20+ Best Medical Apps to Look Up to

There would be no surprise if we tell you that the number of various healthcare applications is enormous at the moment. In fact, we have already considered what are Healthcare mobile apps and their types. Moreover, we have already shared some ideas on how to develop valuable healthcare apps. Today, let’s examine Medical apps cases in detail to figure out what the situation on the market is.

Types of Medical Applications

Actually, there are lots of specific medical applications for various users, including apps for patients and students. Obviously, it is impossible to list all of them, therefore we managed to divide them into categories, so we can name some examples. As a result, we will be able not only to see the successful cases of such applications but to better understand the main tendencies among the developers.

Encyclopedias and News

Let’s start with the type, which is the simplest to develop. The reason why is it so is simple - most of the resources and features already exist and all that developers have to do is to integrate them and ensure that UX/UI, performance, or any other criteria, as well as the overall product, is of the best quality possible.

Medical dictionary apps were created to simplify the work of physicians and other people, related to the medical industry, giving them tools to reach the needed information. Most of them are based on already existing databases or third-party projects.

One of the most popular apps is MedScape. This mobile application offers both features: first of all, physicians can “google” various diseases and their symptoms to recall some facts or to deepen their knowledge. Alternatively, it is possible to track all the latest news and breakthroughs in the medical sphere by checking the “News and Perspective” option.

Another example of such applications is SkyScape medical library. Developers claim that they use more than 400 various resources, which cover most medical specialties, even veterinarian ones. The significant advantage of this app is the fast and reliable search engine. In fact, developers have gathered different ready-made resources and made sure it is possible to find the needed one in a few clicks. Also, users can use the “bookmarks” feature and see their history of views.

It is worth mentioning, that there are also alternative libraries and encyclopedias like VisualDX. Despite the fact, that the main usage purpose of this app is similar to the previous ones, it has a very important distinction - it is a visual library. Of course, there is also a lot of text and the search is performed by typing. However, the creators provide a vast image library for each of the illnesses and their symptoms. Also, users can search for the diagnosis by using the “search by symptoms” feature and then compare the results with their case. Additionally, the vast amount of visual content for each disease can help physicians and students deepen their knowledge and distinguish different types of symptoms in the future.

Talking about the visual content and its effectiveness, it is hard not to mention another type of such encyclopedias - 3D models. There is no need to explain the benefits of having a 3D model of the human body in general and its various parts individually. Probably, the best example from this sector is the 3D4Medical app.

The advantage of this anatomical guide over other examples of 3D model apps is that it has already grown to the level of a full-fledged platform: besides common human body samples, users have access to interactive radiology images, more than 1500 videos on various related topics, and augmented reality, they are also able to visit more than 100 certified lectures to deepen their knowledge even more. Truth to be told, all of these features must be paid for, yet there are various subscription levels as well as the possibility for various institutions to collaborate with the application.

There are also simplified alternatives like Muscle Trigger Point Anatomy, which can be used directly for treatment. For instance, the user chooses the place or muscle that hurts, and the application proposes variable reasons for the pain along with the exercises, that can help to get rid of it.

Medical Social Media

Another example of medical apps is social media. Their main purpose is to enable fast communication between various practicing doctors and other medical professionals. Of course, there are lots of alternative ways to improve the communication between these specialists like various international conferences, cooperation between institutions, regular social media, etc. Clearly, all of these cooperation and communication methods are great. Yet, the creation of social media, that is adapted specifically for medics makes a real difference.

For instance, let’s examine the advantages of the Figure1 app. It is an educational platform for physicians, that allows them to communicate with each other. In fact, it is a Facebook for doctors: users can post various cases and common health issues they have faced, share their research, comment on other people's posts, and start discussions. As a result, we have an international community of various specialists, tons of content, and the possibility to take part in various conversations, knowing that nothing else will distract you from the topics you are interested in. It is possible to claim, that Figure1 is a 24/7 international medical conference based online. Web nature of this concept allows connecting with colleagues all over the globe at any time and using their help to find new solutions.

Also, it would be unfair to mention another pioneer in this sector - DailyRounds. It is another example of a successful network, created for the people from the medical industry. In addition to the previously mentioned features of Figure1, DailyRounds proposes recent news from the sphere and focuses on the educational component: they believe that such software can help medical students to improve their knowledge and increase the cooperation between physicians and medical institutions from various countries.

Calculators and Reminders

The main idea of this medical application is to simplify and automate some crucial actions both for specialists and regular patients. For instance, most drugs have their dose for use. If the dose will be incorrectly calculated it could cause a lot of damage, including death. Therefore, such medical calculators as MedCalX were developed to estimate and check if it was done accurately to avoid possible damage. MedCalX is a simple, yet powerful instrument, that uses all modern formulas and scores, combined with device computing capabilities to make the calculation as accurate as possible.

Reminders, on the other hand, can be an important tool as well. The variety of them is immense: starting with simple apps with a single “wash your hands” option, ending up with complex MPMS applications, developed specifically for people with different illnesses like Diabetes:M, that provide multiple solutions aside from simple reminding feature. For example, DIabetes:M provides remote monitoring options, AI assistants, analysis, and many other components.

