologies to keep the information safe and make sure patients can access it easily. We have fitness trackers and health apps that help us collect facts outside of a doctor’s office.

In short, the main goal of health data is to make care better and less expensive. This is helpful to the patients and hospitals alike.

For instance, by predicting which patients are at risk of certain diseases, we can intervene earlier and prevent expensive treatments later on. It can also help avoid unnecessary or duplicate tests and procedures. Patients and healthcare providers thus save money.

According to Statista, the amount of global health data grew a lot in 2020. To give you an idea, in 2013, there were 153 exabytes of data (that’s a lot!) created. But in 2020, there were about 2,314 exabytes of new ones created. Now, think about how much more data we’ll have in the future, especially with big data technologies like AI and ML revolutionizing medicine.

Thus, it’s fair to say that combining all these different sets of information isn’t always easy. Before hospitals can use any of this data, they need to clean it up and make it standardized. This means making sure all the different bits of data fit together well.

Nonetheless, cleaning and standardizing data are only one facet of the problem. Let’s look at other challenges medical groups might face when they try to put all their information in one place.

Health Data Integration Challenges in Hospitals

Research by Techcrunch shows that 44% of healthcare firms avoid data integration due to inherent risks and obstacles. Here are some of these challenges.

Healthcare data comes in many forms. This variety makes it hard to combine it from different sources. With no universal format, researchers often struggle to access valuable information.

Handling hospital records lacks a standard method, leading to potential data loss. Unclear data ownership rules compound this issue. Hence, strict protocols to standardize data handling and clarify ownership are a must.

Often, medical teams don’t fully understand the rules about keeping patient information private when they have to share it. This is why health companies in the US are making more efforts to follow privacy rules. Statista reported that more than half of the C-level execs said they are either updating privacy rules or training their workers as part of their plan.

Healthcare firms use many apps that hold similar data. But this asset isn’t always accessible across platforms. Even small discrepancies can hurt data-driven insights. Uniformity across apps, through compliance standards, is crucial.

New medical devices and wearables are increasing the number of data sources. But integrating information from wearables can be tough due to its format and privacy issues.

Another Statista survey revealed that in 2022, there were over 340 cases of health data breaches in the US. To give you a perspective, back in 2005, there were only 16 cases.

So what does this mean?

As technology and healthcare systems get more advanced, we also need to do a better job at keeping data safe. It’s super important for medical companies to protect their records from hackers. They have to follow the rules that are already in place.

For example, HIPAA gives guidelines on how to protect data. Differently, HL7 standards direct the sharing information between different healthcare providers’ apps. But how many of our medical institutions are really following these rules all the way? Are they really using the best ways to bring all their facts together? If you’re unsure, contact us to audit these questions.

Need more data?Keep reading. We’ll look at the best ways to integrate data, and you can see how this compares to what you’re doing now and figure out what you might need to add or get better at.

What Solution can We Offer

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What Is the Best Way to Integrate Data? Redox vs. InterSystems vs. Direct Integration

At our company, The APP Solutions, we use Redox, Intersystems, as well as direct integration with systems like Epic and Cerner. At the end of this article, we’ll share a real-life example where we used this expertise to help a client.

But before we get to that, let’s compare Redox, Intersystems, and direct integration so you can understand what each one involves.

Redox stands out as a leading name in healthcare integration in the US. It ensures secure, real-time data sharing between over 400 software vendors and more than 4500 healthcare organizations across 90+ Electronic Health Records (EHRs), health information networks like Carequality, and more.

The Redox platform is a cutting-edge, standardized API that minimizes integration challenges, allowing health tech innovators to concentrate on building unique workflows and experiences.

User-friendly: Redox provides a single endpoint. So, you write the code once and use it across any health system. All integrations, regardless of the EHR provider, will have the same appearance and functionality.
Speedy: The design of Redox encourages reuse. It lets you benefit from the technical mapping and connectivity already established with over 4,000 organizations.
Scalable: Hosted on AWS, Redox caters to the demands of its entire network. It processes over 750 million messages every month. In other words, you’re assured of dependable and scalable deployments.
Tech supported: A dedicated team of specialists handles healthcare integration and data management. They work as an extension of your team. Everything from product design to implementation planning and long-term support are managed.
Secure: Redox holds HITRUST certification and is SOC II compliant.

Redox is available in the US and Canada and follows an annual licensing structure. It additionally includes a base platform fee and a cost per transaction. The cost depends on the expected total message volume and the complexity of transforming to JSON/FHIR. Early-stage digital health companies can avail of discounts.

Redox offers different subscription durations at varied costs. Please note that extra taxes or fees might apply. In case you need assistance with this question, schedule a call, and we’ll help you find the best solution for you.

All Redox plans come with developer tools and sandboxes. You get a centralized dashboard and transmission logs, and more alongside those.

Redox is available as Software as a Service (SaaS). The application is hosted and operated over the Internet by the vendor. Customers are billed for usage through their AWS account.

InterSystems runs on four main solutions. These are Health Connect, InterSystems Iris, InterSystems Caché, and InterSystems Ensemble.

Health Connect is a versatile healthcare integration engine that supports high-volume transactions. It engineers process management and monitoring for crucial applications. You can use it as a Platform as a Service (PaaS) or for on-premises/private cloud.

Health Connect brings along benefits like

swift scalability;
zero-downtime stability;
faster interface development,

They all translate to cost savings. Health Connect caters to healthcare delivery systems of all sizes, from small clinics to large, complex networks.

At the heart of Health Connect is an efficient, multi-model data engine. This smoothly manages different types of information at high speeds. Other functionalities are:

interoperability by design;
quick failover recovery;
user-friendly HL7 schema editing;
and a flexible security model, and more.
HL7 INTEGRATION: A REFERENCE FOR ITS BENEFITS, IMPLEMENTATIONS, AND APPLICATIONSRead also:

InterSystems Ensemble consolidates all the data you need to capture, share, understand, and use within your organization. There’s no need to invest time and money in assembling multiple tools to gain a comprehensive integration environment. Ensemble has everything covered.

Every component of your integrated solution is stored as an object in Ensemble’s efficient, multi-model data repository. This provides a unified and consistent view of the systems, applications, and services that make up your solution, significantly reducing the complexity often associated with integration projects. This makes solution development faster and management easier.

InterSystems IRIS represents the latest evolution of the InterSystems data management suite. It includes all the features of InterSystems Caché and Ensemble tools, and adds a number of exciting new abilities. This makes it easier to create and launch applications for businesses that are based in the cloud, are analytics-focused, and require superior performance and scalability.

InterSystems Caché makes it easier to design and launch applications. It offers multiple options for high-availability, including a sophisticated mirroring approach, giving your applications a high level of reliability. You would require less hardware than solutions from other vendors.

Caché comes with a flexible security model that’s easy to adapt. It includes simple provisioning features, making it effortless to control who can access your resources.

The general framework of Caché is simple, and its powerful system management tools mean that you need fewer database administrators (DBAs) than with other databases. In many cases, you might not even need a dedicated DBA at all.

Epic and Cerner l are major companies that provide technology for health information. These systems help big hospitals and health services in the U.S. to save and share electronic medical records easily.

Integrating a Personal Digital Assistant (PDA) into the Epic Electronic Health Records (EHR) system necessitates a detailed process. It involves six key steps and typically takes about a year and a half. This task needs a clinical expert or health data integration company who can lead the process.

Cerner, on the other hand, focuses on making data accessible everywhere. Their Interoperability service ensures that healthcare professionals can get the information they need, no matter where it comes from. This aids in sharing data across different health services.

The specifics of integrating either Epic or Cerner are quite complex. If you’d like to understand more about them and see how they compare, we recommend reading this article where we discuss their differences.

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Action Plans for Tackling Data Integration

If you’re looking to weave together health information from various sources, it’s essential to have the right approach. Here’s what you can to effectively merge information at your healthcare practice.

To consolidate health data from various sources, make sure your technology can handle different data formats. Use integration tools (ESB or iPaaS) that can standardize this information, ensuring it’s accurate and easy to read.

Before merging data, review and update all information. This helps avoid integrating incorrect or outdated data. Back up all vital data to prevent any loss during the process.

Creating a structure for your data simplifies integration. Set up workflows for gathering, processing, cleaning, and sharing data from various systems.

These are storage solutions for data. They allow for data searching and analysis, although they work differently. Data warehouses are great for storing structured data, while data lakes can handle a mix of unstructured and structured data.

Data integration is an ongoing process. Determine which information needs to be integrated first and which can be done later to avoid disruptions.

Traditional IT systems in many organizations can’t exchange data with modern systems. In contrast, using cloud-based solutions can provide a unified view of data from different systems.

Consider how the end-user will see the data. This will help you present your findings in a meaningful way, making it easier for users to access and utilize the data effectively.

Health Data Integration with The APP Solutions: Orb Health Case

Orb Health provides a service that makes healthcare easier to manage for health centers, systems, hospitals, and unions. It helps improve patient results and makes the transition from traditional fee-for-service to value-based care smoother, without needing to add more staff or infrastructure.

The APP Solutions helped Orb Health to extend their service to more patients. We set up remote contact centers that are connected to electronic medical records (EMR), helping to provide a seamless healthcare service.

Here are the solutions we delivered:

Redox Integration

Redox integration simplifies the process of connecting digital health products to different electronic health records (EHRs) systems, saving time and avoiding complications.

Genesys Integration

This solution allows existing workforce management software to easily integrate with other systems, which makes setting up a contact center quicker and easier.

Power BI Integration

We opted for Power BI integration so that the company could take data from various sources and turn it into clear and interactive insights. By doing so, they would better visualize and understand important data.

Data Security (HIPAA Standard)

Ensuring that sensitive patient data is stored securely was a top priority, and necessary to meet HIPAA standards.

As a result of these solutions, Orb Health saw significant improvements, such as:

54% | 22% ED / Hospitalization Decrease

70% Care Gap Measure Closure
$6 MM Annually Medicare Savings Per 1k Patient
26% Overall Patient Savings

Conclusion

Connecting health information is a special task for every company. If you’re thinking about using Redox, InterSystems, or direct integration, we suggest you engage an experienced team. At The APP Solutions, we assist health groups to surmont their integration woes and build interconnected systems for improved patient results.

Do you need help connecting health data or EMR/EHR integration?

Agile Healthcare: How to Implement the Approach

Posted on August 28, 2023September 20, 2023 by Pavel Tantsiura

In this issue:

What is Agile?
What is Agility Healthcare?
When to use Agile in Healthcare?
The Benefits of Agile in Healthcare
Implementation of Agile Principles: Step-by-Step Guide
Outcomes

Healthcare is an industry for which rapid implementation of innovations is as necessary as air and, at the same time, one where these innovations most often pass with pain and misery. The entire hefty system has long needed reform, but change has been too slow. The new touchstone is believed to be COVID-19. The scope of the disaster forced many medical institutions to change their work processes to help significantly increased patient flow effectively.

One option for dealing with the epidemic was Agile. This methodology’s flexibility has helped significantly improve and streamline the interaction between doctor and patient, medical center, hospital, and pharmacy.

What is Agile?

The term Agile came to healthcare and other industries from the IT field – from the need to smooth workflows in software development. About a quarter of a century ago, developers used the methodology of Waterfall, where the second part of the team could not start working until the first part was ready. Constant downtime did nothing to improve productivity.

Agile is a kind of team approach to project management. It is designed to increase team productivity by doing the work in small repetitive parts – sprints (usually a two-week period with specific goals and objectives, but iterations can be shorter and longer).

STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE ON MOBILE APP HIPAA COMPLIANCE

Next, a list of results is compiled, and the priorities of those outcomes are determined based on customer opinions (or clients, customers – depending on the field). Finally, when each sprint is over, the team and customers evaluate the work and make changes for future sprints.

That is, instead of relying on legacy processes that often led to long delays, Agile emphasizes building the product quickly with short sprints and using end-user feedback to make improvements.

Source

Operational communication between employees, and their vision of the situation at that moment, was placed at the center of the process – this allows a quick response and effective elimination of problems, as opposed to when employees strictly follow template instructions.

Thus, the connection between the customer/executor becomes stronger when the parties don’t go exactly according to the contract but rather, the circumstances.

Another practice of Agile is daily stand-ups. These check-in meetings unite team members to note progress toward sprint goals and identify any blocking or hindering factors. Each participant in such a rally should briefly discuss the work that has already been done, what they are currently doing, and what is preventing them from completing the next work phase.

Regardless of the specific application case, Agile helps companies move from a method where everything is carefully and diligently planned, to a technique that quietly breaks down those plans if necessary, immediately creating new ones and accepting changes.

What is Agility Healthcare?

In healthcare, most of today’s management, business planning, and information technology implementation processes aim to reduce the risk for organizations and are often inflexible to quickly adapt to new technological changes, resulting in incremental changes that fail to deliver much-needed transformation.

Digital innovations entrepreneur Martin Högl can confirm this – as he has encountered it in Germany. According to Martin, German healthcare is a highly conservative field.

You can learn more about thi from the CareMinds channel – The APP Solutions podcast. You’ll find other exciting guests there as well.

Agile in healthcare starts with ensuring patient satisfaction. At the same time, adopting Agile methodologies helps companies deploy functional applications quickly, accelerating flexible development processes.

When to Use Agile in Healthcare?

Given the complexity and limitations, healthcare companies can benefit more from adopting an Agile methodology than other industries. Healthcare organizations are inherently complex adaptive systems. Multiple, medical and non-medical professions work with technology to meet the needs of virtually every patient who walks through their doors within an ever-changing regulatory and reimbursement environment, and with rapidly growing medical knowledge.

Agile does not dictate what medical teams should do. Instead, it offers guidelines to help teams decide how to prioritize work, communicate, and adapt to challenges along the way.

HEALTHCARE CYBERSECURITY: HOW TO PROTECT PATIENT DATA

In healthcare, Agile focuses on patient voices and developing the best solutions to satisfy those voices. To succeed, individual departments within organizations, such as business planning and information technology, must give their employees freedom and flexibility.

An Agile team comprises of clinicians, engineers, project and product managers, data scientists, and testers. Each team creates an iterative cycle to improve outcomes and increase value for patients, healthcare providers, and the system. At intervals, the team meets to review progress and identify bottlenecks and the means to address them. In addition, the team analyzes user experience to respond to feedback and promptly make revisions.

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Teams start by discussing the “dream project” as the customer sees it. Then a start and finish line are formed – from what and to what they should come. And the points between these distances may undergo significant changes along the way, because when you bluntly follow a linear process, you risk falling behind your competitors, or simply getting a different result from what was planned.

KEY DIFFERENCES IN EHR VS. EMR VS. PHR: WHAT TO CHOOSE FOR YOUR HEALTHCARE ORGANIZATION

This approach no longer works in the dynamic marketplace that the healthcare industry has recently become. Instead, there needs to be constant communication between everyone involved in the process, even those who have not yet started or have already finished their part. Everyone involved, from developers to testers, from engineers to doctors, from the delivery to the marketing team, must be in close contact at all times to avoid unpleasant surprises.

Agile allows healthcare companies to start adapting and innovating effectively in the field of:

Patient care
Clinical workflows and digital health technology
Organizational strategies
Clinical Operations
Pharmacology
Insurance Medicine

Teams can use agile to redefine the model of care for patients, taking into account their goals and needs. The Agile approach provides the means to explore, integrate, and adapt to new and emerging scientific knowledge and tools, as well as the ability to respond to the changing needs and expectations of patients and families to create a truly adaptive, responsive system of care. Innovative healthcare organizations are using this Agile approach to deliver patient-centered care.

