Finding the Right Software Developer in the Medical Field

The modern healthcare facility is a complex environment balancing provider needs and patient demands, privacy and security controls, regulatory and billing challenges, and workflows and integrations. 

Software is the common thread that connects everything in this multi-faceted ecosystem. That’s why it’s so essential to find a software developer in the medical field that isn’t just the best, but is the best fit for your organization. Given how many healthcare software development companies operate in a market that could reach $104 billion by 2030, finding that needle in the haystack isn’t easy. 

There are myriad stories of healthcare software developers delivering late products that are over budget and don’t do what was promised. Such failures don’t only affect an organization’s technical infrastructure but could also cause a ripple effect that runs across employee experience, patient satisfaction, and hospital operations — all at a cost of both time and money.  

The unfortunate domino effect of haphazard software rollouts could harm a facility’s ability to retain staff and patients. And that may result in reputation declines that could impact revenue and funding. Luckily, there are some important things to look out for that can help you make the right decision and avoid disappointing software implementations. 

What Makes a Healthcare Software Development Company the Right Fit?

The main challenge is to sort through the top healthcare software development companies to find the one that can best serve your needs. This is no easy task, but here are some thoughts and questions to consider when searching for that right software developer in the medical field: 

• Expertise:

  Think about your environment — facility size, number of employees and patients, your technology needs — and determine whether the developer has worked in similar situations. Do they understand the operational logic that’s behind their product? Are they experienced in healthcare? Also, make sure to ask for testimonials, case studies, and references to back up their expertise.
  
  

• Collaboration:

  You’re looking for a partner in healthcare software development companies, so gauge their communications skills and collaboration approaches. Who do they want to speak with? If you need them, how available are they for your questions and concerns? 
  
  

• Technical Expertise:

  A software developer in the medical field is going to come to the table with a history of developing certain technology stacks and using specialized skills. You want to make sure they align with your needs and, just as importantly, their technology integrates with the applications and systems you have running. Also, will their solutions mean having to upgrade or replace any legacy systems? You’ll want a demo of the product and to hear about their development process in advance. 
  
  
  
  

• Customizability:

  Healthcare facilities will have needs specific to their operations that commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) software won’t address. In that case, a custom healthcare software development company may be the way to go. Developing software in-house can cost as much as $388,000 over six months; outsourcing the work comes in at about $281,400. With custom software, make sure solutions created by the developer can be used for multiple use cases and that they’re user-friendly to drive adoption and ease the transition. Hospital employees are busy and need easy-to-navigate interfaces.
  
  

• Training:

  How will a software developer in the medical field ensure that providers and hospital staff develop the skills to run the solutions? This is important, because if workers run into hurdles trying to run the software, adoption will be slower, which could lead to frustration, lower staff retention, and a slowdown in business operations — contributing to many of the same problems hospitals are trying to solve. Have a training roadmap ready to go. Who will be trained and who will do the training? Does it need to be done on-site? Can some or all of it be run remotely? Are there walkthroughs?
  
  

• Compliance and security:

  Healthcare facilities hold massive amounts of sensitive patient and employee data, making them a growing target of ransomware and other threats. In addition, they need to comply with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) and other regulations around data and privacy, so a slip in either security or compliance could have dire consequences for the hospital as well as its patients and staff. Healthcare software development companies need to prove that they’re knowledgeable about the myriad regulations and up to date about standard security measures.
  
  

• Support and maintenance:

  Once the software is developed and implemented and everyone has been trained on it, what services does the healthcare software developer offer to keep things up and running? A software maintenance agreement, which includes technical support and updates, is an important factor for ensuring that the solution will continue to run smoothly and, if there’s a bump, that the software developer will fix the problem. It’s also one less thing to worry about for healthcare employees who deal with other challenges throughout the workday. 

Look for a Custom Hospital Software Development Company

Partnering with top healthcare software development companies can help hospitals keep up with modern-day healthcare technology demands, as well as alleviate worry about costs and the stress of having to create software solutions themselves. 

The best healthcare software development companies don’t only offer a solution but create custom software to address needs specific to your facility, offer healthcare IT consulting services to help diagnose your requirements, and develop a comprehensive strategy to meet them. 

Elxo meets with every healthcare organization to ask questions, evaluate current processes and technologies, and recommend the right off-the-shelf, low-code or fully custom software solutions. In an increasingly complex healthcare IT environment, a partner that can deliver both can make all the difference.  

Speak with one of our representatives to see how Elxo can customize the right software for your healthcare organization.