Creating a teleconsultation application: everything you need to know

Our phones are full of applications of all kinds, making our lives easier. The healthcare sector, and more specifically teleconsultation, is no exception to this trend. No need to visit the doctor. In just one click, he or she appears on your smartphone screen. Teleconsultation apps have proliferated in recent years, but there's still plenty of room! Le Backyard gives you the keys to your app's success!

1. The medical market in the digital age

The first start-ups, led by Doctolib, revolutionized the medical market. They made rapid and powerful digital advances possible, offering innovative services that met real needs.

However, the traditional healthcare players are lagging behind, not least because their systems are often difficult to upgrade.

1. Face-to-face consultations often saturated

If you go through the traditional healthcare route, you'll need to be patient. Indeed, waiting times for face-to-face medical appointments are getting longer. For example, it takes 18 months to get an appointment with a dermatologist. Waiting rooms are saturated and health professionals are overworked.

Using video calls for initial or follow-up consultations reduces waiting times for patients and makes doctors' work more agile.

2. Medical deserts without professionals

Another well-known concern in France is medical deserts, where professionals are rare if not non-existent. Inhabitants of these areas, where there are no practices to welcome them, have to travel to other communes to hope to see a doctor. A situation that is difficult to manage for the very ill or the elderly.

Teleconsultations radically reduce the distance between patients and healthcare professionals, ensuring faster, more comfortable medical care.

3. Increased consultation for better living

Whereas a few years ago, mental health and alternative medicine, for example, did not meet with unanimous approval from the general public, the number of French people turning to them is only increasing.

In fact, we no longer limit ourselves to looking after ourselves, we also want to feel good mentally and learn how to live better. As a logical consequence, consultations with psychologists, nutritionists, health coaches and sophrologists are on the increase.

Patients want fast, efficient and comfortable care. Teleconsultation is therefore an essential solution.

4. The rise of teleconsultation

If covid acted as a massive gas pedal for teleconsultation, the phenomenon has only accelerated over the last 2-3 years, as Le Backyard , which supports its customers in the development of teleconsultation applications, has observed.

Users are enthusiastic about this new way of getting in touch with healthcare professionals from the serenity of their own homes, without having to go anywhere, while benefiting from the expertise of a doctor, psychologist or coach.

95.4% of patients are satisfied with this practice. A fact that proves that telemedicine is a success story that easily combines efficiency, speed and comfort!

2. Consultation apps as the preferred medium

Consultation applications are booming. In 2024, the overall increase in the number of patients treated by teleconsultation was 20.3% higher than in 2023. Clearly, this is not just a trend, but a habit that is taking root.

1. What is a consultation app?

A medical consultation application is a mobile application or web application that enables a patient to consult a healthcare professional (GP, specialist, psychologist, etc.) remotely, usually by video call.

Scheduling appointments, remote consultations, document sharing, sending electronic prescriptions... these are just some of the main features of a teleconsultation application.

2. The crucial importance of the user experience

Teleconsultation applications have revolutionized the patient experience. There's no longer any need to make the arduous journey to the surgery when you're ill, only to wait for your turn for far too long, sitting awkwardly in a gloomy waiting room.

From the comfort of your sofa, in a familiar environment, you have access to the same doctor, who will give you a rapid diagnosis.

But user experience isn't just about the offline experience, it's also about the online experience.

The application must enable patients to quickly understand how to log in, book an appointment or access their documents. Practitioners, for their part, need a reliable, ergonomic tool that fits into their daily routine.