The Benefits of Agile in Healthcare

Such a work structure (if it is done correctly) promotes a number of advantages.

Improving the quality of medical services – focusing on the patient’s needs. Now the patient can consult with a doctor without leaving home thanks to telemedicine. Patient monitoring and care are constantly being improved through adequate documentation in medical facilities.
The flexibility of communication/reaction – Agile healthcare eliminates unnecessary correspondence and reduces the time for organization and coordination. Different departments that consistently relate to each other can communicate effectively, resulting in simplified mechanisms and innovations that were not even planned for at first.
Introduces clear metrics, encouraging the team to self-organize, empowering it – all team members must clearly understand the scope of their responsibilities, which depends on their actions and on whom they depend (so there are no blockers and bottlenecks). KPIs are better tied to some kind of unit expression to make it easier to measure efficiency. Your staff must be trained to organize themselves and make decisions at critical moments.
Innovations – when introducing a new process, going through the cycle faster always plays into your hands. For example, developing and testing a new drug will be much more effective with constant checking and correction, rather than blindly following a plan that may end up being very different from reality. Agile teams quickly respond to difficulties and lapses, correcting them promptly.

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In moving to Agile, teams work directly with users for development and feedback, IT team members continue with initiatives rather than withdrawing from projects after the initial launch, and budgets and strategic plans remain as flexible as possible to accommodate the uncertainty inherent in the process. All of these initiatives have been woven into the fabric of the health systems using Agile methodology.

Teams do not follow prescribed practices or established tools, although they do use some organizational frameworks, such as Scrum, to plan their work. Prototypes, or minimally viable products, are prioritized to ensure early launch and experience; they are often initially deployed in a small area for improvement and data collection. Documentation in workflows, training materials, or code development is created as part of an innately collaborative process, fostering sustainability but with the initial goal of communication.

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Teams focus on vision and goals, both short-term and long-term, define key metrics and performance measures and engage in iterative work cycles. For example, teams change direction when data and user reports show that tools or services are not being used as intended initially, or when the user needs change.

THE APP SOLUTIONS – CUSTOM HEALTHCARE SOFTWARE DEVELOPMENT COMPANY

Implementation of Agile Principles: Step-by-Step Guide

How to implement Agile methodology in your medical institution? Here are some tips from McKinsey:

Define the goals – meet with the team leading the organization’s transformation into Agile. Then identify the overall strategic objectives of the enterprise and discuss how applying agile will help you achieve them. Plans may include targeted segment/market growth, improved value-based service models, and cost recovery opportunities.
Determine which part of your company is easiest to introduce Agile – for example, the development department. Start with changes there, gradually moving to more “conservative” teams.
Create a new model – identify the specific aspects that make up the stable backbone of your organization, then overlay dynamic capabilities and a model for agile teams and departments.
Introduce Agile gradually – start with general features and patterns and then refine those processes with each new iteration through feedback. Create space to learn and adapt in the field, then scale by moving target areas to a more agile model.
Improve – using the standard features of the methodology, use it in a way specific to your company.

Outcomes

Healthcare organizations can accelerate the introduction of new ideas and learning through the following key elements derived from Agile principles: using user-centered design to clarify the problems to be solved, key metrics, and potential solutions; empowering the team to quickly develop a usable prototype using a collaborative, disciplined approach and testing the initial implementation of early work; and adopting new ideas Agile includes testing and validation as an integral part of the product improvement process.

WHAT IS FEMTECH IN HEALTHCARE

In this way, Agile innovation tangibly contributes to revitalization in healthcare by helping:

Multidirectional development of the industry as a whole
Shorten the lead time for product MVPs
Diversify the range of solutions by investing in new features or products
Improve efficiency and reduce costs through productivity
Respond quickly to customer/user requests and feedback
Increase transparency in both clinical and non-clinical areas
Qualitatively improve staff skills, promote staff autonomy

The APP Solutions builds any project based on Agile methodology because it has proven its effectiveness in communicating with clients and getting feedback from users. You can see the results of our work in the Portfolio. See also our case studies in the field of healthcare.

Healthcare Cybersecurity: how to protect patient data

Posted on August 28, 2023September 20, 2023 by Pavel Tantsiura

Content:

What is Healthcare Cybersecurity?
How Common are Cyberattacks in Healthcare?
Why is Cybersecurity a Problem in Healthcare?
Types of Attacks on Healthcare Organizations
Healthcare Cybersecurity Challenges
How to Improve Cybersecurity in Healthcare
Conclusions

When people talk about cybersecurity and cybercrime, the first thing that comes to mind is financial fraud and bank security. However, what could be more important than the security of our data in healthcare? After all, it’s not about mundane financial well-being, but our physical condition, and even our lives. And it’s not so much a matter of someone possessing and taking advantage of our health data as it is of a doctor not being able to access such data on time.

This is especially true since healthcare is second only to finance in the interest of cyberattacks. And, the cost of a data breach puts healthcare in the lead (according to HIPAA Journal – $408 per record, compared to about $148 in other areas). In addition, 21% of the consequences result in legal liability, 40% in loss of essential data, and 33% in outages.

STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE ON MOBILE APP HIPAA COMPLIANCE

What is Healthcare Cybersecurity?

Healthcare cybersecurity is an area of information technology aimed at protecting healthcare systems. These systems include electronic health records, health tracking devices, medical equipment, and software to deliver and manage care.

Cybersecurity in healthcare aims to prevent attacks by protecting systems from unauthorized access, use, and disclosure of patient data. The main goal is to ensure the availability, confidentiality, and integrity of critical patient data, which, if breached, could endanger patients’ lives.

However, there is a global shift in health and human services, with more and more of these services being made available online since COVID-19. Accordingly, medical and paramedical processes, and all other areas, began to digitize as quickly as possible, which has happened before but not on such a scale or at such speed. The catalyst, in the form of the coronavirus, has given a significant load of medical professionals not only offline but also online – telemedicine, e-prescriptions, and even remote surgeries. Thus, the need to optimize processes through digitalization has become evident. And when it comes to the secure storage of big data, the question of cybersecurity is bound to arise.

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How Common are Cyberattacks in Healthcare?

According to Statista, the industry is expected to be worth $345.4 billion by 2026, up from $34 billion in 2017. In other words, the financial infusion into Healthcare Cybersecurity has increased tenfold in 10 years. Not surprisingly, Statista cites a study showing that in 2020, 17 percent of healthcare cyberattacks caused severe injury or damage to patients, and nearly 30 percent caused disruption of emergency services.

According to the HIPAA Journal, healthcare cybersecurity statistics show an 8% decrease in incidents in February 2022 compared to January 2022. Nevertheless, those 46 incidents affected 2.5 million people. As a result, the healthcare industry has lost $25 billion over the past two years.

The number of breaches and affected people:

Source

Why is Cybersecurity a Problem in Healthcare?

By far, the most common type of cybersecurity attack is a money-making attack.

In addition to ransomware attacks on financial assets, the industry has seen invasions aimed solely at disruption, as well as attacks aimed at compromising user data. Recently, cybercriminals have been using indirect supply chain attacks to disrupt companies far beyond their original targets.

There is a vigorous public debate that responsible government agencies simply cannot keep up with the scope and “quality” of the threats that must be met. In such an atmosphere, it is every man for himself, and private companies are forced to establish a system of protection on their own without being able to ask for help from government healthcare providers. There is an understanding that it is necessary to work proactively rather than respond to attacks after the fact.

HOW TO INTEGRATE YOUR HEALTH APP WITH EPIC EHR/EMR

The Cyber Incident Reporting for Critical Infrastructure Act of 2022 is designed to help with this, but it is too early to tell if it is effective.

As a result, more than half of the world’s population does not trust healthcare providers to protect personal data. At the same time, in the U.S. the figure is much better – 80%.

The difficulty is that, in any clinic or hospital, there are many networks and digital complexes: EHRs, electronic prescriptions and decision support systems, intelligent heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems, infusion pumps, and medical Internet of Things (IoT) devices, etc. All of these can be threatened by cybercriminals.

Related readings:

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Types of Attacks on Healthcare Organizations

Deloitte experts identified several threats faced by many healthcare organizations:

Phishing. One of the most unsightly, and therefore most common, methods – links or attachments in emails infect computer systems with malware, which then spreads across the clinical network.
Man in the middle. Cybercriminals infiltrate data transmissions and steal users’ personal information, resulting in severe damages and fines for privacy violations. Sometimes it’s much more trivial – attackers quickly gain physical access to the computer with the data.
Attacks on network vulnerabilities. Address Resolution Protocol (ARP) cache poisoning, HTTPS spoofing, and other similar cybercrimes targeting wired and wireless networks that provide access to patient information.
Ransomware attack. Criminals not only encrypt data and extort money for decryption, but also block access to the entire clinical system, paralyzing surgical and life-support equipment.
IoT attack. Personal patient information and high-tech connected medical devices used in invasive and noninvasive procedures can be attacked, as well as auxiliary equipment not directly related to medicine – smart elevators, intelligent heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems, and infusion pumps.

Healthcare Cybersecurity Challenges

Indeed today, there is no medical institution that is not protecting the personal data of its patients, as they are required by law to do. But, undoubtedly, one of the most important challenges in this situation is the backwardness and complete irrelevance of such protection. Sometimes the so-called cybersecurity of an individual hospital can be compared to a cardboard wall that shields itself from a fire-breathing dragon.

The reasons for this may be different – from the inability to allocate an adequate budget for protection to the banal connivance – “it won’t affect us.”

One of the factors of such a challenge can be considered the forced pulling of your medical institution/company to the super modern standards of cybersecurity. Otherwise, no insurance company will want to cooperate with you to avoid their losses from attacks on you.

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How to Improve Cybersecurity in Healthcare

To make the number and possibilities of cyber attacks less and less possible every year, you need to work systematically on the process of building your security. Cybersecurity solutions include endpoint protection, identity access control, data protection, and network security. These technologies are used to protect sensitive information and critical systems from attack. More specifically, these measures aim to protect against threats from inside and outside the organization. This underscores the need to view cybersecurity as a comprehensive strategy consisting of practices and technologies.

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Thus, it is first important to implement technology and collect analytics regarding the frequency and nature of cyberattacks so that a preventive level can be triggered later. In parallel, fundamental security should be in place in any business or government institution related to the protection of citizens’ data – from the tax office to the online lingerie store – should not be forgotten. Organizations should adopt modern security measures, including multifactor authentication and privileged access management, to create a threshold level of security.

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Another effective measure should be cybersecurity training for all staff from the lowest to the highest levels (hopefully, no one keeps their account password on paper under their laptop anymore) – how to keep themselves safe; which links to click and which not to click; which emails to open and which not to. How often to backup data and make software updates, what passwords should be, what is multifactor authentication, and what to do if a hacker attack still occurs.

We would like to remind you that about a third of all data leaks are due to human factors – deliberately or not, an employee of a healthcare institution gives out the necessary data to malicious insiders. Of these types of leaks, twice as many are unintentional. In other words, the culprit is trivial human negligence.

Clinics must control and monitor malicious file activity. To do this, they can implement systems that block unauthorized actions with data, prevent unauthorized email exchanges, prohibit the possibility of copying to external sources, etc. Unfortunately, the institution doesn’t find out about 39% of hacks until a month later; this situation needs to change urgently.

Finally, endless testing is essential – APIs must be thoroughly tested before they can be trusted in healthcare systems to enable data sharing while maintaining internal security measures.

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Conclusions

As times have changed, healthcare systems must change with them, which means more than just annual risk assessments and periodic tests. Each year we come to an increasing realization that the modern hospital is not just physicians and nursing staff, but also a complex system designed to automate, optimize, and store databases, integrated with pharma, biotech government, insurance, and financial entities. Breaking into this system would result in hours to weeks of paralysis, which is unacceptable due to the nature of the industry.

As we advance, organizations and their technology partners must take responsibility for implementing robust, thoughtful technology and procedures, as well as regular testing and validation of systems. These measures are the best way to meet today’s cybersecurity requirements while preparing organizations for future events.

THE APP SOLUTIONS – CUSTOM HEALTHCARE SOFTWARE DEVELOPMENT COMPANY

These frameworks focus on:

Describing the security situation and communication risks
Identifying methods for dealing with cyber threats
A plan for continuous improvement

Obviously, it’s too costly and impractical for the smallest medical center to keep its own cybersecurity staff. It’s better to outsource that kind of responsibility and not have to worry about anything. But to do that, you have to find professionals you can trust.

The APP Solutions can find you a team of specialists who will protect against cyberattacks, regardless of the complexity of the product you need to secure.

Credits to Depositphotos

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How to Start a Neobank

Posted on August 28, 2023September 20, 2023 by Pavel Tantsiura

In this issue:

What is Neobank and its Workflow?
What is a NeoBank in 2022?
Why Should You Start NeoBank in 2022?
What’s the Difference Between Neobanks and Traditional Banks?
Developing a Neobank from Scratch
Must-have features for neobank
Can neobanks be profitable?
Choosing a neobank business model
How Much Does It Cost to Build a Neobank?
What are the Trends of Neobanks?
The bottom line

Neobank is a logical stage in the evolution of financial institutions, which appeared in response to society’s demand to simplify services as much as possible and to minimize communication with bank employees. In essence, it is a rejection of misplaced scaling and an emphasis on marketing.

Today, every country with normal development of digital technology has at least one neobank. So, despite all the convenience and simplicity of the mechanism of work, the niche of neobanking is far from being oversaturated. And the earlier you dare to do something like that, the more chances you have to get an original product, which will have a lot of consumers.

However, do not forget that neobank is not just an application on your mobile but a complex of services requiring maximum security, a well-organized technical infrastructure, and the highest level of usability. Moreover, it requires a high-class development team and considerable investment to make the result worthwhile.

A GUIDE TO CRYPTO WALLET DEVELOPMENT

What is Neobank and its Workflow?

Neobank is a digital fintech institution that provides the usual banking services (loans, investments and savings accounts, credit cards) without being a traditional bank in the legal sense (no banking license). It has no physical offices and practically no cash machines because all the issues can be solved through a mobile app. The very principle of providing financial services in a digital format is designed to anticipate all the desires and requests of the user and solve them in a few clicks without long and tedious calls to support or – even worse – without standing in queues for a “live” consultant.

The best-known examples of neobanks are U.S.-based Chime and UK-based Revolut. By the way, the U.S. and UK are the top countries in this area by transaction value.

According to Statista, the market size of neobanks in 2021 with a forecast for 2022 and 2030 looks like this:

The market volume in 2021 was estimated at nearly $47 billion. The sector is expected to grow at an average annual rate of 53.4% through 2030 to reach $2.05 trillion. The average transaction cost per user in the neobanking segment will be $18.21 thousand in 2022.

The last five years have been a rapid development of alternative banking services. Part of the reason for these trends is the growing frustration of users with the complexities of traditional banking, which has led to a search for more straightforward and less expensive solutions.

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What is a NeoBank in 2022?

