What Is the Cost to Develop Healthcare Software?

• By Emma Watson
• 07-02-2023
• Software

The cost of developing healthcare software can vary greatly depending on several factors such as the size and complexity of the project, the platform, the technology used, the geographic location of the development team, and the experience of the developers.

On average, the cost of developing basic healthcare software can range from $10,000 to $50,000, while the cost of developing complex, enterprise-level healthcare software can range from $50,000 to $500,000 or more.

It's important to note that these are rough estimates and the actual cost of developing healthcare software can vary greatly based on the specific requirements and goals of the project. It's always best to consult with a software development company or a team of developers to get a more accurate estimate.

Factors that Influence the Cost of Healthcare Software Development

The following are some of the main factors that influence the cost of developing healthcare software:

Features and Complexity of the Project

The more features and complexity that are involved in a healthcare software project, the more it will cost to develop. For example, basic healthcare software that just tracks patients and their medical history will cost less to develop than complex software that integrates with other healthcare systems and provides advanced patient management features.

Platform

The platform the healthcare software is being developed for can also affect the cost. For example, developing healthcare software for mobile devices will likely be less expensive than developing similar software for desktop computers.

Technology Used

The technology used to develop healthcare software can also impact the cost. For example, using a more complex technology such as artificial intelligence (AI) or machine learning (ML) will increase the cost of development compared to using a more straightforward technology.

Location of the Development Team

The geographic location of the development team can also impact the cost of developing healthcare software. Teams located in countries with a higher cost of living, such as the United States or Western Europe, will likely charge more for their services compared to teams located in countries with a lower cost of living, such as India or Eastern Europe.

Experience of the Developers

The experience of the development team can also impact the cost. Teams with more experience and expertise in the healthcare industry will likely charge more for their services compared to teams with less experience.

Some Benefits of Healthcare Software

Improved Patient Care

One of the biggest benefits of healthcare software is that it provides healthcare providers with accurate and up-to-date patient information. This information can include medical history, medication lists, and test results, which can help healthcare providers make informed decisions about patient care.

Healthcare software also helps streamline communication between healthcare providers. With healthcare software, providers can easily share patient information and collaborate on patient care, which can lead to improved patient outcomes.

Increased Efficiency and Productivity

Healthcare software can automate many administrative tasks, such as scheduling appointments and tracking patient records, which frees up time for healthcare providers to focus on delivering care to patients.

Healthcare software can also help healthcare organizations improve resource management. For example, software can be used to track the availability of hospital beds, medical equipment, and staff, which can help organizations allocate resources more efficiently.

Better Patient Experience

Healthcare software can provide patients with access to their health information, such as test results and medication lists, which can help them take a more active role in their own care.

Healthcare software can also enable patients to schedule appointments and have virtual consultations with their healthcare providers, which can save them time and make it easier to access care.

Improved Data Management

Healthcare software can provide a centralized location for storing and managing patient data, making it easier for healthcare providers to access and share information. This can help improve patient care by ensuring that all healthcare providers have access to the same information about a patient.

Enhanced Security

Healthcare software can also enhance security by providing secure, encrypted storage for sensitive patient data. This can help protect patient information from unauthorized access and ensure that patient privacy is maintained.

Improved Compliance with Regulations

Healthcare software can also help healthcare organizations comply with regulations, such as HIPAA, by providing tools and processes for securely storing and managing patient data.

Improved Patient Outcomes

By providing healthcare providers with access to accurate and up-to-date patient information, improving communication between healthcare providers, and automating administrative tasks, healthcare software can help improve patient outcomes.

Cost Savings

Healthcare software can help healthcare organizations save money by reducing the time and resources required to perform administrative tasks, such as scheduling appointments and tracking patient records. Additionally, by improving patient care and outcomes, healthcare software can help reduce the cost of care.

Improved Coordination of Care

Healthcare software can help improve the coordination of care by enabling healthcare providers to easily share information about a patient's care and collaborate on treatment plans. This can help ensure that patients receive the right care at the right time.

Types of Healthcare Software Development

1. Electronic Health Records (EHR)

The most well-known and essential sort of healthcare software is likely Electronic Health Records (EHR). EHR systems maintain patient information, including medical and family history, results of tests and other types of testing, a history of prescription drugs, and more.

The ability for the patient's health information to be created, controlled, and shared with other doctors across many healthcare organizations is the most significant EHR function. In addition to automating and streamlining the physicians' workflow, because they no longer need to ask the same patient for the same information repeatedly, this really improves the patient's care. EHRs support better patient outcomes by lowering mistakes and enhancing patient safety.

When a new drug is prescribed, some EHRs not only store records of the patient's prescriptions and allergies but also immediately search an integrated medication database to notify the doctor of any potential interactions or allergies. They all include a separate site for the patient to see their data, and they frequently include a finance module for billing and invoicing along with that information.

In general, EHRs lessen the risk of data replication, data loss, or critical patient health information. They are also less expensive than paper medical records, which are more likely to be lost, duplicated, or rendered unreadable over time.

EHRs are typically integrated with internal hospital/clinic administration software and are utilized in both clinics and hospitals.

2. Telemedicine Software

The demand for telemedicine, or online medical consultations through websites and mobile applications, peaked during the 2020 pandemic when the conventional healthcare systems were disrupted and many people were unable to contact their doctors for routine in-person appointments. This need ultimately served as the impetus for a revolution in worldwide digital healthcare.

