An overview on development of Video Consultation Healthcare App in React Native Using Twilio

Posted by Parija Rangnekar On Filed under Healthcare, React Native No Comments
An overview on development of Video Consultation Healthcare App in React Native Using Twilio
Healthcare app development
Since the introduction of mHealth apps, healthcare organizations have witnessed a sea-change in the way patients relate to doctors. Now the patients have more control over their medical decisions and the overall system has become more patient-centric. Owing to this, a variety of mHealth apps have emerged in the market and a video consultation healthcare app is one such innovation. This app enables the patients and doctors to communicate instantly in case of an emergency or when it is not possible to visit the hospital. The doctors can send ePrescriptions online and provide medical assistance. So, having an Online Medical Consultation App with a video calling facility can always be a lucrative decision for any medical body or even an individual practitioner.
So, today’s topic is about creating a video consultation healthcare app. We will consider the React Native framework for this purpose since React Native development services are a perfect pick for developing native-like cross-platform apps. Also, we will talk about Twilio as a cloud communications platform that is being widely used in video calling apps. Let’s get started with what Twilio is and then the process to create the app.

What is Twilio?

Twilio is an American cloud-based service or cloud communications platform as a service (CPaaS). It acts as a powerful communication tool and bridges the gap between various mobile devices, other systems, services, etc., and telephony. In React Native development, APIs offered by Twilio enable the developers to implement several communication services like making and receiving audio/video phone calls, sending and receiving text messages, etc. These services also include AI bots, emails, etc. In this process, in addition to audio/video calling, other features like account recovery, phone verification, in-app calls or in-app chats, etc. can also be worked upon.
To integrate Twilio into the app, React Native developers will need existing knowledge on Cocoapods, React Native Navigation, React, etc. Twilio

Here are a few top benefits of using Twilio

  • Twilio is quite easy to learn and so, there are a plethora of developers available.
  • It follows a standard method of communication: HTTP.
  • Switching between technologies is also much easier.
  • Owing to Platforms as a Service (PaaS), capital costs are somewhat lower. Even the deployment costs are lower and they increase gradually as the company grows.

Key Steps for Creating a React Native Healthcare App with Video Consultation using Twilio WebRTC

While using Twilio WebRTC for the healthcare video calling app, a React Native app development company should follow the step-by-step procedure as given below. This procedure is divided into two major parts where the first part is about generating a token using Twilio and the second part talks about installing dependencies using a React Native starter kit. Also, we will consider a React Native Android app for now. So let’s get started with the first part.

Part 1: Token Generation with Twilio

Twilio provides both IOS/Android SDKs and JavaScript. But for React Native, Twilio does not provide any direct support. So, the React Native developers can use the JavaScript SDK for a few services but this isn’t possible for other services, because to a great extent it depends on browser APIs. There is one more alternative and that would be by porting the native Android/IOS SDK to React Native. So here, we have used this combination: Twilio Video (WebRTC) for React Native.
Firstly, create an account on https://www.twilio.com/. Sign-up for a trial and verify your credentials such as phone number, email, etc. You will now be directed to the Dashboard.
You will need an ACCOUNT SID along with an API key and a Secret key for generating a token. For generating an API key, navigate to API keys through the settings. The creation of the API key here will give both the Secret key and the API key. It is now possible to generate a token by using npm install which uses npm package. The tokens can also be generated in multiple languages as well. The identity value should be changed for every token as the same token cannot be used at different places.
There is one more way to create a token by the use of Twilio tools. Click on Twilio tools and write an identity and a room name. This will generate the access token. Securely save these keys for the later part.
The Twilio part of the video consultation healthcare app ends here. Now let us start with the React Native development part.

Part 2: Installing Dependencies using a React Native Starter Kit

Here we will be using React Native starter kit that can be copied from the GitHub link- https://github.com/flatlogic/react-native-starter. You need to run the command- “npm install https://github.com/blackuy/react-native-twilio-video-webrtc –save” in the terminal project directory and then write the required code in App.js file.
Make sure that all the required dependencies are installed by the execution of the command- “npm install” in the project directory. Also, you need to make some configurations for utilizing Twilio and also use audio, camera, etc.
For making the goto Android folder, you should add the following code lines in settings.gradle file-
include ‘:react-native-twilio-video-webrtc’
project (‘:react-native-twilio-video-webrtc’).projectDir = new File (rootProject.projectDir, ‘../node_modules/react-native-twilio-video-webrtc/android’)
Now, go to Android > app > build.gradle file and search for dependencies. After that, add the below-mentioned code in the block.
compile project (‘:react-native-twilio-video-webrtc’)
Also, add the below-mentioned code in Android > app >SRC> main >JAVA> com > reactnativestarter > MainApplication.java
import com.twiliorn.library.TwilioPackage;
After this, replace the getPackages() method with the required code.
Now for requesting the permissions from the user, it is essential to modify AndroidManifest.xml by adding the required code in this file. Also ensure that in your Twilio account, the client-side room creation is enabled.

Running the Application

Finally, when all the steps are implemented and code is executed, run your React Native healthcare app by the execution of the command- “react-native run-android” from the terminal window.

Final Verdict:

Here we have developed a simple React Native app to demonstrate the video-calling capability of Twilio. But we just need to remember that a few things like user connections, user access token generation, room creation, etc. must be very diligently handled on the backend.
Would you like to develop a Video Consultation healthcare app with Twilio implementation in React Native as outlined above? We hope the aforesaid steps will be helpful to React Native developers. For any technical assistance in creating a customized doctor-on-demand video consultation healthcare app, Contact Biz4Solutions, a highly proficient Healthcare app development company with 11+years of experience in this domain.

