App Development

Digital health innovation: common mistakes

09/06/2025

Health apps have become an almost indispensable support within the healthcare sector. In recent years, especially after the pandemic, the demand for digital solutions to manage well-being and medical care has skyrocketed, making digital health a priority for both patients and professionals. Nowadays, millions of people use medical applications to monitor their health, obtain remote diagnoses, or follow specific treatments.

But did you know that a single mistake during the development of health apps can be enough to compromise patient safety, generate cost overruns, and ultimately lead to project failure?

At GooApps, we have spent more than 15 years specializing in the creation and development of technological solutions for health, sports, and well-being. Throughout this time, we have learned that behind every success lie valuable lessons, derived from mistakes that could have been avoided. In this article, we want to share with you the most common mistakes in the development of health applications and, above all, the lessons learned that could prevent your project from falling into the same traps.

Why do so many health apps fail?

The health app market has experienced explosive growth in recent years. With an estimated 80% smartphone penetration by 2025, adoption of these applications by both doctors and patients continues to rise. However, the reality is that many digital health applications fail shortly after being launched to the market.

One of the main reasons for these failures lies in the lack of real understanding of user needs. Many applications are created without thorough research into the problem they aim to solve, offering solutions that are either too complex or impractical. In addition, the absence of continuous validation with real users leads to investments in unnecessary features that ultimately provide no real value.

On the other hand, following the pandemic, digital health has become a basic necessity for users. The health crisis accelerated the demand for digital solutions such as telemedicine and remote patient monitoring. This increased demand has also raised user expectations in terms of accessibility, ease of use, and data security.

Precisely for this reason, seemingly small mistakes—such as a poor user experience, lack of attention to accessibility, or regulatory non-compliance—can make the difference between the success and failure of a health app project.

In the following sections, we will explore the common mistakes made during the development of health apps and, more importantly, how to avoid them by learning from our experience at GooApps.

Common mistakes in the development of health apps

At GooApps, we have learned that success in creating digital health solutions does not depend solely on good design or choosing the right technology. Often, the real value lies in avoiding certain mistakes during the process. Below, we review the most frequent mistakes made in the development of health apps, as well as the lessons learned to prevent them.

Mistake 1 – Not clearly defining the problem to be solved

One of the most frequent mistakes in the development of health apps is starting without being clear about the exact problem the application is intended to solve. It is critical to identify from the very beginning what specific need the app will address. Otherwise, there is a risk of investing time and resources in developing features that users simply do not need.

When there is no clear definition of the problem, developers often make the mistake of creating solutions that are either too complex or fail to deliver real value to the user. This results in frustration, low adoption rates, and ultimately, product failure.

During the DISCOVER phase of our GooApps Work Methodology, we dedicate time and resources to conducting in-depth market research, identifying real user needs, and validating our hypotheses with them from the outset.

Lesson learned

Before starting any development, it is essential to understand and validate the problem you want to solve, because the success of your application will directly depend on it.

Mistake 2 – Too many features

When developing health apps, one of the major risks is trying to cover too much from the beginning. Adding features without proper planning can result in overly complex applications, difficult to use and unattractive for the end user. This excess of options causes confusion and frustration, seriously affecting the app’s adoption and continued use.

At GooApps, we understand that more does not always mean better. The key to avoiding this mistake is to aim for a Minimum Viable Product (MVP)—that is, an initial version of the application with only the strictly necessary features. This approach allows for quick validation of whether the app provides real value and enables adjustments based on the actual needs and preferences of users.

Lesson learned

Simplify to improve the user experience. In projects where too many features were initially considered, simplifying the product later on led to a significant improvement in satisfaction and app effectiveness, thereby increasing its adoption and market success.

Mistake 3 – Neglecting user experience (UX/UI)

The effectiveness of health apps is directly related to the quality of the user experience and interface (UX/UI). Poor design can frustrate users if they are unable to navigate the app smoothly and intuitively.

For example, an app with hard-to-identify buttons, small text, or non-intuitive processes may result in a patient failing to complete their treatment correctly, or a healthcare professional making decisions based on confusing information. These UX/UI mistakes have a direct impact on safety and on the medical outcomes achieved.

At GooApps, we have learned to avoid these errors by applying a user-centered strategy from the beginning. Our practice involves conducting ongoing usability testing with real users, ensuring that the design responds to specific needs. We prioritize simple, clear, and intuitive interfaces, making it easy for both patients and healthcare professionals to interact effectively with the app, reducing errors and improving treatment adherence.