There is still a perception that neobank is only for young people who understand digitally, but this is not true. In truth, Neobank’s target customers are men (58%) and women (42%) aged 25-44. The EU, Britain, and the U.S. are at the top of the list for downloads. However, an increasing proportion of the population aged 65 and older are also discovering the delights of digitalization.

For their audiences, neobanks take a friendly approach or so-called “new sincerity”. Customer service communicates with you as a longtime mate, not as an absolutely polite, aloof dialogue line. The application itself is built so that you can find any option in a couple of clicks, even if you have no idea where it is. There are gamification elements, no commissions, minimal interest, and favorable cashback, all of which encourage the customer to use neobank as much as possible. Such a beneficial environment is ensured by minimizing the costs of project infrastructure.

Why Should You Start NeoBank in 2022?

NeoBanking has advantages that make the project profitable and repayable in a short period:

A niche that is not fully filled
Attractiveness for clients due to accessible communication
Greater flexibility compared to traditional banks
High investment attractiveness

You can create your own neobank from scratch or use a ready-made solution with additional functions and features that will distinguish you from your competitors. Neobank software is more flexible, allowing you to add and expand features faster than traditional systems. Neobanks rely on advanced process automation, web services, and APIs to provide banks and customers with high profitability, security, and flexibility.

You can also create a subsidiary of a conventional bank, but there are some differences.

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What’s the Difference Between Neobanks and Traditional Banks?

It is important to distinguish between traditional banks offering online banking services and neobanks. As we have already mentioned, neobanks have no offline departments because the working principle is built, so there is no need for them.

Legally, the regulator for conventional banks is the Central Bank, but for neobanks there are two regulators, the Ministry of Finance and the Central Bank. Also, Conventional credit institutions can only operate with full banking accreditation, while a neobank can have both payment and financial certification, depending on the services provided.

One should also distinguish between neobanking and digital banking. If, for the first one, the mobile app is the only available form of existence, the latter is just one of the “avatars” of a traditional bank that wants to become more accessible and user-friendly. Neobanks perform the same functions as digital banks, but large financial institutions do not support them in the same way as conventional and digital banks. Instead, most are launched by private organizations and follow an online-only service model.

HOW TO MAKE A PERSONAL FINANCE APP

With conventional banks going online, though, we can say that the line between the two types of financial services is already blurring. Representatives of traditional banks understand that they need to keep up with the times to retain their customers. But rapid change is usually impossible because of the growing gap between the current level of technology and their large-scale corporate systems.

One solution is to create a dedicated neobank in which the parent bank takes over the regulatory environment and requirements. On the one hand, the parent takes on new risks, but on the other hand, the subsidiary can provide a broader range of banking and lending products, such as auto loans, mortgages, etc. In this way, you open up the neobank to your company’s existing audience.

As an option, one of the IT giants, which is not directly related to financial services, can open its own neobank. One of the most popular neobanks in China, Alibaba’s MYBank, serves 35 million users and SMEs. The bank specializes in small personal and business credit services.

WHAT IS DEFI? THE BASICS OF DECENTRALIZED FINANCE

Developing a Neobank from Scratch

As with any financial product, developing a neobank should start with precise planning, and then follow the steps that are appropriate for creating every outcome.

Having a well-formulated idea that is transformed into a business idea
Analysis of the market and competitors
Analysis of the target audience
Hiring an experienced team of managers and developers
MVP creation (from UX Design prototypes to testing and deployment)
Launch
Feedback gathering
Work on mistakes and support

If you have an idea at this stage, contact The APP Solutions company, which will help you investigate the market situation and hire a competent outsourcing team to create a product that will pay for itself in a short time.

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WHAT IS A DAPP? UNDERSTANDING DECENTRALIZED APPLICATIONS

Neobank Software Development from the Very Beginning

It is necessary to pay attention to the basic details, without which it is impossible to create a sustainable product.

Every country has its peculiarities of legislation concerning the regulation of neobanking. Therefore, before you start implementing the idea, you need to understand all the aspects due to banking licensing and so on.

A financial product works not only with personal data, but also with the money tied to it. Therefore, the first priority is ensuring the appropriate level of security to prevent information breaches, such as with two-factor or multi-factor authentication.

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Since the primary use of neobank is through a mobile app, payments should be a couple of clicks away for maximum convenience, without filling out a whole bunch of boxes.

For the payment gateway mentioned above to really work efficiently, you need integration with the most popular payment systems in the region. However, do not forget about security – when you integrate this or that system into your code, you must consider the risks that it can be hacked, and your customers’ data will go to fraudsters. So it helps if you are very selective when choosing partners.

Perhaps there’s no need to repeat once again how important a positive user experience is in a situation when this is the main feature of the application through which it presents itself. This includes everything from lightning-fast account creation and the same fast receipt of a card, to personalized banking services (the ability to buy cryptocurrency and shares, make investments, and take long-term and short-term loans). And all this with zero commissions and no hidden fees.

WHAT IS WEB 3.0? INTERNET NEXT ERA BASED ON BLOCKCHAIN

Must-have features for neobank

What features should be present in your application to interest the user?

Cashback (a nice little something to spend not only on yourself, but also to donate a small amount to charity at the end of the month, this is a very effective motivator)
Dynamic CVV2 (as a means to further protect your finances)
Expense reports and savings against goals (here, neobank takes over the function of the financial app, helping the users keep track of their balance)
Referral program (one of the ways to get new users by getting existing ones interested)
Cryptocurrency (an opportunity to integrate your crypto-purse into the application or create such a wallet right here)
Paying bills (utility bills, apartment rent, car insurance – all of these can be paid with a single click, or you can set up automatic monthly/weekly/annual payments).

Can neobanks be profitable?

As of 2020, there were more than 300 neobanks launched around the world. Statista predicts that by 2026 the number of users will be 347.21 million, which is 4.4%. So as you can see, the market is far from saturation, and the growth prospects are excellent.

By 2024, there will be 47.5 million digital-only bank account holders in the U.S., a 19.8% increase over 2020, and digital bank penetration in the U.S. will increase by 8.9% from 2020 to 2024.

Source

In addition, not all populations are yet reached. For example, neobanks are mostly aimed at young people who strongly connect to gadgets. But what about teenagers? They are also great with any app in a few minutes, but their reach in neobanking is still minimal.

If neobanks are so profitable for users, then how do they make money? Don’t be surprised, but one source of income is commissions. Yes, for the consumer, they are practically non-existent, and there is no deception here. Neobanks get a cut of the interbank commissions, only their mechanisms are more complicated and are not obvious to the customers.

Neobanks also introduce premium accounts for users who want more convenient services, from two-click medical insurance to VIP cards. What’s more, premiums can come in different levels, too.

Due to favorable terms, loans in neobanks are much easier to get than in conventional ones, and the terms are better, so the pool of lenders is expanding very quickly. However, there are risks in the sense of unreliable clients.

WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN WEB 2.0 VS. WEB 3.0?

If we are talking about the basic version of neobank, its creation, depending on the features, can cost you from $300-500 thousand. If you have a bigger budget, you can talk about additional options. Be prepared that, on average, the project takes about six months to complete. However, you can always speed it up if you need to and have the right resources. For example, if you agree to work on an out-of-the-box solution.

In parallel, focus on marketing efforts to attract customers. Make sure you are appealing all the way through. Remember that the profitability of your neobank can be determined by the customer lifetime value (LTV)/customer acquisition cost (CAC) ratio. The higher the LTV/CAC ratio, the more revenue will be generated from each new customer. So, the most important thing is to keep your customers happy.

DEFI DEVELOPMENT SERVICES

What are the Trends of Neobanks?

In order to be one step ahead of your competitors, you need to understand which trends in the niche can be advantageous. Right now, when going through the natural neobank development process, you need to pay attention to the following points.

Even though neobanks are not banks in the usual sense of the word, their security is just as important. Digital banking uses biometric verification, encryption technology, and other security measures to protect customer and mobile data. They also provide highly secure features such as locking and freezing anytime through the app. That said, all security measures need to be configured to make usability easy, and customers face unnecessary steps during transactions or verifications.

You can go further and create your own security tool and software solution to protect customer data. However, it is highly recommended that you keep logs of access of everything that happens on your neobank platform so that your security team can review them at any time in the future.

The advantage of neobanking is the openness of its operating mechanisms compared to traditional financial institutions. And since the neobank has no physical branches, all information about services, rates, transactions, promotions, commissions, and much more must be presented and posted so that the client is sure to be aware of everything promptly.

AI is now present in almost every digital niche, and in financial services, there is no way without it at all. Neobanks are polling users about what they would like to get out of the app. It is important to analyze and anticipate the behavioral factors of your target audience so that the client only thinks of a feature and finds it has already been implemented into your app. This kind of thing helps to increase conversion rates. AI is also heavily used in online support chats and is improving every year.

PREDICTIVE ANALYTICS VS. MACHINE LEARNING: WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE

The bottom line

Neobank is a financial product that makes life much easier for people without bank accounts and those who can’t imagine themselves without dozens of financial transactions daily. Neobank manages to do it at the same time.

To expand its audience without losing old customers, neobank has to offer new features and capabilities with enviable regularity. You can do this by working closely with a team of managers and developers who will work for the result, even after the project launch. And we at The APP Solutions can help you with that! So click the button below and tell us your idea; we are here to make it happen.

Credits to Depositphotos

How to Create a Medical App in 2022: The Ultimate Guide

Posted on August 28, 2023September 20, 2023 by Pavel Tantsiura

In this issue:

What is a Medical App?
What is the Difference Between a Health App and a Medical App?
Types of mHealth apps
Is Mobile App Development Profitable?
Benefits of mHealth apps for business owners
Healthcare Mobile App Development vs. Covid
How to Build an Effective Medical Mobile App
Healthcare mobile app development
What tasks should healthcare mobile apps perform?
Trends in mobile medical software development
The APP Solutions and mobile app development services
Outcomes

Healthcare mobile app development is a complex and demanding job that requires maximum concentration and attention to detail. The cost of a mistake in such an application can be money, health, or even a person’s life. Hence, before taking on the development of such a project you need to consider many nuances and, in no case, release a faster, “raw” product. Therefore, we will try to tell you about the most important aspects and features of healthcare mobile app development.

AGILE HEALTHCARE: HOW TO IMPLEMENT THE APPROACH

Mobile health is growing at a rapid pace these days. The demand for mHealth apps is driven by the growing prevalence of chronic diseases such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and obesity, as well as the increasing diffusion of digital health technologies. Among others, the monitoring services segment accounted for the largest share in 2019. Nonetheless, diagnostic services are projected to show the highest CAGR.

Covid 19 also contributed a lot to the spread of mobile healthcare apps. However, in 2017, about 64% of the U.S. adult population regularly used the app to measure health indicators. Still, there are some doubts about the confidentiality of personal information and data systems security. But this does not mean that such a suspicious audience cannot become a target – this will be another challenge for healthcare app developers in the cybersecurity field.

The healthcare app market is still far from being oversaturated due to its changes in recent years. Until a few years ago, the list consisted mainly of lifestyle and fitness apps. Now it is starting to include more and more apps focused on specific tasks. For example, working as a complementary medical app clinic or helping people with certain types of diseases. In the mobile health market, analysts have identified several main segments of applications designed for diagnostics, monitoring, prevention, treatment, and medical simulations.

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What is a Medical App?

So, what kind of applications can be called medical or those related (albeit indirectly) to your health?

First of all, these are applications that help users effectively manage their physical/psychological illnesses and fitness achievements, as well as keep records of hospital visits and insurance payments.

HOW TO MAKE EHR/EMR EPIC INTEGRATION WITH YOUR HEALTH APP

Doctors, in turn, have their own goals when using mHealth apps. The Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society names the tools most commonly used by doctors:

Collect bedside data
Monitor data from remote devices
Transmit data and coordinate care continuity
Conduct telemedicine visits
Communicate with patients
Integrate data into EMR

Calmerry Online Therapy Platform

Healthcare App Development

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BuenoPR – 360° Approach to Health

As a result, Health IT Outcomes reports on a variety of usage trends by the physician and healthcare community:

93% of doctors believe mHealth apps can improve patient health
74% of the hospitals using mobile app devices to collect patient data are more efficient than those that don’t
42% of patients say they prefer digitally scheduling an appointment over calling their provider

With the reality of Covid 19, doctor visits quickly moved online. Furthermore, the clinicians themselves claim that 75% of calls do not really require the patient’s personal presence in the office, meaning most medical situations can be handled using telemedicine. This immediately gives tangible relief for ambulances.

CHOOSING TELEMEDICINE SOFTWARE DURING COVID-19: A COMPLETE GUIDE

What is the Difference Between a Health App and a Medical App?

The difference between a health app and medical app is that health apps are designed to provide health-related services for all types of smartphones and communication devices, whereas medical applications are software on mobile gadgets that users can apply to regulated medical devices.

Types of mHealth apps

For patients:

Fitness and wellness apps
Mental health apps (including meditation)
Self-diagnosing
IoT
Applications for caring for the elderly and sick people
Patient well-being diaries, vital sign monitoring (blood pressure, pulse, glucose, and cholesterol levels…)
Health management apps such as hydration monitoring, calorie calculator, diet tips, etc.
Social networking, health forums, and portals
Assistants for pregnant women
Womens’ health
Telemedicine/Doctor on-demand
Appointment and recipe reminders
Medication management/Mood trackers/Sleep monitoring

STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE ON MOBILE APP HIPAA COMPLIANCE

For doctors:

Medical resource and education apps that contain information about drugs, medical articles, or lists of symptoms
Remote diagnostics
Remote monitoring
Communication
Appointment management
Telemedicine

The classification is limited to these two groups, but there is also a third cluster. These are medical applications for institutions that are somehow related to the medical industry.

Clinical assistance apps with EMR and EHR access
Appointment and scheduling
Billing
Inventory management

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Is Mobile App Development Profitable?

The IQVIA Institute for Human Data Science report has found that the consumer digital health app market reached new records in 2020. Over 90,000 healthcare apps were released that year. In general, there are now over 350,000 digital health apps available to consumers in stores.

However, the quality of most of them is poor. The main disadvantages of many applications currently on the market include:

Fuzzy structure that does not solve a specific problem
Lack of clinical data
Poor usability
Non-observance of the rules of confidentiality and security

As a result, 83% of applications were installed less than 5,000 times, which together represent less than 1% of total downloads. Meanwhile, the Lucky Hundred Leader Apps have been downloaded over 10 million times. This is almost 50% of the total number of downloads.

Nevertheless, various healthcare mobile apps continue to storm the market. Health IT Outcomes predicted that global mHealth revenue would reach $49.12 billion by 2020.

According to a report by ResearchAndMarkets, the global mHealth market size is expected to reach $ 316.8 billion by 2027. Statista expects this figure to rise even higher – to $ 333 billion by 2025. The most optimistic forecast suggests that the global digital health market will increase to over 500 billion U.S. dollars by 2025. During this time, the health information technology segment of the industry should generate the largest revenue share, reaching some 280 billion U.S. dollars already by 2021.

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At the same time, back in 2015, Forbes wrote about one million telemedicine patients. By 2018, patient encounters had increased to seven million. This statistic shows the top-funded digital health categories worldwide during 2020. In that year, over 4.2 billion U.S. dollars of funding was provided for telemedicine, making it the most funded category.

