How 2024's mHealth App Trends are Reshaping Healthcare

Healthcare has experienced a fundamental shift in the recent few years as mobile health applications, commonly known as mHealth apps, have emerged as influential solutions. These digital solutions have allowed both patients and healthcare providers to offer effortless access to medical information records and services right in the palm of their hands.

mHealth apps have guided a modern stage of healthcare convenience and effectiveness through a focus on user-centric design and adherence to strict HIPAA compliance regulations. By making possible remote consultations and remote monitoring of important health data, these ground-breaking mHealth apps are quickly changing patient care.

MHealth app development companies and publishers need to be informed about mobile health applications in marketplaces such as the Google Play Store and Apple Store.

As of the second quarter of 2024, the Apple App Store offered 35,019 healthcare and medical apps, marking a 2.55% decrease from the previous quarter. Similarly, the Google Play Store had 36,260 healthcare and medical apps during the same period, experiencing a 20% decline compared to the prior quarter. These figures indicate a downward trend in the availability of mHealth apps on both platforms in recent times.

The tremendous impact of mHealth apps on healthcare can hardly be overstated. These apps are not only improving patient engagement and outcomes but healthcare costs and operations are becoming more economical and efficient. Let's examine the innovative developments in mHealth apps that are changing the face of modern healthcare. You will learn how these advanced apps are widening the range of care and convenience accessible to patients.

The Latest Trends in mHealth Apps

The mHealth app market is swiftly advancing, with innovative trends consistently emerging in line with the dynamic nature of the healthcare industry.

There are various current trends in mHealth applications that include:

1. The rise of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) enables the development of mHealth apps that deliver personalized suggestions, detect impending health issues, and even diagnose diseases.

AI in healthcare provides the ability to analyze patients efficiently and can be considered a benefit, particularly in scenarios in which rapid medical action is required. A fine example of such an app is the Babylon app, which utilizes AI to grant users individualized healthcare advice and can even identify some diseases.

Babylon mHealth app: www.babylonhealth.com

2. The increasing use of wearables and sensors for remote patient monitoring (RPM) is seen as a support for compiling data associated with an individual's health and fitness. This information can be utilized to monitor progress toward desired results, uncover possible medical issues, and provide personalized advice to fulfill the patient’s needs.

Source: Statista

The results of the survey of adults aged between 50 and 59 years conducted in June and July 2019 indicated that the prevalent percentage of the adoption of wearable technology was 22 percent, significantly higher than the 11 percent observed among those who are 70 years and older.

One such illustration is the Fitbit mHealth app, which allows users to observe and monitor their number of steps taken, pulse rate, and sleep cycles, among other metrics.

Fitbit mHealth app: www.fitbit.com

3. The growing popularity of telemedicine and telehealth, where mHealth applications are being utilized to facilitate the remote monitoring of individuals with long-term diseases. This can cut down on the requirement for in-person hospital visits and improve patient results. To illustrate, the Livongo app enables customers to monitor their blood sugar levels and gain personalized advice from diabetes educators.

Livongo mHealth app: www.livongo.com

4. The focus on mental health and well-being is being addressed with a variety of mHealth apps. These apps allow users to access assistance from centers, mindfulness activities, and other support services to manage and cope with stress, anxiety, and depression. For instance, the Calm app provides customers with guided meditations, sleep stories, and breathing exercises.

Calm mHealth App: www.calm.com

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5. mHealth apps are adopting gamification and social elements to make them both more captivating and motivating yet effective. These unique features can help customers stay on track with their wellness goals and connect with other people who are striving to improve their health. For instance, the Nike Run Club mHealth app allows users to track their running sessions, take on challenges, compete with their peers, and win rewards.

Nike Run Club mHealth App: www.nike.com

The mHealth app market is expected to grow significantly soon. As mHealth application technology becomes more refined and widely adopted, it has the potential to transform the way healthcare is delivered. The mHealth market is anticipated to remain strong in the coming years and is projected to surpass 300 billion U.S. dollars by 2025. As health concerns and trends shift, the use of mHealth applications will progress and evolve.

Factors Driving the mHealth Market Along with These Trends

🔹 The Aging Population

The global demographics have an aging population, with the proportion of individuals aged 65 and above expected to jump from 9.3% in 2022 to 16.3% by 2050. There are a variety of factors that are leading to this outcome, such as declining birth rates and increasing life expectancy.

The burgeoning elderly population is a great driver for the mHealth market since older adults are more likely to have long-term chronic health issues and require steady medical care. The mHealth platform gives older adults the capability to manage their health conditions, remain independent, and age in place.

For instance, mHealth apps can be utilized by elderly people to monitor and track their key health indicators, including vital signs, medication compliance, and blood sugar levels. They can also provide seniors with educational materials and forums for support.

🔹 The Increasing Number of Chronic Diseases

The number of people with chronic diseases is on the rise, which is becoming worrisome. More and more people are suffering from long-term diseases that have a significant impact on their quality of life. This is mostly due to unhealthy lifestyle choices such as unbalanced diets, physical inactivity, and the consumption of harmful substances. According to the World Health Organization, chronic diseases account for a whopping 74% of all deaths across the globe.

Chronic conditions are a major cause of the surging demand for mHealth app services, as they require ongoing management and care. mHealth apps can help those afflicted with chronic illnesses monitor their condition, track their progress, and avoid complications.

For example, mHealth apps can assist those with diabetes in monitoring their blood sugar levels, insulin dosage, and diet. It can also provide reminders for taking medications and engaging in physical activity.