Lesson learned

Understand that good UX/UI design is one that fully adapts to the user’s needs, thereby improving both adoption and effectiveness of digital health solutions.

Mistake 4 – Ignoring health regulations and data protection

Regulatory frameworks and data protection are critical factors when developing health apps. Ignoring or postponing these aspects can lead to serious economic and legal consequences, in addition to compromising user safety and trust.

In Europe, compliance with regulations such as MDR (Medical Devices Regulation), IVDR (In Vitro Diagnostics Regulation), and the GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation) is mandatory from the early stages of the project. Failing to comply with these regulations can result in financial penalties, major launch delays, or even project cancellation.

At GooApps, we have seen how certain external projects failed precisely because they overlooked these requirements at the start.

Lesson learned

The solution we adopted was to involve regulatory experts from the very beginning of development, thereby ensuring that all legal, technical, and safety requirements are met from day one.

Mistake 5 – Underestimating accessibility

Many applications fail because they underestimate the importance of accessibility. When developing health apps, it is essential to ensure that all users, regardless of their abilities or disabilities, can use them easily. Ignoring this aspect leads to exclusion and can represent a significant loss of potential users.

Developing apps with accessibility shortcomings, in addition to being perceived as unethical, can also lead to legal and financial consequences. Failing to comply with the UNE-EN 301 549 standard can result in fines or make it impossible to participate in public tenders, thereby limiting the app’s reach.

At GooApps, we always recommend committing to universal design. This means incorporating accessibility elements from the outset, such as compatibility with screen readers, adequate color contrast, and adjustable font sizes. We also conduct accessibility validations throughout all stages of development, working in collaboration with accessibility expert organizations.

Lesson learned

An app that achieves widespread adoption in the digital health sector must be accessible to everyone, thereby ensuring an inclusive and universal experience.

Mistake 6 – Lack of planning and project management

One of the most common mistakes in the development of health apps is underestimating the importance of proper planning and project management. Poor management will delay delivery times and significantly increase the required budget due to constant changes and unforeseen adjustments.

At GooApps, we have found that the right combination of different project management methodologies, such as Agile and Waterfall, is essential to ensure project success. While Agile methodology offers great flexibility to quickly adapt to user needs, Waterfall provides structural clarity and detailed planning from the beginning. Through continuous improvement, we have developed our own work methodology, which has allowed us to carry out development in an efficient way, aligned with the initial goals of each project.

Lesson learned

Good planning and management, supported by appropriate methodologies, helps to avoid surprises, optimize resource use, and deliver the product on time, without additional costs.

Mistake 7 – Investing too little in marketing

Another common mistake in the development of digital health solutions is putting too much effort and budget into technical development while neglecting or minimizing investment in marketing. Without a clear strategy to promote the app, even the best health applications risk going unnoticed, limiting their reach and commercial success.

The reality is that marketing is essential to properly position a digital health solution, generate user trust, and encourage ongoing adoption. At GooApps, we recommend adjusting marketing investment according to the product’s life cycle:

• Initial phase (MVP): allocate around 20% of the budget to marketing.

• Official launch: increase this figure up to 40%.

• Later phases (growth and expansion): marketing should account for at least 60% of the budget.
  

This balanced approach ensures that the application effectively reaches its target audience, achieving massive and sustained adoption over time.

Lesson learned

Do not underestimate the importance of marketing. The right investment in promotion and visibility is crucial for a digital product to be successful and reach the expected adoption levels.

The only one who never makes mistakes is the one who does nothing

GooApps development team

At GooApps, we believe that making mistakes is part of the process when it comes to developing health apps. However, the important thing is not only to identify those mistakes, but also to learn from them and avoid repeating them in future projects.

As you have seen throughout this article, many of the most common mistakes—such as failing to define the problem properly, adding unnecessary features, or ignoring required regulations—can jeopardize the success of a digital health solution. Avoiding them from the start will significantly improve development efficiency, reduce costs, and, most importantly, ensure a product that is useful, safe, and well-received by users.

At GooApps, we transform every experience into applicable knowledge. And we share it because we believe that a more mature and professional sector benefits everyone.

Are you planning to develop a health app and want to make sure you do things right from the beginning? Let us talk. At GooApps, we support you in every phase of the project, helping you create digital solutions that lead the market.