Benefits of mHealth apps for business owners

As a health care business owner, you can increase customer loyalty. This will help you with:

Convenient functionality. Achieved by providing a quality product that will cover all “medical” needs from making an appointment to storing test results, from telemedicine to reminders to buy drugs. This will attract a new audience and increase the loyalty of existing ones.
Successful marketing. Increase customer engagement with self-reminders. For example, by creating a healthcare app for a specific hospital, you can attract more users with promotions, news, offers, and just being creative.
Knowledge of the client’s needs. Keeping personal information in your app is the easiest way to collect customer data to improve user experience.

KEY DIFFERENCES IN EHR VS. EMR VS. PHR: WHAT TO CHOOSE FOR YOUR HEALTHCARE ORGANIZATION

Ultimately, the development of a healthcare app helps not only improve a particular hospital’s business processes more efficiently, but also improve the image of both the hospital that ordered the healthcare mobile application development, and the company that developed it.

Do You Want Your Own Medical App?

Healthcare Mobile App Development vs. Covid

The PWC “Medical cost trend: Behind the numbers 2022” report suggests that coronavirus isn’t the only thing affecting the health of Americans. Lack of exercise, poor diet, increased use of psychoactive substances, and smoking…all can lead to poor health in the U.S. population and increased health care costs.

At the same time, App Annie statistics show that there has been a surge in downloads of medical apps in the months of isolation. These country statistics compare downloads in the “peak” local month, with January 2020 considered the benchmark month. The world average is 65%.

Interestingly, the most significant surge was in South Korea. There, the number of downloads increased by 135%! India’s official tracing app might also be responsible for the 90% upswing we see in that market. We see lower but still significant growth in the European and North American markets as well.

WHAT IS FEMTECH IN HEALTHCARE

This speaks of both the level of fear felt around the world and desire to be as aware as possible in uncertain times. However, government agencies are using apps as a platform for managing and tracking outbreaks.

Number of health and fitness app users in the United States from 2018 to 2022 (in millions):

How to Build an Effective Medical Mobile App

About 30% of startups make it to the 10-year mark, with one in five failing in the first year, and the percentage of failed healthcare startups even higher. As mentioned earlier, the most important reason for failure is the inability to identify the target audience, its problems, and how to solve them. In other words, healthcare apps are often not needed at all.

Therefore, in order not to fail, you should clearly define ‘why’ and ‘what’ you are doing. Such simple questions, but the above statistics say that not everyone is asking them.

The process of developing a mobile app can be divided into an almost infinite number of stages. Here are the most basic ones:

Shaping an idea
Market Research
Making an MVP
Design process

RPA IN HEALTHCARE: A COMPREHENSIVE OVERVIEW, BENEFITS, AND USE CASES

Make sure your mobile healthcare application solves a real problem with enough people. Then, form a clear target audience to further direct all available advertising methods to it. Finally, define a list of features that will only be in your application, and also a list of reasons that prevent you from becoming the best right away.

Conduct detailed research of your competitors to understand their strengths and weaknesses. In this way, you don’t have to waste time adding a new feature your customers are asking for or removing any old parts that nobody needs.

MICROSOFT CLOUD FOR HEALTHCARE: HOW MS CLOUD SOLUTIONS ARE BENEFITING HEALTHCARE ORGANIZATIONS

Healthcare App Development

Before starting work on the healthcare app, we recommend you think about such challenges that you will definitely have to solve within healthcare mobile app development:

APIs and integrations
Data encryption
Multiple devices and channels
Security and privacy

There is nothing more important to do in the development of healthcare apps, than solving these problems.

Start healthcare mobile app development with MVP. This version should include the basic functionality of any healthcare app. But, of course, it all depends on what type of medical healthcare software you are building. For example, some are exclusively engaged in tracking health indicators, some order medicines for you in pharmacies, and some banally remind you that you need to drink another glass of water. But if you want to create an application that will perform many functions at once, think about the features below.

THE APP SOLUTIONS – CUSTOM HEALTHCARE SOFTWARE DEVELOPMENT COMPANY

Tracking

The doctor and user should be able to independently enter health indicators – height and weight, sugar and cholesterol levels, heart rate and blood pressure, regardless of whether these indicators are measured at home or in the laboratory.

Scheduling

When a patient knows that he has the opportunity to independently book a visit to the doctor in a matter of minutes, he will do it much more willingly than when he needs to call, clarify something and wait for an answer. With this approach, it is easier to miss a visit than to struggle with an appointment. But, of course, we don’t want that, do we?

KEEP A PULSE ON EPIC APP ORCHARD AND HOW IT BENEFITS THE HEALTH SYSTEMS

Notifications and reminders

If the planned visit takes place in a month, or even six months, it is easy to forget about it as well as being reminded to take a pill that you need at a specific time.

Personal account

Allow patients to add their personal information (name, gender, age, etc.) Along with that, permit them to add their health biomarkers and help track them.

Chat and Communication

Allow the doctor to correspond with the patient to enter the conversation results into the necessary documents. To do this, you will need to integrate your healthcare mobile app with the doctor’s software or platform.

WHAT IS ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE IN HEALTHCARE?

[The APP Solutions layout for a healthcare mobile app]

Telemedicine options

Often correspondence alone is not enough. As mentioned above, video chat with doctors is gaining more and more popularity as it saves time for both the doctor and patient. And, the latter is also not at risk of catching any virus if he doesn’t have to come to the hospital in person.

Geolocation

Allow the patient to find a specialist doctor with good reviews near their location.

File Storage

Hospitals need to create an EHR system to store files securely. As you develop your mobile app, allow users to store their medical data and files.

These can be prescriptions, ECGs, doctors’ recommendations, medical bills.

PREDICTIVE ANALYTICS VS. MACHINE LEARNING: WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE

Security

A big problem is the distrust of many people in the safety of their data, especially in such an “intimate” sphere. Therefore, place special emphasis on this, do not spare the money spent on security.

Integration with wearables, social integration

Integration with Apple Watch, “garter” to selected social networks.

Search

Create a filter system that can help you find a specific doctor by last name or choose the most suitable one by specialization, location, cost of the visit, etc.

Ratings and reviews

We have long been accustomed to rating the services of taxi drivers and couriers. User feedback about which doctor or hospital will be extremely helpful to future patients and motivate nursing staff to perform even better.

HEALTHCARE APPS DEVELOPMENT: TYPES, EXAMPLES, AND FEATURES

HIPAA Compliant Messaging

The business owner must clearly understand which region they are targeting with their medical app. Where and what kind of correspondence should you pay attention to?

HIPAA (The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability). The most common rules in the United States were governing confidentiality, integrity, and availability of all electronically protected medical information.
GDPR (The General Data Protection Regulation). A set of rules adopted and operating in the European Union since 2018. All medical mobile apps must adhere to the provisions on the protection of personal data prescribed in the document. The GDPR applies to both the companies that collect the data and those that process it.
CCPA (The California Consumer Privacy Act). An analog of the European GDPR. The law includes informing the client about what data is collected, preparing a free report on the collected data at the client’s request, and deleting the collected data at the client’s request.
PIPEDA (The Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act). A policy designed to safeguard patient privacy in Canada. More often than not a healthcare app that is “confused” with standardization, according to the GDPR, will work with PIPEDA as well since the provisions are very similar.

Payments

You need to decide how you plan to receive income from your medical mobile app. Choose a Monetization Model.

In-app ads. The healthcare app has no paid options, and it earns by displaying ads
Freemium. Basic healthcare application options are free, and you need to buy additional exciting features
Subscription. Users pay only when they use the mobile apps, subscribing for a week, month, year
Paid. One-time payment for the healthcare app upon purchase

Also, do not forget about those payments that are made between the patient and medical institution. It will be excellent if your healthcare app allows you to pay for doctor visits, order at the pharmacy, and so on.

Only 5.76% of apps are paid, and that number is falling every quarter. As a result, Healthcare apps are usually not monetized and serve as an add-on service in and of themselves.

DATA MINING VS. PREDICTIVE ANALYTICS: KNOW THE DIFFERENCE

What tasks should healthcare mobile apps perform?

The most popular healthcare app functions are:

Improving health data gathering
Providing timely care, despite the location
Minimizing medical mistakes
Lowering spending for healthcare providers and patients
Improving communication between physicians and patients
Increasing customer loyalty and engagement
Providing time-saving features for medical staff

UI/UX Design in medical mobile app development

When create a medical app design, you need to remember you are making them for a “sensitive” target audience. Remember that your healthcare mobile application may be used by older people who are not good at all these “newfangled things.” Also, users can be people with specific mental and physical disabilities. Accordingly, in this case, you need to focus on an intuitive interface as never before.

Minimize the number of actions the user must take to complete the task. For example, you can group related content to make it available with one click.

[The APP Solutions layout for a healthcare mobile app]

We recommend using cool colors for the background, warm colors for markers. You shouldn’t use more than three different fonts – choose their sizes following the target audience. The font color should be easy to read and contrast with the background of the healthcare app. Avoid using colored fonts as their visibility is poor. Usually, the best choice is black or dark gray on a light background. It will not be superfluous to accompany the pressing of buttons with characteristic sounds.

And of course, don’t forget about responsive app design!

WHY CREATE A CUSTOM MENTAL HEALTH APP

Trends in mobile medical software development

In whatever year your healthcare app is developed, it should always remain up-to-date. To do this, you need to track trends, the successful implementation of which will allow you to bypass the competition. And most importantly, both doctors and patients benefit from this.

AI

It is difficult to find an area in which AI technologies would be inapplicable. However, it was a medicine that became the flagship of this trend. Moreover, these are not always global tasks, such as how to overcome cancer. As a rule, these are simple administrative tasks that are not noticeable at first glance, but they free up a lot of time for medical staff to plan – optimizing their work.

With the help of the ability to analyze vast amounts of data, artificial intelligence can identify the most critical patients in a group with similar symptoms or, based on practical experience, prescribe appropriate treatment to a new patient. Artificial intelligence can diagnose diseases, and can also recommend medicines. And of course, where would we be without chatbots!

Blockchain

The healthcare blockchain is used to manage electronic health records, conduct clinical and biomedical research, monitor patients remotely, improve insurance and billing procedures, and analyze medical data. In addition, the blockchain ensures that all transactions are conducted confidentially and without third-party intervention, which is HIPAA and GDPR compliant.

The Internet of Things (IoT)

By 2025 there will be a total of 41.6 billion connected IoT devices, which means there will be more connected “things” than people. And this is not the limit. Thus, more and more medical ecosystems will be created, simplifying the interaction between doctor and patient. For example, the doctor will be able to conduct remote examinations of internal organs and progressive diseases. Likewise, the hospital management will monitor and take into account medications and the use of special equipment.

Patient-Generated Health Data (PGHD)

This is information that the patient enters on their own, or with the help of family members, to the healthcare app. At first glance, this is not the best solution since it is not known how honestly, correctly, and objectively the patient will enter data about himself. A doctor would, of course, do this much more accurately. Nevertheless, the practice has shown that this is a working scheme. And again, a win from all sides.

For example, a patient with a chronic disease monitors his indicators, diligently entering them into a mobile healthcare app. A doctor can go there, quickly go over all the details and decide whether to adjust the treatment. This solution significantly reduces the burden on clinicians.

Telemedicine

You may say that this is not a trend. Video communication with a doctor has become a habit for a long time. However, it was in the era of coronavirus that telemedicine became more relevant than ever. Not surprisingly, 42% of adults in the United States say they prefer to have their sessions with doctors online, so they don’t end up in danger. As already mentioned, the most money is now being invested in healthcare mobile app development with this function.

In addition, telemedicine covers the needs of that part of the population that lives far from medical facilities. But this can work not only within one country. As a result, video communication with qualified doctors has become a real salvation for underdeveloped countries. In such conditions, the apparent shortage of doctors in failed states has noticeably improved.

VR/AR

It’s no secret that virtual reality creates the effect of presence. So how does it help in healthcare? There are many areas – from creating conditions for training surgeons to the bland feeling of being in a fitness club. The fantasy of healthcare app developers is unlimited.

The APP Solutions and mobile app development services

Our company has already been developing mobile healthcare apps for several years. Therefore we have something to offer you – we keep up with the trends, develop innovative and original solutions and bring your wishes to fruition. Among the services we provide are:

Medical Practice Management Software
Electronic Health Record Software (EHR/EMR/PHR)
E-Prescribing Software
Healthcare CRM
Data Management/Warehousing
Predictive Analytics Software
HIPAA/GDPR Compliance
Medical Devices Integration

[The APP Solutions layout for a healthcare mobile app]

Check out our portfolio and choose your preferred method of cooperation. The APP Solutions team will do everything to make it as fruitful as possible.

Outcomes

Despite the significant number of healthcare apps that flood the market every year, this is far from the limit. All over the world there is a trend towards taking care of one’s health. Covid 19 was the impetus for improving the systematization of patient data in the healthcare sector. Global digitalization has created whole new directions; maybe something new will appear soon that you will come up with and our company can help you implement your idea in healthcare mobile app development!

Any interesting thoughts on your mind?

How to make EHR/EMR Epic Integration with Your Health App

Posted on August 28, 2023October 3, 2023 by Pavel Tantsiura

Content:

What does Epic software mean?
What is EHR/EMR integration?
Does Epic have an API?
How to Integrate Epic EHR/EMR?
The Benefits of Integrating Epic
Who Needs Epic EHR/EMR Integration?
Who doesn’t Need Epic EHR/EMR Integration?
Want To Build a Healthcare Mobile App?

The medical field in the United States was one of the first to be affected by universal digitalization, which had a positive effect on patient treatment. However, perfection knows no limits, and ordering medical records is the first step to a “bright future,” which is impossible without technology development.

Please dive deep into our Podcast with Jeff Fried, Director of Product Management at InterSystems. You can gather insights about EHR integration like Epic with the use of InterSystems technology.

The APP Solutions is a long-standing InterSystems partner, and we use InterSystems technology to integrate with 99% of EHR systems within the US. This is the quickest and most affordable way to solve all your interoperability challenges.

Need help in developing your Healthcare App?

Reach out

What does Epic Software Mean?

Epic Software is an application created to help doctors and other healthcare professionals (insurance agents, pharmacists) effectively manage electronic medical records and track any information that is in any way related to a patient’s health. Such software helps access data much more quickly, not prescribing unnecessary tests or drugs that can cause side effects, etc. Epic software helps to significantly improve business processes.

According to statistics, in 2022, Epic named top EHR 12th straight year in nomination “Best overall software suite”. Isn’t that compelling enough reason to incorporate the system into your application?

What is EHR/EMR Integration?

EHR (electronic health records software) and EMR (electronic medical records) are medical records systems. Despite the similarity of concepts, they still have a defining difference that affects the degree of compatibility due to the amount of information. EMR contains data maintained by one doctor or group of doctors from one medical institution; as soon as you go to another hospital, you need to start all over again.

The EHR absolutely systematizes all info from any medical personnel that has ever been entered into the system. Any doctor anywhere in the country can view the current data or send it to colleagues when needed.

KEY DIFFERENCES IN EHR VS. EMR VS. PHR: WHAT TO CHOOSE FOR YOUR HEALTHCARE ORGANIZATION

EMR/EHR epic integration simplifies the life of medical staff and patients, allowing them to download the entire medical history of a person in seconds, and saves time on various burdensome but necessary formalities such as filling out personal and insurance information.

HL7 INTEGRATION: A REFERENCE FOR ITS BENEFITS, IMPLEMENTATIONS, AND APPLICATIONS

Does Epic have an API?

