How to create a health intervention app with no-code
Traditionally, delivering health interventions involved complicated logistics, ranging from in-person therapy sessions to manual tracking of patients. This often meant substantial coordination and a reliance on slow, paper-based methods.
Over the past two decades, app-based health interventions have gained popularity. Developing these apps typically requires significant budgets, extensive timelines, and the expertise of software designers and developers. However, with the rise of no-code app builders, building digital intervention tools has become easier, faster and more affordable. This shift opens up new opportunities for health researchers and innovators to co-design and co-build advanced app-based health interventions that effectively drive outcomes.
No-code platforms vary widely in terms of their purpose, customizability and suitability. Digital health apps require specialist platforms that provide scalable, secure, medically compliant infrastructure, interfaces that ensure accessibility for all patients, and specialized components focused on health outcomes.
What are health intervention apps?
Health intervention apps are tools designed to deliver a range of interventions—behavioral, educational, or therapeutic—to patients or at-risk groups. These apps enable researchers to engage study participants in evaluating and improving the effectiveness of the interventions, driving better health outcomes. Once proven effective, these digital health apps can enhance patient engagement and reduce the over-reliance on healthcare professionals, easing the burden on health systems.
For instance, apps can educate patients and deliver self-help strategies such as cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) based interventions. Apps like Tackling Tinnitus and Mementum provide relief in conditions with limited treatment options by supporting patients with tinnitus and Cognitive Functional Disorder, respectively.
Examples of self-help apps are Tackling Tinnitus, which helps patients with tinnitus, and Mementum, which supports patients with Cognitive Functional Disorder—both providing relief in debilitating conditions with limited treatment options. Another example is BiSi, which delivers Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) training to medical professionals to develop psychological resilience skills and prevent burnout.
Using no-code to deliver health interventions
No-code app builders allow healthcare experts to create digital health apps without needing to write a single line of code. This enables researchers and innovators to focus on their core research objectives, content development and intervention design instead of getting bogged down with technical details.
Key Benefits of Using No-Code Tools
Ease of Use: No coding skills are required, meaning people with basic computer skills can create applications.
Speed: Rapid development and deployment of apps allow for quicker iterations and adjustments. According to a recent study, no-code app builders can reduce development time by up to 90% compared to traditional coding methods.
Cost-Effective: These tools are significantly cheaper than hiring a development team or using traditional software development methods, reducing development costs by up to 70%.
Guide to picking the right no-code app builder
When it comes to no-code app builders, there are a number of options available such as Bubble, Adalo, and Quixy. However, when it comes to patient-focussed intervention apps, Cogniss is a unique option. There are quite a few considerations to keep in mind which can simplify the process of picking your ideal solution.
Data privacy and security: Choose a platform that handles sensitive patient data securely and enables you to comply with regulations like GDPR, DTAC and HIPAA. Cogniss’s built-in compliance and security features simplify the protection of sensitive health data and, hence, also the procurement pathway within universities and enterprises.
Development time and learning curve: Opt for a no-code app builder that not only reduces development time but also has a short learning curve. This enables health experts without technical backgrounds to maintain their focus on core activities. Cogniss’s intuitive, modular design dramatically reduces the development time and shortens the learning curve.
Cost efficiency and scalability: Budget considerations can be crucial, particularly in academic research or when developing solutions for underserved populations or conditions. Select a platform that is cost-effective for both proof-of-concept and commercial distribution. Cogniss offers economical pricing that scales with your project.
IP retention: Assess whether you would like to build and retain IP, with a view to commercialize your app. Cogniss allows you to hold complete IP for your app and your content from day one, eliminating the need for redevelopment when commercializing.
Level of customization: Your options vary from templated platforms that offer little to no customization, to those that enable almost as much customization as coding. Determine whether the platform meets your specific needs without complicating the development process. Cogniss offers pre-built features that can be combined and configured in a range of ways to build and deploy fit-for-purpose apps.
Integration capabilities: Evaluate your need to integrate with health systems, medical devices, and wearables to enhance the effectiveness of the intervention app. Cogniss facilitates seamless integration via APIs.
Access to data: Check how straightforward it is to download app content or usage data for your analysis and what level of detail it is available at. Cogniss Insights gives access to aggregate and interaction-level data that can easily be downloaded and exported to analytics tools.
More advantages offered by Cogniss
Specialized, pre-built features for health: Cogniss’s modular architecture offers built-in functionalities ideal for building health interventions. These features include highly personalized, trigger-based activity and content pathways, user randomization, sophisticated screening surveys, onboarding flows, and more. Features like automated notifications and rewards engage research participants and patients effectively over extended periods.
Rule-based AI for content personalization: Cogniss facilitates highly tailored, conditional experiences that adjust based on participant demographics, health measures or responses. This level of personalization significantly enhances the effectiveness of interventions, making them more impactful for the targeted user group.
App ecosystems: The super app model of Cogniss allows for the consolidation of multiple apps into a single, seamless app in the app stores and/or web. This powerful capability has multiple applications, including innovation sandbox, digital front doors, or patient education & support hubs.
Duplication and localization: Cogniss enables your app to be set up as a template that can be duplicated and translated in multiple languages, localized for a region or tailored for ethnic communities. This feature ensures inclusivity and broad reach, essential for achieving comprehensive research and care outcomes.
Co-design capability: Cogniss makes it easy to modify the app structure and content based on real-world feedback, enabling health researchers and experts to make ongoing adjustments and improvements to their apps.
Supporting proof-of-concept: Creating a proof-of-concept app using Cogniss can significantly strengthen your grant applications or funding potential by demonstrating the feasibility and a clear path forward.
Building your health intervention app with Cogniss
If you’re looking for a no-code app builder for your intervention app, look no further than Cogniss. Here are the steps to get started:
Onboarding and user screening: Cogniss enables you to build intuitive onboarding flows and rigorous screening processes to ensure that only suitable candidates participate in your study or access your intervention.
Randomization & multiple pathways: For research involving randomized control trials, Cogniss facilitates user randomization and the creation of distinct intervention pathways.
Baseline assessment: Establish participant baselines to measure the impact of your interventions effectively. Create comprehensive assessments to gather initial data, which will serve as a benchmark for evaluating changes over time.
Intervention activities: Design and implement engaging activities such as learning modules, practice sessions, daily check-ins, and interactive tasks.
Hyper-personalization: Use rule-based AI to hyperpersonalize the content and activity flow based on profile information, patient-reported measures or responses or other triggers.
User engagement: Research shows that automated reminders can increase participant adherence by up to 40%. Cogniss enables automated notifications to remind participants about tasks, helping maintain high engagement and adherence rates.
Final assessment: Implement comprehensive final assessments to evaluate the effectiveness of your intervention. Cogniss provides tools to easily trigger and distribute these assessments at the right points in user journey.
Experience Cogniss firsthand
Cogniss offers a free two-week trial for health experts to test out the platform. This gives you time to assess whether the platform meets your needs, before you make any decision. Cogniss also offers:
Pre-built app templates: There is a fully customizable app template specifically for intervention research that can give you a headstart.
Academy lessons: Our hands-on lessons help you become proficient with Cogniss within hours.
Success support: Search our library of help articles for answers or contact our friendly product experts.
Start your free trial today or speak to our team to discover whether Cogniss is the ideal no-code app builder for your health intervention app.