Even if telemedicine may no longer be as necessary as it once was, this kind of medical app has cemented its place in the future of digital healthcare. The biggest obstacle to remote consultation providers was dismantled by Covid-19, specifically how to convince physicians and patients to adopt the technology more quickly. Numerous functions are offered inside a single platform by the increasing number of telemedicine applications and services that are available on the market, including in-app video conferencing file transfer (for patients' test results), and payment.

3. Remote Patient Monitoring (RPM)

The ability of remote patient monitoring (RPM) to gather patient data outside of healthcare facilities (clinics or hospitals) allows for the acquisition of more comprehensive patient health information or even the support of remote diagnosis based on that information. If any form of irregularity is found, remote patient monitoring software can also notify a doctor or a clinic. Remote patient monitoring gained popularity during the pandemic as the conventional methods of health management were disrupted, much like telemedicine services.

Wearable ECG monitors, glucose and blood oxygen meters, and heart rate and blood pressure monitors are a few examples of remote patient monitoring equipment. RPM technology and equipment may generally significantly enhance in-home healthcare services for older patients, patients recovering from surgery, and patients with chronic conditions.

Three stakeholder groups are present at a hospital: the administration, physicians and other authorized healthcare workers, and patients.

4. Hospital Management Systems (HMS)

Hospital management software offers both information and management capabilities to these parties.

HMS frequently has two distinct portals, one for patients and one with management-oriented features. The management panel covers all administrative and medical data required by the hospital, including scheduling for doctors' appointments and managing the supply of food and medications. Nevertheless, there are also utterly uninteresting components, such as laundry management, utility costs, water and power usage, supply inventory, etc.

The patient portal must have all of the following information: a digitalized patient registration form, all admittance information (which is frequently synchronized with electronic medical records), in some cases, patient billing information, insurance, notifications about admittance, procedures, doctor appointments, and information about all medications and prescriptions.

Hospital management systems not only increase general productivity, and simplify processes, but also enhance the patient experience at all times. Hospitals can also gather and examine useful data on many facets of their operations thanks to HRS.

5. Healthcare CRM Software

Software for managing customer relationships in the healthcare industry (CRM) assists doctors and clinics in keeping in touch with their patients. It provides automated service sales, registration for services, and personalization based on available data, which is not materially different from other sectors' CRMs.

Healthcare CRMs provide information on the clinic's daily operations because they can record client information such as medical histories, visit histories, and bill information. Patients can receive automatic reminders about impending checkups or appointments for prescription refills. Their overall goal is to streamline all clinic administrative tasks and speed up the process of reaching data-driven decisions. A clinic may more effectively track patient satisfaction, spot recurring problems more quickly, and automate tedious administrative duties with the help of a CRM.

6. E-prescription Software

Software for electronic prescriptions may vary from nation to nation as it is heavily based on governmental laws. But the fundamental principle remains the same. E-prescribing software enables doctors to track prescription histories, renew them, or cancel them as appropriate in addition to writing new prescriptions. For convenience, the software in some nations provides direct communication with the pharmacy of your choosing.

E-prescription software, in general, improves patient safety, frees up doctors' time, and enables them to check for drug interactions with previously consumed pharmaceuticals.

7. Medical Diagnostics Software

Apps for patients and a more sophisticated type—diagnostic software for medical professionals—are the two categories of medical diagnosis software that can be distinguished.

Instead of leaving patients to rely solely on Google Search, diagnosis applications for patients are frequently straightforward quizzes or chatbots acting as symptom checkers. During the pandemic, they were a frequently utilized tool to guide patients through potential Covid-19 symptoms. This solution was used by numerous countries as a component of their strategy. However, these self-diagnosis applications can be utilized to help patients with a range of other ailments who may be feeling helpless and confused in the maze of symptoms available on Google.

The other kind of diagnosing software is intended for medical specialists. AI diagnosis software can assist medical professionals in data collection, analysis, and determination of nonspecific disease symptoms, facilitating faster diagnosis and research. Healthcare facilities can exchange all of the anonymized data.

8. Appointment Booking Software

Doctors, private clinics, and most recently hospitals use appointment scheduling software. Typically, it has two panels: a management panel and a separate patient-facing panel (on the side of the clinic). Its primary goal should be very obvious: to make scheduling a doctor's appointment easier. Patients can quickly arrange an appointment, receive reminders about it, give the doctor any necessary information in advance, as well as postpone or cancel the appointment.

From a management perspective, it enables the clinic to have a clear and understandable image of the schedules of its doctors. It is a smart technique for the clinic's front desk to streamline the tedious process of reconfirming and rebooking every planned appointment.

Rough Cost Estimates of Healthcare Software

Based on the factors discussed above, here are some rough cost estimates for developing healthcare software:

• A basic healthcare software development project can range from $10,000 to $50,000
• A complex enterprise-level healthcare software project can cost anywhere from $50,000 to $500,000 or more.

Conclusion

The impact of digital innovation on the healthcare sector will increase, not decrease. As a result of the pandemic, the main barriers have been broken down: both specialists and patients are adopting digital health, and governments now recognize the importance of digital in creating a more equitable and productive future. As a result, we can only anticipate the arrival of more disruptive technology.