You can integrate your software with EHR (which we have found will give your product a huge advantage) in several ways:

HL7 (Health Level Seven) – a set of international standards that issue recommendations for the transfer and exchange of data between medical institutions and other healthcare providers
FHIR API (Fast Healthcare Interoperability Resources) – preferably for iOS
Middleware
Personal EHR integration modules created by your developers

I want a free consultation for my Healthcare project

CASE STUDY

A White-Label Telemedicine Platform – organizing data transmission in FHIR HL7 standard for health care data exchange using FHIR HL7 infrastructure

OTHER CASE STUDIES:

Calmerry Online Therapy Platform

Orb Health – Сare Management As A Virtual Service

BuenoPR – 360° Approach to Health

But Epic is the most optimal because interoperability is easier to achieve using EHR solution providers’ public or open API. And the exchange of data between Epic EHR and your product takes place using the Epic API.

API is an application programming interface, a set of rules for working with data. With its help, you can understand how to retrieve info and send it back in each case. It acts as a kind of intermediary between the application and the EHR/EMR system.

Upon receiving a specific request, the API relays it to the system. It then receives, processes, and issues a response containing all the necessary information about the patient in a unified approved format USCDI (The U.S. Core Data for Interoperability).

STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE ON MOBILE APP HIPAA COMPLIANCE

This standardization is part of the Affordable Care Act. It allows the creation of a homogeneous data set so that information does not get confused, and any doctor can quickly and easily figure it out.

***

Want to learn more about EHR integration? Watch our podcast with the expert Jeff Fried, Director of Product Management at InterSystems.

PODCAST #3. HOW TECHNOLOGY CAN HELP IMPROVE HEALTHCARE OUTCOMES

Download our Free Healthcare app eBook

Download

How to Integrate Your Health App with Epic EMR/EHR Systems?

First, think about the server where your application is stored. Next, check the compatibility of the sites from which you are going to collect information. Make sure the EHR/EMR supports these sites.

FHIR STANDARD: THE CRUCIAL HEALTHCARE DATA SOLUTION FOR SECURE INTEROPERABILITY

The next step is to create an account at Uscdi.epic.com, which we mentioned earlier. This is required to access the API key. Confirm your identity; it is important to protect data transmitted encrypted via the SSL protocol.

Check if the API will have the necessary endpoints so that, at some point, your application does not stop receiving data from the system. Check everything from medical history to allergy markers. You will see the API key on the website, which is best tested to see if all endpoints are working as expected.

Include API calls in your application code using endpoints. After everything is implemented and tested, you can take advantage of the Epic EHR/EMR integration.

How To Make A Medical App: The Ultimate Guide

The Benefits of Integration EHR/EMR

Among other preferences, we wanted to emphasize again:

Quick access to any medical institution. Doctors don’t always have the opportunity to see a patient in their office; sometimes, they have to go out and work with no computer with available data. The implementation of Epic EHR allows viewing everything from a smartphone. With Epic, healthcare providers exchange more than 200 million records each month.
Cost optimization. The Epic API is easier to integrate than HL7 or CCD. In the latter case, the developer must write a lot on his own; this significantly affects the project’s cost. Whereas Epic syncs with EHR/EMR for free.
Scalability. With Epic’s electronic health record integration, you can easily resize your database. It is helpful for medical organizations such as intensive care units, where patients are under constant supervision, resulting in many entries.

KEEP A PULSE ON EPIC APP ORCHARD AND HOW IT BENEFITS THE HEALTH SYSTEMS

Who Needs Epic EMR/EHR Integration?

In addition to the above cases, the Epic USCDI API is the best fit for applications focused on remote patient treatment. For example, telemedicine. The patient does not need to collect all of his data from different clinics to forward it to the appropriate specialist. The doctor will find where to get them.

Epic EHR/EMR integration is also suitable for patient management, which tracks and controls treatment plans. When a patient’s medical history is reviewed, the app retrieves baseline and current clinical data (drug status and test results) and tracks changes.

Source

THE APP SOLUTIONS – CUSTOM HEALTHCARE SOFTWARE DEVELOPMENT COMPANY

Which Healthcare Organizations don’t Need Epic EHR/EMR Integration?

Note: if your software requires more than just retrieving data, you need to consider other APIs, because Epic only allows you to view the data, not make edits! Thus, if the attending physician is going to add new or correct existing information, remember about HL7, FHIR API, etc.

Epic is also not suitable if you need data synchronization or extensive analytical data (as a rule, there will be no overload with data on one patient). Also, Epic is not suitable for patient-oriented applications, as the information stored in the EHR/EMR is primarily for physicians.

Need help in developing your Healthcare App?

Reach out

How to Make a Personal Finance App

Posted on August 28, 2023September 20, 2023 by Pavel Tantsiura

In this issue:

What is a Finance App and Why do People Need Them
Types of personal finance apps
How a Personal Finance App Makes Money
A personal finance app vs. Covid 19
What is the Best Personal Finance App
How to Create a Budgeting App that People will Want to Use
Trends in personal finance app development
Psychology of personal finance management
What people expect from a money management app
Personal Finance Management Mobile App Development
App development process: a step-by-step guide
Outcomes

Among the many different applications, games have been the undisputed market leaders for several years. However, this does not mean that smartphone owners prefer only to have fun. According to Google, back in 2016, 73% of smartphone users used at least one finance management app. And already AppsFlyer pointed to a 354% growth in the popularity of personal finance apps in the 5 years from 2014 to 2019.

In addition, the emphasis is on the fact that it is mobile applications, not web versions, that are now a more promising segment. According to Allied Market Research the U.S. personal finance software market size was valued at $232 million in 2018 and is expected to reach $343 million by 2026, registering a CAGR of 5% from 2019 to 2026.

What is a Finance App and Why do People Need Them

Al finance app, also known as money management or budget app, is a mobile personal income/expense tracking application with a variable functions set that allow you not only to control personal spends, but also advise where to invest. So the user can not only save, but also earn.

All accounts, bank cards, e-wallets, and other money custodians are collected in one place. The information is systematized, analyzed, and the user observes his/her expenses on charts and diagrams ad oculos. If the first created financial apps required a person to contribute all their income and expenses, everything could be done automatically. Every cup of coffee and every donut counts – they shall not pass! However, manual versions of money management apps are still in demand. Financial apps help:

Take control of your spending
Save money for a substantial purchase
Collect an amount for a rainy day
Deal with tax charges
Get out of debt with the least losses

The same Google statistics suggest that users abandon half of the applications because they find something more interesting, suitable in functionality, and meeting current needs. On average, users who decide to control their finances tend to download 2-3 apps because they cannot find all the functions they need in one place. Is this not a reason to create the “perfect” application for your target audience? And The APP Solutions can meet this challenge.

ERNST & YOUNG: case study

Types of personal finance apps

As we have already mentioned above, most often, budgeting apps are divided into two types:

Manual (simple)
Automatic (complex)

In the first case, all data is entered by the user himself. In the second, electronic transactions provide such information to the personal finance app.

The advantage of manual budgeting apps can be called a “psychological” moment at which the person driving all the expenses realizes that some of them could have been avoided. Accordingly, he/her has a better idea of what to save on and where to fork out. Such applications are more secure in terms of security. Plus, their interface is much simpler. Among the minuses is the human factor. The user can not only make a mistake when entering data, but also banally forget to enter something.

In contrast, automatic management apps do not forget anything (unless the payment was made in cash and is not registered) and save time. Security issues can arise, but if you invest in good cyber defense, nothing will happen.

Accordingly, the first type of personal finance app is much easier and cheaper to develop. But in the future, the second may be more advantageous due to broader functionality.

Note that fintech applications also include:

Peer to Peer Payments App
Full-Service Banking App
Money Investment Management App
Financial Management Software
Bookkeeping Software
Financial Forecasting Apps

However, here we will be talking solely about personal money management apps.

How Does Blockchain Amplify Adtech Industry

How a Personal Finance App Makes Money

How can you earn money on a finance app? Well, the most obvious way is to pay for it, invite potential customers to get a monthly or yearly subscription. However, for users to understand what they are paying for, they need to be given a trial period or make the basic set of features free for all time – the so-called freemium model.

For example, one of the most popular personal finance apps in the world, Mint, is available for free, but for a fee, you will receive, not only a set of more advanced features, but also personalized offers. The AI of the application, based on the financial situation, makes calculations and, based on them, offers the most relevant investments, loans, credit cards and types of savings that would ideally suit a particular user. And U.S. users for a separate monthly subscription get the opportunity to communicate with a live financial advisor.

Another easy way to make money on a financial application is an affiliate program (advertising, which can be turned off for a nominal fee).

A personal finance app vs. Covid 19

Deprived of the opportunity to spend money offline for a long time, confused people worldwide have reduced their spending. However, now, when the market is slowly recovering and people are happy to leave their homes, the mood to spend what they have not spent encourages impulsive purchases. To control themselves, many users download personal finance apps.

Even without the peak of Covid restrictions in 2019-2020, the Asian market grew significantly – weekly use of fintech applications in Japan grew by 55% between December 29, 2019, and March 1, 2020. Whereas in Western Europe and the United States (only 20%), money management applications were used less often. In France and Spain, the growth was zero.

This suggests that emerging markets are more promising for budget mobile apps. So, among the attractive countries, Apptopia analysts named Brazil, Turkey, and Ukraine. That is, countries where the general level of financial literacy of the population and its training in educational institutions leaves much to be desired, which causes users to need money management apps.

What is the Best Personal Finance App

According to Investopedia, the best financial mobile apps at the moment are:

At the same time, in addition to the budget management apps listed above, Forbes advises Personal Capital, Good Budget, Stash, Honeydue, Digit… All of them received a score of 3.5 out of 5 and higher. Each personal finance app has its own strengths.

How to Create a Budgeting App that People will Want to Use

What do users want to see in the perfect finance app? In fact, many of them initially don’t even know what they want. They just download the apps recommended by friends or ratings and see how easy or difficult it is to figure out how to use it, exclaiming along the way: “Oh, this is an interesting thing, I didn’t even think it was possible. Well, I’ll use it.”

Remember that finance isn’t always a deeply personal, intimate topic. Many couples have all their accounts in common. Also, a lot of parents want to teach children from an early age financial literacy through gadgets, because in the digital era, not textbooks, but smartphone screens for children have become the best teachers.

So, when developing a concept it is best to contact competitors who are already working with your target audience. Your money management app should balance between information content and simplicity that won’t scare an uninformed user the first time they open it. Keep in mind that a financial application must meet these criteria:

Minimalistic interface. Study your audience. Your task is to ensure that any option in the personal finance app is within a 3-step accessibility maximum. Make the home page as simple as possible, and at the same time, visually attractive so that there is a desire to download your budgeting app from the first screen.
Comprehensibility. Each hierarchy should be logically built. Each schedule should be clearly substantiated. The financial due diligence process should be as fast and straightforward as possible since people use financial applications on the run.
Micro animation. It helps to better explain what you want to focus the user’s attention on. Various buttons, sliders, dynamic charts, and other interactive elements, help to show more clearly the success and gaps in a person’s budgeting.

Separately, we’d like to note how important two-way communication with the client is. If your finance app has technical support (even if not round-the-clock, and in a chatbot-form), this will significantly elevate you over competitors.

What You’re Paying For Or How Ads.Txt Helps To Fight Adtech Fraud

Trends in personal finance app development

In addition to the standard set of options found in every second budget app, it is very important to keep up with the times and try to win with attractive features that will make your budget application even more attractive.

Consider implementing artificial intelligence first. Algorithms will help the application form personal advice for users: indicate excessive spending, suggest how best to manage the rest of the monthly budget, advise how to build your budget in accordance with the goals of each specific user…

Another important point that a wide variety of personal finance apps have increasingly begun to implement is voice commands. Agree that voicing your expenses and the categories you need at the moment is much faster than typing them.

The easiest way to achieve the maximum simplicity of the money management app mentioned above is to place the expense history on the main page. In the overwhelming majority of cases, this is exactly what users come for, so now it has become a trend among budget apps.

Do not offer users a simple cost calculator – often, these are people who have no idea how to save their money. Instead, give them a clear outline that will allow them to streamline their spending, see their gaps, and correct mistakes from the very first month of using the budgeting app.

Finally, to attract as many users as possible to your side, introduce an element of gamification so that the boring practice of balancing an account will become an extraordinary incentive for the user. Reward the user for fulfilling the plan on a monthly budget, help the user playfully achieve the desired result:

Add the option to “compete” with family and friends
Make an attractive visualization of savings growth so that the user can literally feel and see the increase in their income
Add a strategy element to the application.

For example, personal finance apps like Nestlings and Fortune City may entice you to make smart financial moves to advance your virtual characters’ storylines. If this approach is made correctly, the application is bound to succeed!

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Psychology of personal finance management

For the target audience to hire us for jobs to be done, you need to understand what an ordinary user expects from personal finance applications. There are two main groups among users of budgeting apps.

Spenders
Savers

Those who cannot control their budget without help, and those who know how to distribute their expenses correctly, like to track the dynamics of cash receipts and spending visually.

As practice shows, it is better not to be limited to one of these two groups but to work with both at once. Help spenders keep their money within limits so that they don’t exceed their salary. And show savers what useful things they can do with their saved money. Debt is bad. Emergency funds are good. Overdrawing your account is bad. Earning interest on your savings is good.

With a set of useful options and minimalistic design, you should be able to catch even people who are not interested in financial applications, who are scrolling through Apple Store or Google Play Market in search of useful applications.

What people expect from a money management app

In order that your budget app is wanted to be downloaded and not abandoned after the second entry, you should focus on the user’s needs, both in form and in content. An application should not only keep up with the times in terms of technology and UX/UI design but also offer users the options they need, including:

Simple authorization and personal account without redundant functions
Ability to bind to bank cards, integration with banks, scan checks
Transactions history, as well as their tracking, viewing balances on accounts and cards
Limit on spending – per day/week/month
Categorization of expenses for food, clothing, rent, taxi, household appliances, unplanned expenses
All conceivable and inconceivable reports and statistics in dynamics (comparison of spending with other family members or a certain product in different stores)
Setting goals and tracking progress
Tips on financial literacy, such as how to save up for a large purchase
Reminder about paying taxes, fees, fines, etc.
Standard features of any fintech app: calculator, currency converter, exchange/cryptocurrency indices, regular payments calendar, etc.
Payment templates
Search
Backup (is a must!)

But the most important thing is safety. According to Google statistics, 30% of financial applications succumbed to hacker attacks. In this regard, always build budgeting apps with a secure cloud infrastructure, conduct penetration testing and security audits. When building a personal finance app it’s important to pay attention to PCI DSS (Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard) and GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation). And, of course, choose trusted developers to collaborate with.

Pros And Cons Of Bootstrap And Investment Funding

Personal Finance Management Mobile App Development

First, you need to understand what kind of team you need to develop a financial application. This usually includes:

Project manager
Android developer
iOS developer
Front-end developer
Back-end developer
QA engineer
UI/UX designers

You will work closely with this team for the next six months (the time may vary depending on the number of team members and your willingness to invest).

App development process: a step-by-step guide

The algorithm for creating a budget application is not very different from making any other. Specificity with emphasis on safety. Otherwise, as always, you need to go through a similar algorithm of actions.

