3 Tips you need to know before developing an mhealth app

The mHealth apps market size is estimated to be worth $149.3 billion by 2028 The driving factors behind the growing mHealth market is due to the increase of lifestyle improvement for consumers, and the medical industry looking to facilitate in providing better patient experience and engagement. Covid-19 lead to an increased utilization as social distancing meant implementing remote monitoring and patient care. Health care apps extend beyond patient care and includes the following apps

· General health and wellness test

· Sleep

· Meditation

· Personal management

· Online therapy

· Appointment booking

While the opportunities to enter the market are endless, double check to ensure you are well versed in the regulatory environment of HIPPA and how that applies to your startup company.

First, if you have little to no experience with code, don’t worry, there are no code app builders to help you build your product such as Webflow and Caspio. Prior to deciding on what service to use, make sure that you are compliant with all of HIPPA’s regulatory requirements.

The U.S. Department of Health & Human Services is the best place to start your search

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC), in conjunction with OCR, the HHS Office of National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC), and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), created a web-based tool to help developers of health-related mobile apps understand what federal laws and regulations might apply to them. Click here to learn more

If your company intends to work with health plan agencies, healthcare providers, and healthcare clearing houses, these entities are considered to be covered entities under HIPAA.

What does that mean for your startup?

You must ensure that your development activities are in compliance with the HIPAA rules.

If you are not a covered entity, you are considered a Business Associate creating an app for a covered entity. You still have to comply with certain HIPAA rules. To help you better understand the requirements for Business Associates, click here

As more people rely on mobile technologies in healthcare, the demand increases for technology enabled solutions. Any good project starts with research and this is your friendly reminder to double down on what your legal obligations may be for navigating in the mhealth space.