Health apps grow by 39% in 2016

One year more, the results of the mHealth App Developer Economics, this time of 2016, have been made public. The study by Research2guidance uses a survey to analyse the present and future situation and the new trends in mobile health.

The results of the report show that in the last year, 100,000 new mobile health apps were created, reaching 259,000 applications now available on the market. Despite this growth in the number of apps, the results show that demand is not as high as last year, falling from 35% in 2015 to 7% in 2016. The report also shows that many of the apps are developed for at least two of the platforms (iOS and Android, Android being the most widely used).

Today, the diseases with the largest number of applications for their treatment and monitoring are the chronic, with diabetes in first place. What’s more, 60% of those surveyed believe that the apps offer the possibility of reducing the costs of re-hospitalisation and hospital stays, and that they also provide benefits in helping patients to fulfil medication plans.

In 2010, it was believed that in less than 5 years the apps would be recommended by medical professions with specialised portals. However, the years have shown that the complexity of incorporating these products and services in medical routine is greater than was believed at first. However, there are already some insurance companies offering apps portals for their clients.

Finally, the report reveals the trends for the coming 5 years:

• Health insurers will increase the use of health apps and will share data to improve patients’ management of their own diseases. It is believed that most patients would be prepared to share their health data if, in exchange, they were offered cheaper plans or with support for research.
• The health apps will be used to monitor patients and to seek health information. The users see them as a good tool for the first phase of communication between patients and doctors (exchange of laboratory results, food diet plans, and more).
• The apps market is expected to continue to grow and the main device for developing apps is still the mobile phone, and of the tablet. In third place come the wearables such as bracelets and watches.

You can consult the whole report here http://www.ticsalut.cat/media/upload//arxius/portal-appsalut/r2g-mHealth-App-Developer-Economics-2016.pdf