Market research and analytics
Development process
Security
App design
Testing and launching

Now a little more detail about each step.

Market research and analytics

First of all, you need to study your target audience. What needs should your proposal cover? What are they waiting for? An analysis of competitors’ financial applications follows from this. What have they not yet managed to offer the public, and what are their strengths? What interesting features can you take on board for yourself, and what weaknesses can you improve? It is important to study the market itself to understand where the industry may move in the future and, as a result, your application.

It is also essential to analyze marketplaces and other advertising spaces to place your personal finance app.

Development process

The technology stack should focus on adaptability, scalability, debugging capabilities, and security. At this stage, experts decide which technology and platform to choose and determine the desired functionality. This phase also includes the technical specifications for creating the application and the product information model. But it’s not just technical nuances that play a role in this step. Business processes need to be modeled as well.

Security

When developing a security system, there is never “too much.” This delicate process should be carried out by real professionals who, among other things, could establish:

Bank-grade data encryption
Two-factor authentication
SSL and HTTPS protocols
Bio authentication
Reverse for inactive sessions

This is just a basic package of precautions, you can always discuss additional measures with security experts that would add more security components and, at the same time, will not slow down the operation of the mobile app.

App design

What have we already mentioned several times? Simplicity rules! The clearer you explain complex fintech questions for users, the more likely your budget app will be downloaded.

For example, a familiar hamburger menu, loved by many users, can play a bad joke in this case since it only shows a few functions. There is a chance that the user simply will not see what he needs (although in fact it is) and will leave. Menu bar tabs looks more organic, but there is also a priority issue here.

Speaking of priorities – Priority + Navigation Pattern seems to be the best combination for a financial application. However, only if these very priorities are set as logically as possible, otherwise the venture risks failing. Likewise, a floating button menu can only work profitably if its design is really damn good.

There are also options for gesture-based navigation and full-screen navigation – we do not recommend this. However, this type of design can work with proper design.

Testing and launching

Now it’s time for QA engineers. Before launching a financial application it is important to check the correctness of all calculations, the order of transactions, and test performance. It is important to check the application’s update ability and normal operation in case of complications in functionality.

But security testing is an absolute priority to ensure that personal data is transmitted after encryption and that the data transmission channel is secure. After that, you can move on to production.

To avoid wasting time on cooperation with each freelancer separately, it is better to turn to outsource services where there is already a well-coordinated team of specialists sharpened for the development of such projects as in The App Solutions.

Thus, creating an application like Mint or YNAB will take at least 2,000-2,500 hours of work.

Outcomes

The personal finance app market offers many solutions, but none are perfect. Each of them, offering a certain range of services, chose a specific feature that performed best. This is exactly why people download the application following their needs.

You can still find an unfilled niche and become a leader there. To do this, you need to monitor the market, decide on a concept, draw up a roadmap and contact our company for development. The App Solutions will make an MVP version, gradually adding new useful options, as well as help with project support.

Any interesting thoughts on your mind?

How to create a freelance marketplace

Posted on August 28, 2023September 20, 2023 by Pavel Tantsiura

In this issue:

Freelance Platforms vs. Covid 19
What is a Freelancer Marketplace, and How does it Work
How to Develop a Freelance Marketplace Like Upwork
Features to Make You Stand Out among Competitors
Pitfalls to Be Aware of During Upwork-like App Development
Delayed payments
Currency exchange
Quality vs. quantity
Developing a Freelance Marketplace like Upwork with The APP Solutions
Two ways to build a website like Upwork or Fiverr
FAQ

If you want to create a freelance platform, it’s time to get to work! According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the share of freelancers in the United States alone, from 2014 to 2020, grew by about 1 million per year. At the same time, Website Planet has put forward a bold estimate that the share of outsourced workers will increase to 67 million by the end of 2021. Meanwhile, ¾ of the respondents stated that they are looking for work through specialized websites.

Freelance Platforms vs. Covid 19

The global pandemic has shaken up the labor market across the planet. Online businesses have left their offices and moved to the video conferencing format. With the change in work form, it has become clear that many services, previously done exclusively in-house, can be painlessly outsourced, and this can result in various savings. On the flip side, a significant number of offline workers were left behind and forced to seek jobs online.

And here, gig marketplaces entered the scene because employers and employees needed guarantees of work done on time and fair pay. The revenues of the top 5 marketplaces in 2020 speak for themselves:

Upwork: $290 million

Fiverr: $104 million

Toptal: $100 million

99designs: $60 million

Freelancer: $52 million

In addition, the steady increase in the proportion of freelancers suggests that the profits of such freelance platforms will only grow. The market is not yet complete. If you build your product correctly, you won’t have to spend a long time looking for your place in the sun.

What is a Freelancer Marketplace, and How does it Work

A freelancer marketplace is a platform where businesses are looking for contractors for remote projects. Some of the obvious business benefits:

Guaranteed safe execution of the contract (both parties are insured)
Quality assurance (the customer can cancel the payment if the contractor is justly caught providing poor quality services)
Concentration of talents of different skills and value, which are selected individually for each new task
No need to hire an employee for specific one-time work

The customer places an order announcement and waits for a response. First of all, the most relevant candidates are shown as suitable for the price or with experience in the desired niche. Also, the client can offer a job to a specific contractor himself, having studied his portfolio and reviews from other employers. Even if AI fails to find a contractor for some tricky project, the freelance marketplace attracts live employees who manually help to find qualified candidates for the perfect (or at least acceptable) match between the customer and the contractor. A listed freelancer strives to earn a good rating to take on more expensive and attractive orders.

Marketplaces can be divided into:

For example, Upwork, which was founded back in 1999, is a general international freelance marketplace for both types of projects, full-time and part-time. Here you can register anywhere in the world and order/perform any kind of work – from engineering to graphic design, from copywriting to link building.

Got something to say?

How to Develop a Freelance Marketplace Like Upwork

Before building your own similar project, think carefully about exactly what you want to create, and which specifics your website will have. After all, Upwork already exists.

Step 1. Shape your business idea

Define the audience you will work with – learn all about their needs. There is no perfect freelance marketplace. Take advantage of the merits and take into account the disadvantages of your competitors; bring novelty. The value proposition is based on:

Availability. There are two approaches to the selection of freelancers who will work on freelance platforms. The first (as they do on Upwork) is to allow everyone to create a profile. The second (like Toptal) is to arrange a kind of interview, selection using test tasks so that you can cut out low-skilled workers. The second case looks more attractive because you are creating a pool of professionals. However, it needs a solid resource base because you will need to hire employees with a sufficient qualification level to check the test.
Time. Carefully work out the payment acceptance mechanism to attract as many freelancers as possible from different regions where different payment systems are available. Make sure that payments get to them as quickly as possible without prejudice to the customer’s interests.
Price. You need to decide on a list of services provided which will be included in the basic package, those in the premium package, what can be offered, and what is not available on other freelance marketplaces.

The next step follows from the last point.

Step 2. Select a business model

The most common model for a marketplace is commission. Some websites charge commission only from the contractor, others from both the service provider and the customer. There are eight monetization strategies for your freelance marketplace.

Commission model	Every milestone in the marketplace is subject to a commission. Its size can range from 5% to 20% (like on Fiverr or Upwork).
Gigs and Packages model	Fiverr offers a similar type of work. The contractor offers a price for a certain service, and the client decides whether to buy it or not, according to the principle of an online store.
Subscription model	There are several packages to choose from with different sets of services. First, the customer selects an acceptable monthly subscription, which can be downgraded or increased depending on their needs.
Freemium model	Free model with a basic package of services that expand upon payment. Most often, the model is used in combination with a subscription.
Deposit model	In this model, the customer must show his “solvency”. For example, the Toptal marketplace requires a $500 deposit from the start. The deposit can always be returned if the work performed does not suit the customer.
Advertisement model	The model a freelancer needs if he/she wants to advertise him/herself. You can pay for a promotion for a month, and then the profile will be displayed as a top contractor.
Custom price	A special offer for a certain period of time, when it is difficult for the clients to immediately assess the scale of work for the order. In this case, the clients can be offered a fixed price.
Mixed model	The best decision. You can combine the above models depending on the specifics of your freelance marketplace.

Step 3. Identify core features

Having studied in detail the principles of how your competitors’ work, you will be able to determine the main characteristics that have to be included in the MVP version.

[The APP Solutions layout for a freelance marketplace project]

User profile

The user profile should be transparent on both sides. The contractor sees who orders the work from him, and the client sees what the contractor is doing.

[The APP Solutions layout for a freelance marketplace project]

How much he charges per hour and what experience he already has. The client can get acquainted with the portfolio, statistics on completed projects, and customer reviews.

[The APP Solutions layout for a freelance marketplace project]

The freelancer can be offered payment for a specific project or per hour. A time tracking program will then be installed on his computer.

[The APP Solutions layout for a freelance marketplace project]

Search and filters

The employer should be able to select candidates by price, skill level, geographic location (proximity), etc.

[The APP Solutions layout for a freelance marketplace project]

Messengers

Those freelance marketplaces where the customer does not have an opportunity to communicate with the contractor through personal correspondence are greatly inferior in usability. Before starting any work, it is important to discuss the details in private messages.

[The APP Solutions layout for a freelance marketplace project]

Payment systems

This is the soft spot of many freelance marketplaces, which most often focus on payment systems popular in developed countries, while completely ignoring possible payment methods for residents of developing countries. When working with a global marketplace, it is important to consider, not only as many universal payment methods as possible, but also currencies. It will attract the attention of many freelancers who are not ready to lose a huge percentage due to conversion fees.

Security is also important – funds from the client’s account are held in a neutral account for several days before reaching the contractor. During this time the customer manages to approve the contract, and the freelancer will not be left without money since it is impossible to order something without the required amount on the account.

Reviews

The employer, as well as the contractor, can leave feedback about each other’s profiles. In an ideal scenario, only a verified user can write a comment, and only once.

[The APP Solutions layout for a freelance marketplace project]

Algorithms find contractors for a client according to his geographic location, rating, and price list. They can show both the best candidates for work and those best suited for the client’s jobs (for example, when the customer is ready to decline a well-qualified professional but hire a lower-cost talent).

One of the significant drawbacks of Upwork is the admissibility of the deadline being overdue. The contract is concluded on a specific date, but if the freelancer does not meet the deadline, he will not face penalties. But, for example, the copywriting marketplace iWriter, after the expiration of the agreed period, automatically takes away the refusal and transfers it to others. Because of this, authors often send low-quality articles just to be on time. What’s better? The progress bar gives a correct idea of whether the contractor is in process or not.

[The APP Solutions layout for a freelance marketplace project]

Allow video calls within platforms, let users record voice messages, and share important files here. Screen sharing is also essential.

[The APP Solutions layout for a freelance marketplace project]

This will allow you to resolve issues faster. For example, on Upwork, a client can plan a meeting with a contractor, as in Google Suite. An excellent solution for people who do not speak English well can be live translation (Google Translate API).

Sometimes the customer is dissatisfied with the quality of the work performed, and the freelancer claims that he did everything according to the requirements. In such situations, referees are needed who can understand the situation and decide who is right.

Your dream team should consist of front-end, back-end, DevOps, designer, QA, PM. Choose the right technology stack – architecture, development, database, testing, deployment, and maintenance.

[The APP Solutions layout for a freelance marketplace project]

Step 5. Give timely feedback during the development phase

The client and developer need to define sprint points at which it will be possible to make edits if necessary.

Step 6. Launch the app’s MVP and continue the mobile app’s development

The team should not bring the project to “perfect perfection”. Otherwise they risk never launching.

Step 7. Sign an ongoing support contract

Support (at least for several months) is necessary, not only to fix bugs, but also to understand what can and should be added to the platform to improve usability and expand the functionality.

Pitfalls to Be Aware of During Upwork-like App Development

Delayed payments

To prevent incidents, a transparent account verification system is needed from both sides, so it will not be possible to install a random photo from photo stock. Оne of the significant disadvantages of Upwork is that there are very strict restrictions on customers’ payment cards and payment methods by which contractors can receive their payment. Consequently, if one of these methods is temporarily unavailable, almost half of the Upwork is “frozen.” Therefore, it is crucial to think over several universal payment systems that work throughout the world.

Working with payment methods that only work in US dollars is not a winning strategy. E-wallets already take away a percentage of a freelancer’s earnings. If you consider the percentage spent on conversions, it may turn out to be a completely ludicrous amount. As a result, freelancers will look for a marketplace that works with their own currency, or at least a payment method that works legally in their country.

The problem already mentioned above regards the passage barrier to work on the freelance marketplace: not to moderate at all or conduct a strict selection? It seems that a platform which has just started working, and has no credits, will find it challenging to get good freelancers – experts in their fields. A rating system can solve the quality dropout problem. Having handed over several projects, the performer receives feedback from employers based on which his rating is formed. Before submitting a project, the client can familiarize himself with the candidate’s experience.

Another dilemma is that beginners do not understand how much their services should cost and may unconsciously overestimate or underestimate themselves. In the same way, any entrepreneur who has not previously encountered a specific type of activity may not know a fair price for the job he offers. Therefore, an algorithm that gives both the client and provider an understanding of the usual price of services would come in handy.

Developing a Freelance Marketplace like Upwork with The APP Solutions

Although there are already more than enough platforms, you can still find your way, as the number of freelancers around the world is growing every day. So you can create both an all-for-all platform and a niche product. The APP Solutions can help you with this.

Do you want to bring your plan to life?

Entrust your idea to us

There are two options for creating a marketplace:

Template
Own development

The first option is suitable if you are not completely sure of your idea and want to test what will come of it. However, if you have a clear business strategy, and fully-fledged roadmap in your hands, you need to work according to the second option.

FAQ

How does Upwork work?

The AI algorithm analyzes a customer’s ad and suggests freelancers best suited for a specific project based on job type, order value, and other individual wishes. Furthermore, those who have found each other conclude a contract and work on the project begins.

The main source of income is the commission charged to the contractor. Clients can also cover some of the costs through a premium account. This immediately makes him more attractive in the eyes of the contractors.

Depending on the amount of the transaction, the commission itself also varies (20% for orders up to $5,000, 10% – up to $10,000, 5% – from $10,000). In addition, the platform charges contractors for payment processing and an administration fee of 2.75%.

Here is a common set of features for freelance websites like Upwork:

Registration and user profile
Advanced search
Payment processing and transaction fees
Job listing
Bidding mechanism
Messenger
PM tools
Payment methods

It depends on the feature list. If you need a simple service provider marketplace, it will take 6 to 8 weeks only, and if you need a complete clone of Upwork, it will take 3 to 3.5 months.

We’ll stand behind your platform and provide you 6 months of support for any code-related errors. In addition, we will be available to you anytime when you get issues or want to extend further.What is covered in the maintenance period?

Free support includes fixing of any code related errors for 6 months but if you need any upgrades or want to add any new features then that will be chargeable.

Why Create a Custom Mental Health App In 2022

Posted on August 28, 2023September 20, 2023 by Pavel Tantsiura

In this issue:

Reasons why developing a mental health app is a great idea
Types and examples of the best mental health apps
Must-have Features for Mental Health Mobile Apps
Tech stack for a custom mental health application
Developing mental health mobile apps
HIPAA, PHIPA, and GDPR compliance
TIPS from The APP Solutions
The bottom line

According to data from the National Alliance for Mental Health, 1 in every 5 adults in the US experiences mental illness, while 1 in every 6 youths in the US aged 6 – 17 experiences a mental health disorder every year. More abysmal is that suicide is the leading cause of death for those aged between 10 and 34 in the US. This data alone is proof that there is a need to make mental health applications available to the general public. It would also explain why there is an influx of mental health apps in app stores ranging from those helping relieve symptoms to those that help healthy people remain healthy.