3. Issues to anticipate

Of course, the healthcare sector is highly regulated in France. So there are a number of issues to anticipate to ensure that the app can develop, launch and operate without worry. Here are 4 issues to consider: 

• Patient data security: on teleconsultation applications, data relating to the patient's health is obviously collected. And this is highly regulated. For example, data must be hosted on an accredited server for added security. It's restrictive, but mandatory. Le Backyard has been doing this with its customers for years. So you're in safe hands.
• Legal compliance: both in France and internationally, it's imperative to meet a number of strict legal obligations, such as specific administrative authorizations, declarations to health authorities, or compliance with standards such as the RGPD in Europe.
• Compatibility with national healthcare systems: Social Security remains a key administration in France. It is therefore essential to ensure that the application is compatible with its specific needs. This is the case, for example, for consultation reimbursements: you need to be able to issue certain documents and have an optimal connection with the State's APIs.
• Compatibility with third-party systems: a medical consultation application must take into account unavoidable functionalities such as visio, payment, history and agenda (practitioners must be able to update their agenda, and the application must be connected to the system they are already using) offered by external services.

3. How do I create a teleconsultation application?

Let's face it, the consulting market is already mature, and getting a foothold isn't as easy as it used to be. However, it's far from impossible. Choosing the right specialty and anticipating costs is, among other things, essential for a successful product!

1. Out with generalist apps, in with specialist apps

Many applications are already well established, and it's only logical that certain players, such as Doctolib, should monopolize the market. These are generally very generalist products where patients can consult a wide range of traditional health specialists.

That's why Le Backyard advises start-ups to focus on a specialty or part of the care pathway. This allows them to differentiate themselves and offer a precise solution to a well-defined problem to attract users.

2. Take operating costs into account

While mobile development costs are significant, it's the operating costs that are particularly high. So it's essential to be aware of this when developing your project's business plan.

Indeed, increasing the number of users, both healthcare professionals and end-users, represents a real cost.

What's more, the applications already on the market have set the bar very high in terms of functionality and quality. It's impossible to do anything less well! And that's reflected in the budgets.

To avoid unnecessary expense, Le Backyard proposes to develop the application's functionalities step by step, adding them as the application grows.

Another operating cost not to be taken lightly is performance, because if your application works well, you'll need to manage a large stream of videos simultaneously. To do this, you need to anticipate server load and ensure smooth operation. 

3. Choose the most appropriate technologies

The choice of backend and frontend technologies must meet two requirements: performance and reliability. For video, WebRTC remains a must.

But beware: on a large scale, scalability, minimal latency and a robust server infrastructure are essential. Solutions such as Twilio, Vonage or Agora can be envisaged to manage numerous simultaneous video streams, with constant quality.

4. 5 mistakes to avoid when developing a teleconsultation application

Le Backyard has had the opportunity to work with companies in the medical sector on several occasions, and our experts insist on 5 mistakes to avoid for your project: 

1. Failure to secure patient data: sensitive data relating to patient health must be carefully collected to avoid any risk of leakage. It is also essential to comply with current regulations.

2. Failure to check functionality compatibility with the national healthcare system: Social Security is the central body for healthcare. We must therefore ensure that all necessary functionalities are compatible with Social Security requirements.

3. Failure to ensure the compatibility of key functionalities with third-party systems: setting up a videoconferencing system, different payment methods, availability of history and constant updating of professionals' diaries are the main functionalities of a telemedicine application. It is necessary to use third-party systems to include them in the app. But don't forget to check that everything is compatible, for trouble-free operation!  

4. Be a generalist: very mature generalist consultation apps are already on the market. There's clearly no point in trying to take their place. On the other hand, specialization is the best way to make your mark on the market.

5. Wanting to do too much: of course, it's out of the question to offer an application below what already exists, but you shouldn't offer too many features either, especially at launch. It's better to focus on a few tried-and-tested features that meet a real need, before increasing their number. 

Creating an effective teleconsultation app is much more than developing a visio interface. It means understanding complex user paths, complying with strict standards and guaranteeing a fluid, reassuring experience.

Le Backyard has already developed applications with start-ups from the medical sector. This experience has given us a critical eye that enables us to provide the best possible advice to our customers wishing to launch an app. Your success is our success!

Contact us to find out how our experts can help you develop your telemedicine application!

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