If you’re in the middle of something, does your spouse or partner have the endearing habit of sending you a shopping list? There must be an on-demand app for this, I thought the last time I received a list of medications. And what about that? Since then, only mobile apps have been used by my family to purchase medications, and I couldn’t be happier. Continue reading if you firmly believe in on-demand mobile software and want to discover how to create a pharma app that would satisfy your users. We’ll go over the fundamentals and offer some commentary.
WHAT IS AN APP FOR AN ONLINE PHARMACY?
An online pharmacy is a programme or website that enables users to look for and order medications, then have those orders delivered. These apps typically come in one of two shapes:
- A Pharmacy Retail Setting. Customers can use this app to place prescription orders from any pharmacy that has registered on the marketplace. Regarding the advantages of this business model, it gives customers more options and enables price comparison. The pharmacies can forego developing a custom mobile or web application with their logo. For new businesses, this is a good option because it can attract customers.
- Branded online pharmacy app. An online pharma app is created by a company using its branded name, style, and other elements. This solution is a good bridge to connect the pharmacy with its customers.
HOW DOES AN APP FROM AN ONLINE PHARMACY WORK?
An app for an online pharmacy functions as an online store. The type of goods that the customers buy is the only distinction. Online pharmacies are occasionally medication delivery services that adhere to contemporary eCommerce best practises. However, because a prescription is required, there are some differences between an online pharmacy and a conventional eCommerce store.
Must-Have Features of an Online Pharmacy App
All software has some typical features it can’t live without. What are the most common options people expect to find in a pharma app?
SIGN-ON AND PROFILE
We need an easy way to onboard new customers and store their data in the app: address, payment options, rewards balance, etc. This helps us personalize their experience and ensure uninterrupted service.
E-COMMERCE
E-commerce (or m-commerce, if you will) encompasses all features related to shopping:
- catalog of medicine
- shopping cart
- order history
- smart-search with filters and previous searches
PRESCRIPTION MANAGEMENT
Users should be able to add their prescriptions to the app, and pharmacists will either verify them manually or with the help of AI/ML algorithms.
ORDER TRACKING
Consumers have really come to love tracking delivery in real-time on a map à la DoorDash, especially after COVID-19 lock-downs.
NOTIFICATIONS
Push notifications and medicine reminders keep customers engaged, prompting them to take pills, order medicines, or get discounts.
LOCALIZATION
Multi-language support will help you reach larger audiences. Please note that this should be addressed from the get-go because the cost of adding new languages will increase dramatically once the app is ready. Make sure to partner with the right pharmacy app development company for that.
Advanced Features of a Pharma App
Now let’s review more advanced functionality. Rather than being stand-alone features, these options typically enhance usability by extending the basic functionality.
BARCODE SCANNING
This can be useful to quickly get info about prescription drugs, order a refill, or make a payment at a store.
CHAT OR VIDEO CALLS
Real-time customer support right inside the app boosts consumer confidence and makes patient assistance more accessible. In addition, you can offer telemedicine consultations with doctors or pharma app.
PICKUP ORDERS
Paying for medicine in advance and then picking it up at a store is another advanced option your customer base may appreciate.
SOCIAL INTERACTIVITY
Some customers love to share their experiences with other people. Therefore, allowing them to comment and review different products may prove beneficial.
FAMILY ACCOUNTS
An option to track medication adherence for senior family members and stock them up on meds from their separate apps can be a real blessing for many users.
ACCESSIBILITY FEATURES
Apple and Google provide many tools for making mobile apps more accessible and inclusive. However, such an initiative goes way beyond a single option and should permeate all features.
MOBILE WALLET
You can also set up a mobile wallet so users can up their balances and turn on automatic refills. That’s also where you integrate health insurance coverage options and rewards.
What Is the Price to Make a Pharmacy App?
Depending on how much functionality we want to include in the shopping app and web portal, an MVP version could cost as much as $210,000.
If you have an idea for a mobile pharmacy application and would like our guidance on how to approach this project, please set up a call with our experts.