Reasons why developing a mental health app is a great idea

There are several reasons why developers, who are keen on helping those suffering from mental health problems, consider creating a mental health application. Here are three reasons.

It will help bring mental health services to those who cannot get them

Data from the Anxiety and Depression Association of America shows that approximately 18% of adults in the US suffer from anxiety disorders, yet only 36% of these individuals receive treatment. Furthermore, according to data from the National Council Medical Director Institute, 77% of US counties have a severe shortage of psychiatrists. This implies that, even if more patients decided to get help, there would come a point where the current practicing psychiatrists may be unable to help many people. With mental health apps, more people can receive help from the comfort of their homes from different mental health practitioners from all over the world.

High demand

The Coronavirus has caused havoc, not just to the physical health of individuals, but also to their mental health. Many people have lost their jobs, lost family members, and some industries like the healthcare industry have been severely affected. According to a report by The Standard in 2020, 46% of health workers interviewed from a sample size of 1400 said they were suffering from a mental health issue. This is compared to 39% in 2019. This increase implies that more people will be looking for mental health apps in the future.

How To Make A Medical App In 2021: The Ultimate Guide

Room for improvement

Data from the Digital Mental Health Revolution report shows that there are more than 10,000 mental health apps available today, with over 100 startups each year. However, many of these apps are underperforming. Some applications do not cater to many users’ needs and preferences, and some need to be upgraded to meet the current needs and demands. There is room for more to be done, moving from traditional therapy techniques to apps encouraging patients to do more self-care practices.

With the aim of improving the quality of services they offer, we find platforms raising money. For example, Lyra Health raised $175 million at a $2.25 billion valuation to connect workforces to therapists and mental health services. Similarly, Calm raised over $70 million, and Headspace raised over $400 million. Some of these funds are being used to improve the services they offer, and making mental health services more readily available e.g. free in some cases.

Calmerry Online Therapy Platform

Healthcare App Development

A White Label Telemedicine Platform

BuenoPR – 360° Approach to Health

Types and examples of the best mental health apps

Not all mental health apps are created equal. There are many different types of mental health apps offering different services. Consider the different types and examples of each;

General mental health apps

These applications help users to maintain their mental health by helping them maintain good habits and break bad habits. They also help them maintain their physical, emotional, psychological, and spiritual health, which all contribute to their mental health. These applications can serve functions such as mood trackers, giving positive quotes, and giving relaxation exercises like guided meditation. Mindfulness and Meditation apps fall under this category. One such application is Moodfit.

Moodfit

Moodfit is a free mental health app designed with tools and insights to ‘shape up’ your mood. It helps you get into mental shape the same way you would get into physical shape. Moodfit can help you feel better whether you are feeling anxious, depressed, stressed or have PTSD.

Here is how it works:

You fill out a questionnaire that helps you determine the severity of your symptoms. You also get articles and audio files that can help you understand what you are experiencing.
You can track your moods.
Eventually, you can understand the effects certain things and activities have on your mood, for example, specific medications, amount of sleep, or exercise.
Receive actionable insights to help you feel better and alter your mood

Education and assessment apps

Such applications help their users to get information on mental health disorders such as PTSD, bipolar disorder, anxiety and depression, eating disorders, and negative thoughts, among many others. These apps share materials used by mental health practitioners when identifying mental health disorders. One such application is Sanvello.

Sanvello

Sanvello’s mission is simple. ‘To help people build the life skills they need, anytime, anywhere, in any way they choose.’ To do so, they provide their users with clinically validated, evidence-based tools and techniques to help them deal with stress, depression, anxiety, etc. A randomized study of 500 adults who had mild to moderate anxiety found that Sanvello’s tools successfully decreased symptoms. These effects lasted even after the participants stopped using the app.

By using Savvello, you can:

Find cognitive behavioral therapy tools
Learn mindfulness skills
Track your mood and health using their inbuilt tools, and use this information to improve your mental and physical health
Follow the guided journeys designed to help you feel more in control of your life.
Use the tools to cope with specific issues, for example, the fear of public speaking.

Mental disorder apps

There are many mental disorders apps. These help you deal with specific mental disorders by providing you with the tools necessary to help you function better. Current mental disorder apps deal with problems such as depression, PTSD, anxiety, and schizophrenia. They use techniques such as cognitive behavioral therapy cbt, Mood monitoring, cognitive training, and rational emotive behavioral therapy.

More development is expected to help treat other disorders. For example, there is still room in the mental health apps market for PTSD, Bipolar Disorder Apps, Eating Disorder Apps, and Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder Apps, and cognitive behavioral therapy cbt apps, among others.

WHY CREATE A CUSTOM MENTAL HEALTH APP IN 2021

MoodMission

One great application that caters to users with PTSD, depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, and stress is MoodMission. Here are some of its functionalities:

Go through an available list of options and choose the problem you are experiencing.
Receive five ‘mission’ suggestions based on the information you provide
Go through each mission with mindfulness, understanding the activities in that mission together with how it may help
Accept a mission, and after completing it, rate how distressed you feel.
Your completed missions are logged, and you are ranked based on completed missions.

What solutions can we offer?

Find Out More

Online therapy apps

These apps act like banks when you swipe your card at Starbucks (they are intermediaries). They connect you to licensed mental health professionals near you. There are several ways to meet your therapists, depending on your preferences and what the app offers. Ideally, you can get onto an online call, a video call, or chat online. Some apps give group therapy sessions whereby several patients get on a conference call and have a group therapy session. One great example of an online therapy mental health app is Calmerry.

Calmerry

Calmerry will connect you with therapists that match your needs to get you the help you need in order to achieve your goals and meet your needs. There are many types of therapists available such as:

Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT)
Gestalt therapy
Acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT)
Solution-focused brief therapy (SFBT)
Schema-focused therapy (SFT), etc

Here’s a gist of how using Calmerry will work:

Get a brief assessment where you answer several questions
Choose how you wish to get therapy
Select a subscription option that works for you
Get matched with the right therapist for you
Start your therapy sessions.

HEALTHCARE APPS DEVELOPMENT: TYPES, EXAMPLES, AND FEATURES

Must-have Features for Mental Health Mobile Apps

While different mental health apps have different features, there are some features that every mental health app development team should strive to incorporate. These features can be broken down into two main groups: Features for patients and mental health professionals. Here is a breakdown of each.

For the patient

These features make it easy for you to track your progress. Some have mood tracking, guided meditation, breathing exercises, and mindfulness among other important features. Here’s a more comprehensive look at the features;

An entry survey – This survey is used to collect basic information concerning the user. This information includes their age, location, gender, family status, current mental health conditions, etc. This information can help the application match the client with the most relevant therapist. Some apps give an entry assessment test that helps users identify the cognitive issues they are facing, particularly if they have never been diagnosed before.

Matching flow – The entry survey and assessment data is used to match the patient to a therapist. In the US, counselors practice in the states where they are licensed, so factors like the state may determine which counselors will be matched. The apps typically match users to a new counselor for free if they are not satisfied with the one they get.

Text messaging functionality – This feature is excellent for patients or therapists who prefer to communicate through online chat. It’s also an easy way to reach out, for example, if the therapist is currently in another session.

Video conferencing – This function is excellent for video sessions.

Subscription – This is how many of these apps monetize their applications and pay counselors. Users chose the subscription that fits their needs and can cancel at any time or ask for refunds in line with the terms of service. Some subscriptions unlock extra features, e.g., video conferencing.

Therapy space – Therapists use this space to record their patients’ goals and track their progress in real-time.

Therapy management – Patients can use this space to manage their therapy sessions, e.g., pause accounts for some time or put unfinished sessions on hold.

HOW TO BUILD A MEDITATION APP LIKE HEADSPACE AND CALM

For counselors

Short survey – These verify that the therapist is certified to work with patients. These can include asking for clinical permits, state permits, etc. They also give any necessary information about the counselor.

Text and video chats – This is how counselors access their patients

Caseload management – This allows the therapist to manage their caseloads and even determine how many clients they are willing to work with.

Tech stack for a custom mental health application

The tech stack creates an ecosystem allowing several technologies to run one application. Some technologies to use include;

Angular for the front-end
Daily.co for secured video calls
Ionic for developing a hybrid mobile app
Node.js for the backend
S3 Bucket for developing the messaging feature from scratch
MongoDB for secured database
Redis for sessions queues
Pusher to send push notifications without sensitive data
Kafka for exchanging messages between microservices

Ideally, you want to find developers with experience in one or more technologies listed.

Related reading:

Video Streaming App Proof of Concept

Developing mental health mobile apps

You would be hard-pressed to find one person to develop the application. You are better off hiring several specialists. The specialists needed include;

Business Analyst (BA)

The BA will bridge the gap between IT and the business by using data analytics to find solutions that will fit both your mental health business and your potential clients.

Project Manager (PM)

The PM is responsible for running the project on a day-to-day basis, including ensuring that it stays within budget, is done on time, and is done within the scope laid out.

System Architect

The system architect will write the technical documentation for the project data after receiving and analyzing data from the PM and the BA.

Developers

Developers offer one or more technical solutions,

Designers

Designers visualize the project by making prototypes, creating flow in the app, finalizing the project design, etc.

Quality Assurance Managers

Quality Assurance Managers test the lines of code to ensure that the parts of the project align with the technical documentation and that they work correctly.

As you can imagine, it may be very time-consuming and expensive to interview every person needed to make the app a reality. For this reason, it may make more sense to outsource to a development team. Here are six steps to hiring an outsourcing app development team to understand how to go about that process.

If you are wondering what it may cost to hire an outsourcing app development team, here are some numbers. These values depend on factors such as the team’s geographical location and the app’s features. A simple app may cost you between $25,000 to $50,000. A complex app with multiple features may cost from $100,000 to $200,000.

Costs aside, government compliance for sensitive patient information is a core issue you need to understand.

HOW MENTAL HEALTH CHATBOTS HANDLE STRESS?

Want To Build a Healthcare Mobile App?

HIPAA, PHIPA, and GDPR compliance

Many people opt to use mental health mobile apps over traditional therapy because they understand it to be more private. Some regulatory guidelines for mobile mental health providers ensure the app’s safety and, consequently, its reputation. Essential components include;

HIPAA compliance. When developing the app, it may be helpful to determine whether the HIPAA Privacy and Security Rules apply. A healthcare app becomes Subject to HIPAA if it includes the user’s Protected Health Information (PHI) that can be traced back to the patient. Otherwise, most mental health apps in the app stores are not subject to HIPAA as they are meant for the patient’s private use.

GDPR privacy standards. GDPR requirements are EU regulations directing how businesses should manage personal data. If your app will serve users in the EU, it is advisable to meet these requirements.

Regulatory guidelines. Mental health practices are regulated on federal and state levels. Therefore, it’s essential that you only engage licensed therapists who are acquainted with the federal and state laws. If you are unsure which regulations your application should meet, this interactive mental health apps tool, designed by the Federal Trade Commission, might help.

Encrypting app data. Ensure that all stored or shared data is encrypted at all stages – Passcodes, usernames, and biometrics.

These features help keep the user’s data private from prying eyes on their end, which helps them feel more secure.

HOW TO MAKE A PERFECT MOBILE APP IN 6 STEPS

TIPS from The APP Solutions

When developing Calmerry, The APP Solutions faced many issues. Below are some solutions that were useful in solving these issues

Therapist validation

To adhere to federal and state regulations about where therapists can offer their services, you need to develop a way of validating the licenses of the therapists hired. You then need to develop an algorithm that matches therapists and users from the same states only.

Architecture

The app’s architecture needs to handle hundreds of actions done by thousands of users regardless of location. An application with video conferencing capabilities functionality, for example, may require heavier loads on the servers compared to chat-based apps.

Unique session I.D. per call and token per participant

Session IDs are necessary to initiate calls. Participant tokens will be unique to the session IDs and will enable users to join the calls. The session IDs can also help prevent double-booking in the calendar if a calendar function exists.

Encryption

To ensure the safety of confidential and sensitive information, it is advisable to encrypt text messages and videos on both endpoints.

The bottom line

According to data from the KFF, more than 30% of adults reported symptoms of anxiety, PTSD, or depression during this pandemic period. This implies that the time is ripe for mental health app developers to develop health apps and online therapy platforms to help people cope with mindfulness and mental health.

If you are looking for a reliable tech partner for your mental health project, the APP Solutions is a mental health and therapy app development company. We can provide solutions for therapy app development and other similar projects. Drop us a few lines and we will get in touch with you.

Looking for a team to develop a GDPR-compliant platform for online consultations?

Ask for a free consultation

How to Create Clubhouse? Podcasts Platform Development Guide

Posted on August 28, 2023September 20, 2023 by Pavel Tantsiura

In this issue:

What is the Clubhouse App?
How Does the Clubhouse App Work?
Reasons podcasting apps are the new content platforms
Podcasts consumer types
Market predictions of the Global Podcast Hosting Software
Tech Stack for a Podcast App Development
Conclusion

Just when the world thought app innovation had reached its peak, and the app market is at a saturation point – the Clubhouse app happened. The arrival & success of the Clubhouse app is conclusive evidence that technology keeps evolving.

This article offers insights into the podcasting industry, including the technologies required to develop a social media app like the Clubhouse chat app.

What is the Clubhouse App?

The Clubhouse app is an audio-based social media program; the first of its kind. It hosts talkback radio, house-party, & conference call live podcasts. Just as Instagram took the spotlight in 2010, and TikTok in 2020, so will the Clubhouse app in 2021. Within a few weeks of its release, the application amassed 600,000 users. And now, at the time of writing this article, it has leaped to over 2 million people.

[Source]

The Clubhouse app is getting traction at an unprecedented rate. While its popularity is growing, so is its valuation. Talking about valuation, a few weeks after the app was launched, it was valued at $100 million. Over time, this figure has soared to a staggering one-billion dollars!

Clubhouse Isn’t the New TikTok. It’s The New LinkedIn. Although Clubhouse is a social media, it does not operate like most of them. It tries to balance business and pleasure, more like LinkedIn. The Clubhouse community also comprises individuals who normally would talk business on Twitter.

To make this audio-based chat app worthwhile for important activities, it comes with a few very important features, e.g. the Clubhouse rooms. Members can create profiles and link them with their Twitter & Facebook profiles.

Clubhouse may be better than LinkedIn because of its ability to strike a perfect balance between professional and personal activities in the rooms. This is an important attribute.

How Does the Clubhouse App Work?

The Clubhouse social network app is only available to iPhone users. Joining the platform is only upon invitation. To open a Clubhouse account one has to pay subscriptions. One of the rights reserved by the Clubhouse administration is the ability to change the prices at any time.

To get started with the Clubhouse social media app, you open the app and go to your profile to see a list of rooms. Clubhouse allows you to join a room of your choice, or create one.

Every Clubhouse room has a distinct topic hosted by either a pioneer or an expert in the field. It’s not uncommon to find journalists, celebrities, and venture capitalists hosting Clubhouse rooms.

