The world is going mobile and the healthcare industry is no exception. Mobile health apps are increasing in popularity and even the insurance industry is getting into the mix. The future of mobile health insurance could also bring plenty of benefits to the users – it could lead to a healthier you and a happier wallet!
The march of the healthcare app
The popularity of healthcare apps is evident when you browse the app store section. There are over 100,000 apps related to health and fitness. The most popular apps at the moment relate to dieting, healthy eating and exercise. However, there are lots of other health-related categories that are consistently growing their popularity. These include apps related to women’s health, sleep and meditation, pregnancy and other health tools. For example, health monitoring apps and actual doctor appointment apps are all included in the mix.
It won’t be much of a surprise to hear that over 50% of smartphone users admit to using an app that gathers their health-related information. For health insurers, it is this self-generated data that is very interesting and useful. But the benefits are not just for insurers to enjoy but everyone could benefit from the way in which insurers use it.
Even physicians are on the side of the mobile healthcare revolution. Studies have consistently shown positive results to using health apps. Physicians are saying that these apps have the power to cut down the need to book appointments, improves patient health and helps cut down the cost of healthcare.
Health insurance app benefits
What does the future of health insurance app look like? As mentioned above, the big focus of many health insurance apps at the moment is the ability to gather data. The data can be used in two different ways:
Improve healthcare
First and the most important use of health data is naturally its ability to improve health and healthcare. The more information the app receives in terms of things like sleep, diet, exercise and body functions, such as heart rate, the more detailed healthcare suggestion it can provide. Not only could doctors use and analyse the data, but also the end-user can receive important information. For example, your health app could tell you about the importance of good sleep and healthy diet by showing how your body is more energetic afterwards. Health insurance companies can use these apps to promote these healthier decisions and this would result in healthier and happier clients.
Cut down insurance cost
But, of course, health insurance apps can also be crucial in the future in terms of cutting down costs. This can happen in two very specific ways. First of all, as these apps lead to healthier lifestyle choices and better healthcare decisions, the cost of insurance will be lower. You won’t be required to use your insurance as often but can save it for those unfortunate events that might happen in life. This can be a big cut in the health insurance cost, especially when you consider that a lot of healthcare costs at the moment come from lifestyle-related illness.
The second major way health insurance apps can cut costs is two-fold. Already, there are plenty of ways to use mobile apps in order to find the right, cost-effective health insurance that suits your personal needs. For example, health insurance in Dubai can be compared based on individual requirements, providing the consumer more opportunities to select the right insurance. Similar apps are also available elsewhere in the world and growing in popularity.
More importantly, the data health insurance apps generate can lead to personalised insurances. If the insurer knows about the healthy lifestyle choices you make and is on top of your current health situation, they can provide you with insurance that models your health. You can simply keep your insurance cost low by making those healthy decision. In the future, you don’t have to settle for costly insurance that might have elements you don’t even need.
Personalised and effective health insurance
The future of health insurance is in the mobile sphere. The benefits of mobile health insurance are immense and lead to better healthcare decisions that are also cost-effective. This will be a good thing for the insurers but most importantly also to the consumer.