Migraine Buddy is another illustration of such a health tracker app. Its main purpose is to record, track, analyze and control Migraines, helping to discover patterns, learn more about them in simple words, and possibly adapt the user’s lifestyle to discovered cycles.

Telemedicine Cases

Clearly, mHealth apps can be a powerful tool not only for communication, lifestyle, or education purposes. As a matter of fact, the first such applications were developed as a telemedicine project.

Such applications are bringing enormous value to global society. Using telemedicine allows attracting high-quality specialists to care for patients and local communities all over the globe, especially from poor countries. Additionally, using various devices can be an ideal solution for such regions.

Probably one of the most successful cases of telemedicine is the Ugandan health app E-liiso. Application, developed by just a few people, can significantly improve the overall medical industry in the region. The working principle is simple: you have to take a picture of your eyes accordingly to the in-app instructions and the app will automatically analyze the medical conditions of your eyes by these pictures. It is claimed, that application can determine whether the person is far- or near-sighted, determine if cataracts are present, as well as some additional options. Thanks to limited requirements and the overall cheapness, the application is capable to cover the main problems of the region: population poverty and a small number of specialists.

An alternative example of the foregoing app is EyeCare Live. It is a more complicated app, that also provides online consultation with specialists, personalized treatment plans, online prescriptions for glasses, etc.

Another example of a local telemedicine app is U.S. Prevention TaskForce. Unlike other telemedicine apps, this one is not limited to a single sphere but rather is an overall healthcare solution. Prevention TaskForce works partly similar to an encyclopedia, so the user can google for diagnosis by symptoms and get some advice on how to prevent an illness in the early stages.

Some developers are aiming to create truly innovative solutions. For instance, while eye scanning and monitoring have already become an easy task for software engineers, DermoScreen is an app, that is supposed to be capable to check human skin for signs of cancer.

Medical Data Storages

Among mHealth apps, you can also find various Medical Databases apps for doctors, used to store personal patient info in a secure way. The main advantage of using such applications is the possibility to store and share medical data with the doctor in a fast way.

Probably the most recognizable example of such an app is Apple Health. It is able to record various data about your activity and make some health records such as heart rate, your breathing experience, the number of steps per day, etc. Yet, its main advantage over competitors is its integration capabilities. For instance, you can use it as a full-fledged standalone app, or connect it with other apps like fitness assistants, etc. As a result, the data recorded and stored in Health can be transmitted to another app without any additional actions needed. Apple Health is probably an ideal example of how applications can cooperate both with third-party software and hardware.

uMotif is a great solution for those, who regularly change their doctors or travel a lot. It is an app, where users can store their medical data like analysis results, treatment history, chronic diseases, allergic reactions, x-rays, etc. In other words, uMotif is gathering all healthcare-related data about the user, so in case of emergency or simply to make the doctor's appointment faster, the user could show all the needed information at once. Another example of such an app is Medical ID for Android devices.

Worth Mentioning Cases

Finally, let’s consider some revolutionary and innovative applications, as well as some cases, which cannot be assigned to the foregoing mHealth application types.

The simplest example of such an app is PulsePoint Respond, a simple app, created as an alternative “emergency button”. This health tracking app monitors the position of the device and requires just single action to automatically call the emergency to the place where the mobile device is located according to the GPS. So, if you have it and, let’s suppose Medical ID app, you can get saved thanks to just a few actions.

BreezoMeter is another example of GPS-based healthcare app. Its main purpose is to monitor the quality of air in the region and signalize if it changes. As a result, users can get a fast report about the quality of air and recommendations on what to do in various scenarios. For instance, it will automatically recommend users to stay at home in case there is a lot of CO2 or other chemical elements in the air, etc.

Short Cases in Medicine is an interactive test and guide for medical students and physicians, created to help them deepen their knowledge and practice their skills. The app is a collection of various medical cases, so the user can learn them or test their knowledge using the app.

Finally, among apps for patients, the Generis project is probably the most innovative example we have here. Actually, it is not quite a medical app, but rather a healthcare assistant, that helps its users to get fit and plan an individual exercise program, as well as the best possible diet for a particular user. The main aspect, that guarantees success is the fact, that all the calculations and processes are based on the DNA of the user.

The app can’t take the tests by itself, however, it can analyze third-party ready-made tests like 23andMe or Ancestry. So, the user has to get one of these tests and then upload the results into the app. The application will automatically examine them and build the best fitting plan.

Additionally, have a look at some amazing healthtech cases we've developed at Incora: HealthFarm, Health Explore, HealthApp, Line Out, Heal, InsulWay, ViewMedical, and MentalState.

Summary

Eventually, the foregoing list is just an illustration. There are many more similar applications, but we gathered the best examples of various types, to show the best cases and allow you to additionally analyze the story of their success, look up the ideas or nontrivial solutions, and find new ways to improvement implementations.

Yet, it would be fair to admit, that successful applications are not always revolutionary or innovative. In fact, mostly the most successful applications have become such thanks to their high-quality and good testing results, whether it is high performance and response rate, or simply fine UX/UI. Of course, if the app is innovative it has even more chances of success, yet its main component is high quality. For a better understanding and illustration, we recommend you check additional case studies.