How to Build an MVP in Healthcare

Healthcare is one of the rapidly advancing sectors in terms of technology and innovation. The rise of technology transformed the healthcare space. After the pandemic hit the world, the necessity of healthcare IT was vigorous. According to a report by GlobeNewswire, the healthcare IT sector is expected to become an industry worth 294,973 Million by 2030.

Looking at the rapid growth of the healthcare sector, many tech startups and large healthcare companies are getting into the game with their innovative ideas. Though witnessing the competition, healthcare startups face vigorous challenges like insufficient funding, poor market fit, and more. Hence, developing an MVP in healthcare is the best option for companies to detect and avoid the risk of failure.

In this article, we will explore the significance of MVP in healthcare innovation and how it can drive positive change in the industry.

The Significance of MVP in Healthcare

With technological advancement, the healthcare sector acknowledges the need for innovative solutions to improve patient care, streamline healthcare processes, and enhance efficiency. According to a report by Rock Health, digital health funding acquired in 2020 was a record-breaking amount of $39.9 Million, with a significant portion of that investment going toward software and technology solutions.

MVP development for healthcare will enable organizations:

1. To efficiently test their ideas and concepts to ensure they are on the right track before investing significant resources into full-scale development.
2. To understand their product's market scope, risks, and demand to make informed decisions.
3. To validate their ideas, gather user feedback

The rapid advancement of technology puts healthcare organizations under immense pressure to innovate and deliver better outcomes. In a highly competitive and risky market, developing a full-scale solution is the biggest mistake one can make by staking huge finances.

With 12 years of experience in the development sector, I have come across many startups and their founders for their development requirements. I have seen some of them fail miserably while some are facing the market. With keen observation and experience, I have realized that those who put their users first and get feedback after MVP tend to sustain the market, while directly launching a full-scale product without any analysis has a high risk of failing. Early adopter feedback helps in making the required changes in the full-scale product.

Read More: Mobile Technology and the Digitization of Healthcare

7 Steps to Build an MVP in Healthcare

We have already mentioned about the importance of MVP in healthcare to validate ideas, gather user feedback, and iterate on their solutions before investing significant resources into full-scale development.

Let’s understand the steps to develop an MVP development in healthcare.

1. Define Problem Statement & Solution

The very first step is defining the problem statement to validate the MVP idea. This involves identifying a specific healthcare challenge or opportunity that needs to be addressed. Project your idea as the solution to the defined problem statement. The solution must revolve around the necessities and interests of the end-clients, like patients, medical services suppliers, and different partners.

For example, a healthcare organization wants to develop a mobile app that allows patients to schedule appointments and access their medical records. The problem statement would be to improve patient access to healthcare services and information.

It is essential to consider regulatory and compliance considerations when addressing the problem statement. Healthcare is a highly regulated industry with strict privacy and security requirements. Any solution developed must comply with regulations like the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) in the United States or the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) in Europe.

2. Ideation and Solution Design

The next step is discussing how to start implementing the solution. A brainstorming session with the developer will give an clear idea about the execution possibility of the solution. With the collective discussion, you will have a rundown of possible arrangements and them accordingly prepare a basic wireframe for the solution.  This approach will allow the team to prioritize the features of the MVP based on user needs to guarantee that MVP resolves the essential issues and offers value to the end clients.

3. Prototype Development

Once the ideation and solution design phase is complete, it is time to develop a basic functional prototype. Creating a prototype will help developers and concerned authorities to have a clear idea about the further process. The prototype of the MVP must encapsulate the basic elements that are discovered during ideation and solution design step. This strategic approach allows the healthcare organization to observe the core of the solution's effectiveness and collective invaluable user insights.

4. Develop the MVP

After the approval on the prototype, begin with the MVP development. Include all the basic features mentioned in the prototype, also focus on creating a simple, and easy-to-use UI. The developers must consider the end-user's explicit requirements in the MVP development cycle. In addition, it is important to consider the user journey and experience when designing the MVP. This involves mapping out the different touchpoints and interactions users will have with the solution. By understanding the user journey, healthcare organizations can design a seamless and intuitive user experience that meets the needs of the end-users.The next step is to launch the MVP among a selected section of users and healthcare professionals for the testing phase.

5. MVP Feedback

Collecting feedback is an essential move toward the MVP improvement process. The MVP should be tested for it’s usability and functionality. Usability feedback focuses on the user experience and interface design, while functionality feedback focuses on the core features and functionality of the solution. By gathering user feedback, healthcare organizations can identify areas for improvement and make necessary iterations to the prototype.

6. Data Security and Compliance

Data security and compliance are of utmost importance in the healthcare industry. Healthcare organizations must ensure that their solutions comply with regulations such as HIPAA or GDPR and implement robust security measures to protect patient data.

Addressing data privacy concerns involves implementing encryption, access controls, and other security measures to protect patient information. Compliance with healthcare regulations requires healthcare organizations to implement policies and procedures that ensure patient data's confidentiality, integrity, and availability.

7. Testing and Validation

Once the prototype has been iterated based on user feedback, it is essential to test its functionality rigorously. This involves testing to verify that the prototype works as intended and addresses the identified problem effectively.

Testing should include functional testing, which focuses on the core features and functionality of the solution, and integration testing, which ensures seamless integration with existing healthcare systems. By thoroughly testing the prototype, healthcare organizations can validate its effectiveness and identify any potential issues or bugs that must be addressed before moving forward with full-scale development.

Third Rock Techkno’s Expertise in Healthcare MVPs

Third Rock Techkno specializes in developing innovative MVP healthcare solutions. With a team of experienced designers and developers, we profoundly understand the challenges and opportunities in the healthcare industry.

Our expertise in healthcare technology allows us to develop MVPs that address specific healthcare challenges and provide value to end-users. By involving clients in every step of the MVP development process, we ensure that the solution aligns with the client's vision and meets their specific requirements.

In conclusion, building an MVP in healthcare is paramount in driving innovation and improving patient care. Technology has the potential to revolutionize the healthcare industry, but it is essential to consider the complexity and regulatory considerations of the sector.

FAQs

Q.1: How do you start with MVP development?

Our MVP development approach includes a detailed discussion of MVP ideas, planning the basic prototype of the app, quality analysis, MVP launch, collecting client feedback, and iterating accordingly. We ensure that the MVP includes the basic features addressing the end-user requirements.

Q.2: Why is it essential to develop MVP in healthcare?

The healthcare industry is a complex and competitive landscape. One can’t take a chance to launch a full-scale product in this risky industry as any failure might directly affect the patient’s health. MVP helps simplify the complexities of the full-scale healthcare project and analyze the future scope before investing in huge finances.

Q.3: How can I estimate the cost of healthcare MVP development?

The cost of MVP development in healthcare completely depends on the required features, tech stack, and complexity. We follow a structured approach for MVP development from ideation to MVP launch, which helps develop a cost-effective MVP solution.