7 Vital psychological components of a healthcare app that work [Plus examples]

8 out of 10 mobile apps healthcare apps fail to meet expectations as per Forbes.

Statista states there were 52,565 healthcare apps on the Google play store and 51370 on iOS as per the first quarter of 2022.

These numbers indicate the growing popularity of mobile health app development and large-scale failure.

What the heck should be on a mobile app?

So glad you asked.

This sort of stuff gets us talking excitedly fast, so have a sit-down, curious person. In about 10 minutes, you’ll know

• • exactly what is the psychology of an app

• • what it has to have to engage

• • what it should never have 

• • what push notifications lift your app above the glut of gimmicky and garnish mobile apps that irritates the user?

• • Why your mobile app doesn’t convert—and how to fix it

These tips and resources will get you started right away, and you’ll walk away with a good understanding of healthcare mobile app mechanics and insight from thought leaders who teach this on a regular basis.

Let’s start. We will explain the framework by taking the example of Fitbit & comparing it to Fitocracy at times.

Q1. First, what are a fitness app’s deeper emotional user needs? 

The deeper emotional user needs of using Fitbit include:

1. 1. A sense of accomplishment: Setting goals and tracking progress can provide a sense of accomplishment and motivation to continue healthy habits.

1. 1. Self-awareness: It helps users better understand their physical activity levels. Metrics give joy, and you feel like you keep doing.

1. 1. Social limelight: It allows users to share their progress with friends, which can provide a sense of accomplishment & likes.

1. 1. Feeling Attractive: You think ( & with time, it happens, really) your belly is going inside, and you are more attractive.

1. 1. Self-expression: Some users may enjoy using wearables as a fashion accessory and a way to express their style.

1. 1. Convenience: The app is easy to use and provides users with quick access to their fitness data.

1. 1. Empowerment: Knowing that you have the tools to take control of their health and fitness makes you feel empowered.

1. 1. Sense of belonging: Joining challenges and communities through the app may help users feel a sense of belonging and connection to others with similar interests and goals.

Q2. What is the frustration in emotional terms before using fitness apps? 

1. 1. Discouragement: feeling that one’s current fitness level is too low to make meaningful progress.

1. 1. Helplessness: feeling that one has no control over one’s fitness or the ability to make significant changes.

1. 1. Frustration: feeling that one needs to make progress despite the effort.

1. 1. Disappointment: feeling that one’s fitness goals are unattainable or unrealistic.

1. 1. Embarrassment: feeling ashamed of one’s current fitness level.

1. 1. Overwhelm: feeling overwhelmed by the amount of information and options available to be fit.

1. 1. Lack of interest: feeling bored or uninterested in the exercises or workout plans.

Q3. Taking the example of Fitbit, what are situations when a user will use the app? 

1. 1. Every time the user syncs their device, they use Fitbit.

1. 1. Every time the user tracks their steps, they use Fitbit.

1. 1. Every time the user monitors their sleep, they use Fitbit.

1. 1. Every time the user sets a fitness goal, they use Fitbit.

1. 1. Every time the user checks their progress, they use Fitbit.

1. 1. Every time the user logs their food intake, they use Fitbit.

1. 1. Every time the user shares their data with friends, they use Fitbit.

1. 1. Every time user challenges themselves with a workout, they use Fitbit.

1. 1. Every time the user receives a notification, they use Fitbit.

1. 1. Every time the user explores the dashboard, they use Fitbit.

1. 1. Every time the user tracks their heart rate, they use Fitbit.

1. 1. Every time the user tracks their water intake, they use Fitbit.

1. 1. Every time the user tracks their calories burned, they use Fitbit.

1. 1. Every time the user sets a daily step goal, they use Fitbit.

1. 1. Every time the user tracks their sleep patterns, they use Fitbit.

1. 1. Every time the user sets a daily calorie goal, they use Fitbit.

1. 1. Every time the user logs their weight, they use Fitbit.

1. 1. Every time the user tracks their activity levels, they use Fitbit.

1. 1. Every time the user compares their data to friends, they use Fitbit.

1. 1. Every time the user unlocks achievements, they use Fitbit.

1. 1. Every time the user receives a reminder to move, they use Fitbit.

1. 1. Every time the user tracks their menstrual cycle, they use Fitbit.

1. 1. Every time the user tracks their heart rate variability, they use Fitbit.

1. 1. Every time the user tracks their breathing rate, they use Fitbit.

1. 1. Every time the user tracks their blood oxygen level, they use Fitbit.

1. 1. Every time the user receives a personalized workout plan, they use Fitbit.

1. 1. Every time the user tracks their hydration, they use Fitbit.

1. 1. Every time the user tracks their food quality, they use Fitbit.

1. 1. Every time the user records their voice and tracks their stress, they use Fitbit.

1. 1. Every time the user tracks their training with GPS, they use Fitbit.

