Offline and cross-platform location-based services for healthcare: A Progressive WebApplication (PWA) Approach

The digital and technological transformation around the world is shaping our daily life through smart phones and mobile applications. The introduction of wireless communication has encouraged the development of various mobile applications including automation, Global Positioning System (GPS) and Location-based services (LBS). These applications are dependent on network connectivity and the multiplicity of various device operating systems. The study explores the potential of Progressive Web Applications (PWA) to address connectivity issues and offer seamless access for users in offline scenarios across diverse devices and operating systems. The main objective of the study is to propose a conceptual framework for developing an offline and cross platform location-based services mobile application using the PWA approach. As a Proof-of-Concept, to demonstrate the practical application of the developed conceptual framework, mobile application named as “DoonHealth” is developed to provide users accessibility to the healthcare facilities in Dehradun city. The application is validated by Google lighthouse tool and has received positive feedback through a usability test with 14 participants. The results confirm that “DoonHealth” is effective in offline conditions and supports multiple device operating systems while meeting the needs of the users.