If you wish to contribute something to the Clubhouse rooms, you have to “raise your hand”. The host of that particular Clubhouse room will decide whether to invite you to the conversation or not.

Clubhouse app: what is it and how do you get an invite to the exclusive audio app?

The Clubhouse is very exclusive. For one to become a member they should receive an invite to join the app. The invite will only come from a friend who already has a Clubhouse account. After the invite, and when you have become a member, you can also invite 2 exclusive friends. Members can invite their friends to download the Clubhouse app via their phone numbers.

Some of the world’s top thought leaders who have already made appearances on the Clubhouse voice chat app are Elon Musk (Tesla CEO), and Mark Zuckerberg (Facebook founder). Their presence caused quite a stir. The Clubhouse app may still be smaller than its social media predecessors. But, its growth curve confirms it’s the next big thing, it will conquer social media.

How do you set up a clubhouse Club?

In order to start a club in Clubhouse, the first thing is to create an account to become a member. Subsequently, go to your profile and select the gear icon; this will get you to settings. On the settings page, go straight to the FAQ section and click “How can I start a club”. A detailed description of how you can start to open a club is given.

To be eligible for starting a club, a Clubhouse member should have hosted a room before. In order to host a room, you open the app and start a room. A room is started by inviting friends to come and join or enabling any persons who want to join to get in. After starting at least 3 rooms, you can then proceed.

What do clubhouses do?

The Club’s functionality enables members to create and join private groups. These private groups will have your specific preferences. Three types of users can be found in private groups/ Clubs and these are the founder, members, and followers. Clubs will receive notifications based on their interests.

Are there alternatives to the Clubhouse App?

If you would like to develop a podcasting application such as the Clubhouse voice app this year, you are on the right track. Android users have forever searched for a similar app on the play store, but to no avail. It’s high time someone started some competition.

There is enough revenue to go around for prospective investors in the podcast industry. Analysts anticipate that the global podcasting market will grow at an annual rate of 27.5% from the year 2019 to the year 2027.

[Source]

What is a podcast, and how does it work?

Simply put, a podcast is an audio broadcast that is made in episodic series. People listen to podcasts while relaxing after a hectic day, driving long distances, or doing some exercises. Any activities that people do while listening to something else fit the category. Podcasts are gaining popularity compared to media such as blogs and vlogs. The reason is that people find them both entertaining and less distracting.

How to play podcasts

There are two ways through which people can listen to podcasts:

Downloading/ Streaming online

People can go online using their devices to stream or download content from the RSS feed. The podcast may be played on the podcast website or in a feed reader.

Using a player

The alternative to streaming from the RSS feed is to download and use a media player application. Examples may include Pocket Casts or Apple Podcasts. People who subscribe to the RSS will access their podcasts through the player.

The player will simply synchronize data from the RSS feed. This enables the user to get current episodes and additional details such as file name, notes, and the link to the file (in MP3 format).

What’s RSS?

RSS is an abbreviation that stands for Really Simple Syndication, which is a computer-readable (XML) format used for sharing web content. The RSS enables users & apps to receive updates to a specific web platform.

If the user prefers to use an aggregator (an application that collects, & displays content or links from various websites), the RSS feed reader will first convert the data into a readable format.

The RSS feed collects information which includes headlines, notifications of updates, summary notes, and links that direct the user straight to the website. Updates are done in real-time and the latest files published by websites will go on top in the RSS feed.

Reasons podcasting apps are the new content platforms

In the US alone, a growth from 51% to 55% of podcast listeners was observed between 2019 and 2020.

[Source]

Podcast listenership is surging across the globe with no signs of plateauing. The factor contributing to this growth is the emergence of podcasting apps such as the Clubhouse app. The app Clubhouse, and other social media platforms, are instrumental in boosting podcast listenership. Applications like the Clubhouse audio chat app are starting to take center stage everywhere because of the points that follow.

Easy consumption. Podcast apps such as Clubhouse allow consumers to easily find podcasts presenting on topics they like. People today have busier schedules and appreciate something that apps like the Clubhouse allow them to stay entertained and updated while also working. Clubhouse requires less attention compared to vlogs, blogs, & TV. Other than working, people can also listen to the Clubhouse voice chat app while driving, exercising, or relaxing at home.

Accessibility and diversity. Gone are the days when people relied solely on the radio to listen to programs. The disadvantage with Radio-cast was that listeners needed to be at a certain place to listen to a show. Moreover, only a limited number of topics could be aired. With smartphones, people are not place and time-bound. One can open apps such as the Clubhouse anywhere and at any time. And, the app Clubhouse provides countless topics on-the-go.

Intimate connection with listeners. With the advent of the Clubhouse social platform, podcasters can now have intimate time with their audience. The platform allows listeners to easily identify their favorite hosts and topics. When an audience is listening to these hosts presenting on their favorite topics/ show, they connect and hear them talk directly to their hearts and minds.

Social Media Marketing. Many podcasters are using the podcasting platform to promote their other businesses through podcasts. According to a blog by Midroll, about 61% of listeners have admitted to buying a product after a podcast advert.

Podcasts consumer types

Podcast producers can be grouped into 5 major segments:

Large Indies

This group makes a larger population of Clubhouse podcasters. It comprises independent podcasters who are either influencers or celebrities. Rumor has it that Clubhouse is grooming over 40 influencers (moderators) to succeed on the Clubhouse app. These individuals are getting tools and other help from the Clubhouse executives. Concerning monetization, Clubhouse is currently ad-free. But, Large Indies on other podcasting apps get money through adverts, donations, or commodities. Examples of independent podcasters out there are Sam Harris, Joe Rogan, etc.

Media Companies

These are big companies that offer media content through several formats. Examples would be newspapers, magazines, and radio-casts. On Clubhouse, several media companies, e.g. Barstool Sports, can be found. Media companies get their money from adverts mostly. Other means involve circulation revenue. Circulation can be described as the number of subscribers.

Hobbyist Creator

In the podcast industry, hobbyist creators are persons who produce content, usually without getting revenue. These individuals may not be influencers or celebs. The clubhouse also welcomes hobbyist creators.

Non-Media Businesses & Non-Profits

This group is not driven by revenue but focused on building a brand. Each show produced is for promoting the brand.

Podcast-Only Production Companies

These are organizations that produce their content but rely on platforms such as Spotify to reach their audience. They get revenues through adverts, or broadcast licensing to local and international TV networks, etc. Furthermore, they can produce content for a film.

The Clubhouse app is unique in that it accommodates the producers mentioned in each group. And, the clubhouse can make it possible for these podcasters to reach their audiences effortlessly.

Market predictions of the Global Podcast Hosting Software

The podcast market is expected to grow tremendously between 2019 and 2026. Already, over 1,750,000 podcast shows & not less than 43 million episodes have been produced. These numbers will only grow throughout 2026.

For you to catch a glimpse of the growth rate, there were only 550,000 podcasts at Apple Worldwide Developers Conference in 2018, but in 2021 the estimation is close to two million.

The podcast market key players

The major players in the podcast at the moment are Apple, Pandora, iHeartMedia, Amazon.com, Spotify AB & Sound Cloud Limited.

These players own the following shares of the podcast market:

Apple Podcasts (32%)
Spotify (26%)
Google Podcasts (3%)
CastBox (2%)
Embedded Player (2%)
Podcast addict (2%)

Key formats

The podcast market is categorized into the following: panels, interviews, conversational, solo, and repurposed content.

Podcasters on the Clubhouse app uses all of them. The two popular formats that you should know are:

Interview. This format is currently the highest in terms of revenue. Analysts revealed that in 2019 alone, it accounted for a share of over 30%. Another name for this format is “facilitator”, used when a variety of guests are being hosted by the same individual. What’s believed to make this format attractive is the freshness and originality of each cast. Every guest will bring with them new content, thoughts, and experiences, etc. The audience likes to be continually inspired, engaged, and stimulated by various opinions on different subjects of life.
Solo. This format is slightly below the Interview format in terms of its revenue share. Concerning how it works, it involves a single person who is a professional in a certain area. This individual may record content giving their views and experiences in their area of specialty. Most independent podcasters entering the podcast industry are picking this format since it’s easy to start. The only requirements are free editing software & a microphone. The Solo format is expected to grow up to 2026.

Key perspectives

The year 2021 has seen a lot of services implementing podcasts. And, startups in the industry are getting funded & growing and, or, acquired by larger organizations. Below are examples of some of the things you should know.

Spotify

Starting this year, Spotify confirmed that it will allow podcasters to use its platform through paid subscriptions. People can already start signing up. However, before this begins to work, Spotify will test new functionality in its podcast creation tool. Part of this new functionality will enable existing and prospective podcasters (in the US) to publish paid content to their fans. The first to enjoy this functionality, however, will be existing customers.

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Podchaser

This is a startup that raised over USD 4 million in the creation of what they call the ‘IMDB for podcasts’. Podchaser works the same way as the Internet Movie Database developed by Amazon. Users are given the ability to spot new podcasts as they come. They can review and rate them before adding them to their lists. The CEO also spilled that content of over 8.5 million podcasts which had already been produced, awaiting the launch of the startup.

Acast

Acast, an advertising company for podcasts, bought Radio Public, a company that joined PRX a few years ago. Radio Public started with a podcasting mobile application. But, with time, its leadership shifted focus to providing products and services for podcasters. Examples of the products and services provided include an embeddable web player, pod sites, etc. Today, while part of Acast’s business is to provide these services to podcasters, the other part is still involved in the podcasting mobile app.

Tech Stack for a Podcast App Development

Entities that need to venture into the podcast industry can do so with The App solutions. If they choose to develop a mobile-only app, The App solutions recommend that they know the SDKs (Software Development Kits) and technologies for their project tech stack. If the client may need help, the CTO, Igor Kopaniev advises the following solutions:

Agora.io

Agora.io enables developers to add HD voice & video communication to applications via a dynamic SDK. Since the tech used by Agora.io can manage billions of minutes of real-time communication annually, developers can support over two thousand users in one call. Regarding implementation, Agora.io is easy, inexpensive, and seamless. While all this is great, clients and developers should also consider data security. Agora.io was formed by a Chinese company, thus, has reliability issues.

Instead of Agora.io, here are some alternatives you need to know:

Live Streaming On AWS

The abbreviation AWS stands for Amazon Web Services. AWS offers 2 Over-The-Top (OTT) streaming solutions for live videos. These two solutions are AWS Elemental MediaPackage and AWS Elemental MediaLive.

The above solutions offer viewers smooth live streaming of content. The MedialLive channel comes with dual outputs and inputs, plus some for the MediaPackage. When Live Streaming on AWS, the MediaLive, and the MediaPackage are both configured to encrypt & pack your content via an adaptive bitrate streaming on screens through HTTP Live Streaming.

Storage. The AWS Elemental MediaStore is augmented to store media. It provides great performance at low latency, the very thing needed for quality live video streaming.

Latency. To effectively minimize latency, the MediaStore works with the Amazon CloudFront. The Amazon CloudFront connects at the MediaStore’s endpoints to deliver content at high speeds and low latency. Also, an Amazon CloudWatch will work as a dashboard that monitors every request made to the MediaStore. It reveals the overall performance of the workflow.

Security. Live Streaming On AWS is reliable concerning security. CloudFront provides sophisticated security that includes full HTTPS support and encryption at the field level. CloudFront also comes with an AWS Web App Firewall, Shield, & Route 53 to prevent many forms of attacks, including DDoS attacks.

Jitsi

Libjitsi is a sophisticated Java media library that allows secure communication of media. Apps can securely stream, capture, playback, encrypt, decode video and audio flows. Additionally, it allows for advanced functionalities, e.g. audio mixing, management of multiple streams, and the attendance of video & audio conferences to be possible.

Libjitsi was initially a part of Jitsi but it was tweaked to allow other projects to utilize it. The distribution of Libjitsi will follow the Apache license terms.

On the other hand, Jitsi is a collection of Open Source projects that offer advanced video conferencing as well as Jitsi:

Videobridge is a server that is created to route videos between conference participants. This server also works with WebRTC, which is a framework that allows Real-Time Communications in the browser.
Meet is a JavaScript app that works with the Video bridge server to give top-quality, expandable video conferences. It’s also compatible with Web Real-Time Communication.
Gate-way to SIP is an app (server-side) that enables SIP users to become part of Meet conferences.
Conference Focus is a focus item (server-side) that is utilized in Meet conferences. It handles sessions amongst participants & the video bridge.
Jibri is a recording/ streaming tool used in Meet conferences.

Storage. Any available recordings are stored on the company’s servers waiting to be uploaded to a location that you pick (Dropbox). If no action takes place within 24 hours, the recordings are permanently deleted.

Security. Someone can activate end-to-end encryption when using Meet on a Web browser that allows streams that are insertable. To activate the end-to-end encryption, find the menu, open it and click on the tab that reads “end-to-end encryption” and click on it. All people who attend the conference should fill in a similar phrase or password that you use.

Ways through which Jitsi meetings operate:

Peer-to-peer (P2P). Users can use the Peer-to-peer mode to conduct one on one meetings. With the P2P mode, communication is secured through DTLS-SRTP encryption.

Jitsi Video bridge. This is used when the meetings involve multiple participants. In this scenario, encryption of communications (both video and audio) still uses DTLS-SRTP. But, the outer layer of the encryption is eliminated allowing the Jitsi packets to cross over the Video bridge. The packets only stay in memory when being routed to other people in the meeting. They are not stored persistently. In the event where even the packets are e2ee, the outer encryption layer will not be removed.

Akamai

Content producers can use Akamai Adaptive Media Player for simplified player settings & to ensure that their audience has access to top-quality online media playback. This Adaptive Media Player (AMP) does not only provide optimized bitrate playback algorithms but also gives users extra online media services.

Monetization. Producers can monetize their activities through ads with Freewheel/ Auditude, mid-rolls, VAST, companions, pre-rolls, or overlays.

Latency. Akamai only allows a 10-second e2e latency. This is enough to give online audiences a real TV experience while streaming. Akamai uses liveOrigin™ to manage low-latency video fragments while streaming HTTP-based media.

Security. To ensure that content is securely transported, e2e, Akamai allows users to get content via a Transport Layer Security (TLS). Users can also prevent unauthorized link sharing through Token Authentication.

Other security features:

Akamai supports platforms that do not use cookies for tracking
It provides an additional protection layer (Access Revocation) which allows unauthorized video streaming sessions to be revoked
Uses AES-128 encryption to protect HLS media against unsanctioned viewing

We recommend you use cloud-based services for your application’s back-end. Examples include AWS and Google Cloud. To learn the differences between these platforms, click here.

Related reading:

Video Streaming App Proof of Concept

Conclusion

For investors or media companies that have been looking for fresh and profitable ideas, the podcast industry is the way to go. The success of the Clubhouse is proof that it is a viable business. According to statisticians, the Clubhouse is small today, but it will only continue to grow in the future.

Regarding monetization, there are many ways of monetizing a Clubhouse-like podcasting app. Clubhouse started lean, without ads, but can still make profits. This means a prospective investor has more than one way to make money from a Clubhouse-like application.

To get started with the development of a Clubhouse-like app, The APP Solutions can offer help. We can develop your application from beginning to end. While building your Clubhouse-like product, we also prioritize data security. Thus, we are against the use of Chinese-based software. It’s better to choose from other trustworthy software vendors.