CNN recently revealed that in January 2014, Americans spent more time online with Smartphone and tablet apps than PC’s. The mobile user base has been on a steady rise, but this latest milestone indicates that mobile strategies are now an indisputable part of success in the business world. How can it complement your healthcare insurance company?
Storing Patient Information
Having a mobile device means carrying it wherever you go, including the doctor’s office. Instead of bringing multiple insurance cards and medical bills, patients can just show their Smartphone with the appropriate app. Digital technology equates to convenience, as customers no longer have to worry about losing or forgetting their physical documents. And, by saving all transactions to one centralized data center, fraud can be prevented in real-time.
Of course, the amount of user data can quickly spiral out of control as the app gains popularity. An ideal solution would be cloud storage such as Egen’s CloudSmart approach, where data is securely scaled and backed up through a distributed system of connected servers.
Offering More Insurance Perks
People always enjoy saving money. Under President Obama’s Affordable Care Act, insurers can now increase the wellness incentive from 20 to 30 percent of the coverage cost. This would motivate consumers to improve their wellness while saving money at the same time. Employers who provide healthcare plans would be more eager to look after the well-being of their employees.
An advantage of the act is focusing on actions (going to the gym, quitting smoking, etc.) rather than outcomes (e.g. losing 10 pounds). Therefore, consumers are encouraged for their efforts without being pressured for hard results. Since many people already track their fitness and eating plans with mobile apps, it would be simple to integrate those functionalities into one healthcare insurance app, turning it into a one-stop-shop for an active lifestyle.
The new perks will mean resurging interest in your company’s healthcare plans – from both an employee and employer perspective. Employers will likely embrace it, as many of them already offer gym memberships. Additionally, app users could be given the option to voluntarily share their data with others, revealing the connection between lifestyle and healthcare costs – this could have a snowball effect in many ways.
Keeping Up With Competition
In 2012, Aetna released CarePass, which helps users track their fitness goals by connecting with existing lifestyle applications. UnitedHealth Group has partnered with several app developers such as Lose It! – a weight loss app that involves personal trackers and peer support.
Many Healthcare Insurance companies have already expanded into the mobile domain. Instead of worrying about developing an in-house app yourself, let our experienced Egen team help broaden your business’ capabilities via its HealthMateTM platform.
Mobility Insights 