Why HealthTech Companies Must Become More User-Centric or Risk Failing

HealthTech companies have been instrumental during the COVID-19 pandemic. These companies have made medical help outside of traditional facilities more accessible, kept communities informed, collected contact-tracing data , and facilitated the recent reopening of society. Here is how healthtech companies must become more use-centric or risk failing.
No doubt, HealthTech has cemented its role as a necessity in the digital age.
In May, the UN pledged to boost HealthTech production for COVID-19. Meanwhile, the UK has announced a £1.25 billion government package for young HealthTech companies. The wave of support for the industry has spurred rapid growth and has poised HealthTech to be part of everyday life on a long-term basis.
As HealthTech platforms become more popular, user experience (UX) is set to become a bigger priority.
Currently, HealthTech solutions are focusing on practicality over usability because he need to reach markets is more pressing than tailoring features and processes.
Nonetheless, to be successful, HealthTech companies have to put UX front and center. Research shows that 70 percent of customers will abandon a service that has a bad user experience.
Among a new landscape, new user behaviors , and new UX expectations, HealthTech companies that do not put users first, risk losing consumers and even failing. Here’s why:
HealthTech companies in a new landscape.
COVID-19 has completely changed how people interact and the tools they use to maintain a sense of normality. Government-enforced quarantines have meant people are at home more, while social distancing rules limit outside physical contact.
These environmental changes are leading evolutionary changes, especially in the relationship between humans and technology .
Drones
Already, drones have been used to spray disinfectant over large urban areas, robots are delivering medical supplies, and telemedicine companies are catering to people with no insurance or high deductibles.
These new adoptions co-align with how people are turning to online services to continue their daily lives. Traditionally-offline services are now available via the internet, and so, people’s digital literacy is improving.
However, there is still a sharp gap between the tech-savvy and tech beginners.
The disparity presents a challenge for HealthTech companies that now have to provide solutions for the different user segments. They have to consider both avid users and those who are less-practiced with technology.
HealthTech companies and new user behaviors.
During the lockdown, people are online more often and for longer periods. In some parts of the world, internet usage has even gone up by 50 percent . The internet surge could mean that people are no longer browsing from their mobile phones but instead using their desktops.
The change in...