A Guide To Create The Best Fitness App

Posted by Parija Rangnekar On Filed under Healthcare No Comments
A Guide To Create The Best Fitness App
Healthcare App Development
The fitness industry is flourishing with the growing awareness regarding health and fitness. Consumers are driven towards fitness apps for their ease of use and personalized approach. Many apps have made their way into the market as the best fitness apps on the pretext of offering personalized diet and exercise regimes. The global fitness app market size which was estimated to value around $1.1 Billion in the year 2021 is expected to grow at a steady rate of 17.6% CAGR between the years 2022 and 2030.
Fitness providers are constantly looking for opportunities to monetize their offerings. Fitness apps are the perfect solution for fitness providers to reach a large consumer segment on a global level. With the help of healthcare app development companies, developing a fitness app has become very easy today.

Types of Fitness Apps

Anyone planning to launch a fitness app must first decide on the kind of app they want to associate with. Let us take a look at the different types of fitness apps.

Fitness tracking app

Such apps can be integrated with smartphones to track the calories with every fitness exercise. Many apps such as Fitbit and Nokia Health have already made their mark in this segment. These apps also track fitness goals and send reminders to the users to keep them on track.

Fitness workout apps

Workout apps are best for newbies unaware of the different methods and exercises to achieve their physical goals. Many apps offer 5-7 minutes quick workout routines which can be followed anytime even in a busy schedule.

Social fitness app

This app will empower you with connectivity. You can share your workout details and goals with your friends on social media and stay motivated. You can create and participate in challenges to keep up your interest in a workout.

Competitive fitness app

Many fitness apps are dedicated to competitions. It can be about cycling, running, or any other competitive workout. You can participate in the competitions and share your goals.

Altruistic fitness apps

Such apps are associated with charities and causes. It has tie-up with different corporate sponsors who donate a certain amount for a cause for every milestone achieved by a participant.

How to Create a Fitness App?

fitness app development

Finalize the application type

The very first step is to decide the kind of app you want to create. Who should it cater to and what are the issues that it can solve. Conduct market research to understand your target market and the scope of introducing an application into it. Brainstorm ideas about the app and its USP.

Choose a monetization model

Mobile app development
Now that you have the basic idea of the app in mind, choose a monetization model. The monetization model is the business model using which you are going to earn revenue from the application. You have different types to choose from:
  • Paid apps: The user has to pay to use such apps and the price varies for different platforms, remote devices, and content.
  • Freemium: The basic features of such apps can be used for free. The user has to pay to use the premium features.
  • In-app purchases: The user can download and use the app for free. They are motivated to make some purchases on the app such as a diet plan or some health drink.
  • Ads and sponsored content: The app company sells the space on their apps to third parties for their advertisements and sponsored content, and earns on a pay-per-click model.

Decide the basic features

You have to decide which features you are going to offer on your fitness app. Some of the common features are:
    • User profile
This profile option captures the current physical characteristics and goals of the user. The users can check their profile to check their weight, body dimensions, and other details along with the transformation they have been through.
    • Goal tracking
This option allows the user to see the upcoming fitness milestones and the actions required from their end. Accordingly, they can plan their daily activity.
    • Social sharing
You can boost the morale of the users by allowing them to share their daily activities and goals on social media.
    • Reminders
Reminders can help the users in getting notified about the workouts required to reach the nearest fitness milestone. There are many other fitness features as well, that you can take up once your basic version is up.

Develop the prototype

The prototype allows you to materialize your visualizations of the app. Multiple wireframes can be created to arrive at the basic design that houses all the features of the application. Create the basic version of your app and keep it ready to test.

Design

Once a successful prototype is developed, it is ready to enter the final design. You can hire a UX design team to create the best fitness app designs. Pay heed to the user experience as it’s primarily going to decide the success of your app.

Decide on Tech Stack

This is the time you need to choose the tech stack. The technology you choose should support all the features, scalability, multiple operating systems, and remote devices. Again, you can think about making a native app, cross-platform app, progressive web app, or any other type of fitness app. The technology will be responsible for the cross-platform compatibility and responsiveness of the fitness app. The focus should be on making higher penetration in the target market.
Develop and Test
The development and testing cycle starts from here. You can start adding changes in design, and code, and then test each addition. From User testing, unit testing, to functional testing, every type of testing is important.
  • Check the security and compliance
    •
    Run security tests to ensure that the fitness app is secure and there are no chances of data theft. Find out if you need a license or approval to run the app.
  • Release and support
    •
    This is the last step. You have to release the fitness app and make sure it performs. Check the app performance using the mobile analytics tools. Monitor the reviews and feedback. Keep making the changes and modifications in the app and release it as a different version.

How Much Will Fitness App Development Cost?

Developing a fitness app may cost you between $25000 and $60000. No fixed amount can be stated. It depends on the different factors including features to be developed, design, management, testing, and quality assurance. All of these elements are going to cost you. A customized app will cost more than an off-the-shelf app.

Conclusion

Fitness app development can be challenging if the development is not well planned. You have to first decide the type of fitness app you want to create. Then chalk out the entire development plan in steps. The cost of app development is also important. Keep it in consideration while finalizing the different app development steps. You can escape this step of estimating cost and finalizing development by hiring a healthcare app development company. You can contact us to create the fitness app from scratch. We have an in-house design team that can provide you with the best UX designs. As a leading software development company, we are dedicated to developing highly responsive and user-friendly apps. Contact us today to develop the best fitness app in your budget.