🔹 The Rising Cost of Healthcare Services

The cost of healthcare and medical services is growing on a global scale. This can be due to several causes, such as the aging population, the proliferation of chronic diseases, and the development of intricate and expensive medical equipment and technologies.

mHealth can help cut the cost of healthcare services through the use of remote patient monitoring, telemedicine, and self-care utilities. Such solutions can help individuals bypass unnecessary visits to the doctor or healthcare facility, saving a whole lot of money.

Telemedicine services allow individuals to consult with doctors and specialists remotely via video conferencing or other such technologies. This is especially beneficial for people who come from rural or underserved areas or who cannot travel.

🔹 The Growing Demand for Consumer-centric Healthcare

According to a recent survey, it was discovered that 59% of individuals are using the mHealth platform to monitor their well-being. Similarly, 40% of the respondents were willing to pay for the cost associated with this type of service. Patients are demanding more consumer-oriented health care. This means that they want to be involved in their own healthcare decisions, gaining access to affordable and convenient options for acquiring such healthcare services.

mHealth can help meet this demand for increased patient engagement by giving individuals greater control over their wellness and health. For instance, mHealth apps can allow patients to monitor their health data, access educational materials, and communicate with healthcare providers.

It can also help patients cut back on healthcare costs by providing access to telemedicine services and other affordable care options.

A major interest for mHealth app developers and publishers in the United States will be the potential to use mHealth apps to help in diabetes care and prevention, as it has become a more prevalent issue in the nation. As with digital health in general, the global COVID-19 pandemic has played a major role in the future of mobile health. During the first peak of the pandemic, a significant increase was observed in the number of medical apps being downloaded.

Plus Bonus Points: Some Examples of Trends in the mHealth Market

➡️ The Development of mHealth Solutions for Mental Health and Well-being

Mental health is a growing public health concern, and mHealth apps are proving the importance of supporting mental health and well-being.

Some examples of mHealth solutions for mental health and well-being include:

Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) apps: These apps can help people identify and challenge negative thoughts and behaviors.
Mindfulness and meditation apps: These apps can help users reduce stress and anxiety, improve focus, and uplift their mood.
Sleep tracking and improvement apps: These apps can help users monitor their sleep patterns and pinpoint areas for improvement.
Social support platforms: These platforms can connect users with other people who are experiencing similar challenges and provide them with a supportive community.

➡️ The Use of mHealth for Social Determinants of Health (SDOH)

SDOH are the conditions in which people are born, grow, live, work, and grow old. These things have a considerable impact on health and well-being.

mHealth solutions can be used to address SDOH in some ways, including:

Providing access to healthcare services: mHealth applications can help people in rural communities with access to healthcare services, such as telemedicine and remote patient monitoring.
Empowering people to manage their health: It can assist people to keep tabs on their health data, learn about their health conditions, and make informed decisions about their care.
Connecting people with resources and support: mHealth apps can connect people with resources and support services to tackle SDOH, such as food banks, job training programs, and housing assistance.

➡️ The Use of mHealth for Precision Medicine

Precision medicine is a new approach to healthcare that provides treatment based on the individual patient's genetic and molecular makeup.

mHealth platform can be used in precision medicine in many ways, including

Collecting and analyzing patient data: It can be used to collect and analyze patient data, such as genetic data, lifestyle data, and environmental data. This information can then be used to develop personalized treatment plans.
Monitoring patient response to treatment: mHealth apps are used to monitor patient reactions to treatment and make adjustments as required.
Supporting patients in managing their treatment plans: These applications can provide patients with education and guidance to help them manage their treatment plans.

➡️ The Use of mHealth for Public Health

Public health is the science and practice of protecting and improving the health of a population.

mHealth can be used in public health in several ways, including:

Surveillance and disease outbreak detection: mHealth can be used as a powerful tool to track disease outbreaks and identify areas at risk.
Health promotion and education: Utilizing mHealth, individuals can be motivated to practice healthy habits and educate people about health risks.
Disease prevention and management: With the use of mHealth, people can be better equipped to prevent and manage chronic diseases.

Overall, mHealth is a rapidly growing field with the potential to change healthcare for the better. The four trends highlighted above are just a few examples of how mHealth is being utilized to improve the health and well-being of people across the world. The mHealth app market is a dynamic and rapidly changing domain. As new technologies emerge, we can expect to see more innovative mHealth advancements that can potentially improve the health of people around the world.

Mindbowser Role in mHealth App Development

Mindbowser has a deep understanding of the mHealth market and the unique problems of developing mobile applications for this sector. Our team of experienced developers has a successful history of designing and developing user-centric and HIPAA-compliant mHealth apps. They have covered facets like effortless data exchange, fitness tracking for holistic wellness monitoring, and, of course, virtual consultations.

We have developed and worked on various mHealth apps for healthcare service providers, such as a telemedicine solution for a US-based startup, a fitness training application using our design sprint approach, an endoscopy infrastructure on mobile, a Smart Mirro3r solution for personal health and everyday activity tracking, and more.

mHealth apps are transforming the face of healthcare by providing patients with greater access to medical care and helping them to be their healthcare captains. As the mHealth market continues to grow, we can expect to see even more innovative and transformative apps emerge in the market.

Meet the Author

Manisha Khadge, CMO Mindbowser

Manisha Khadge, recognized as one of Asia’s 100 power leaders, brings to the table nearly two decades of experience in the IT products and services sector. She’s skilled at boosting healthcare software sales worldwide, creating effective strategies that increase brand recognition and generate substantial revenue growth.

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