Q4. How a fitness app can make people love physical activity?

1. 1. Start small: Encourage people to begin with small, manageable goals, such as taking a short walk each day and gradually increasing the intensity and duration of their physical activity.

1. 1. Make it fun: Find ways to make physical activity more enjoyable, such as participating in group fitness classes, trying new activities like rock climbing or dancing, or incorporating music or games into exercise routines.

1. 1. Make it social: Encourage people to exercise with friends or family, as social support can be a powerful motivator.

1. 1. Provide a sense of accomplishment: Help people feel accomplished by celebrating their progress and milestones and recognizing their achievements.

1. 1. Encourage self-reflection: Encourage people to reflect on why they want to engage in physical activity, and to focus on the benefits it provides, such as improved mood, better sleep, and reduced stress.

1. 1. Education and resources: Provide people with information and resources, such as educational materials or workout plans, to help them make informed choices about physical activity.

1. 1. Make it part of the daily routine: Encourage people to make physical activity a regular part of their daily routine, such as by taking the stairs instead of the elevator or going for a walk during lunch breaks.

1. 1. Make it personal: Help people find meaningful and relevant activities that align with their personal interests and values.

Q5. What features of Fitbit make users love physical activity and thus engage repeatedly? 

1. 1. Random rewards: Fitbit can randomly award users with virtual badges or rewards for reaching certain milestones, such as taking a certain number of steps or logging a certain number of days in a row.

1. 1. Progress updates: Fitbit can send users occasional progress updates, such as how close they are to reach their step goal for the day, which can keep users engaged and motivated.

1. 1. Social comparison: Fitbit allows users to compare their progress to that of friends and family, which can provide an intermittent source of motivation and competition.

1. 1. New features: Fitbit can occasionally release new features, such as sleep tracking or heart rate monitoring, which can provide an intermittent source of excitement and engagement.

1. 1. Gamification: Fitbit can use game-like elements, such as challenges and leaderboards, to keep users engaged and motivated.

1. 1. A sense of accomplishment: The device can provide intermittent victory when reaching different goals or milestones.

1. 1. Incentives: Fitbit can use intermittent incentives, such as discounts or free trials, to keep users engaged and interested in the device.

1. 1. Social recognition: Fitbit allows users to share their progress with friends and family, which can provide an intermittent source of social recognition and validation.

Q6. What example of push notifications engages the user to visit repeatedly? 

Here are a few examples of push notifications that the Fitbit app might send to users:

1. 1. “Congratulations! You’ve reached your step goal for the day. Keep up the good work!”

1. 1. “Don’t forget to log your daily food and water intake. You’re on track to hit your fitness goals!”

1. 1. “You’re close to reaching your daily activity goal. Take a walk or do some stretching to hit your target!”

1. 1. “It’s time to check your heart rate. Sit down, relax and take your heart rate reading.”

1. 1. “You’ve been sitting for too long. Get up, move around and take a short walk.”

1. 1. “You’ve earned a new badge for reaching your step goal for the past 7 days. Keep up the good work!”

1. 1. “You’ve completed your daily workout. Great job! Check your stats and see how you did.”

1. 1. “You’ve been inactive for too long. Do a quick workout or walk to stay on track.”

1. 1. “You’ve been awake for too long; it’s time to sleep. Go to bed, and have a good night’s sleep.”

1. 1. “You slept well last night. You’ve reached your Sleep goal. Keep up the good work.”

Q7. Differentiate between the features of Fitocracy vs Fitbit? 

Fitocracy and Fitbit are both fitness-tracking apps, but they have some distinct differences in terms of their features:

1. 1. Fitocracy is focused on social and gamified aspects of fitness tracking, allowing users to compete and collaborate with other users through challenges, competitions, and a community feature. Fitbit, however, focuses on tracking and analyzing personal fitness data and providing personalized insights and recommendations.

1. 1. Fitocracy allows users to track and log a wide range of exercises and activities and provides a point and leveling system to incentivize users to reach their fitness goals. Fitbit, on the other hand, primarily tracks steps, calories burned, and sleep patterns and provides a more detailed analysis of this data.

1. 1. Fitocracy has a social aspect where users can connect and share their progress, challenges, and achievements. Fitbit focuses more on the user’s progress and provides the user with personalized insights and recommendations.

1. 1. Fitocracy provides a sense of gamification to fitness and is more focused on motivation through social aspects. At the same time, Fitbit is more focused on providing accurate and detailed data analysis to help users understand their fitness and make informed decisions.

Takeaways.

Engagement is monetization in apps.

The following psychology behind the engagement helps beat the so-called “best practices”.

Are you attending HIMSS scheduled between the 17th and 21st of April in Chicago this year?

If yes, let’s meet.

Venture7 is a full-scale technology transformative company helping healthcare companies craft digital health solutions to transform the future of care.