Why You May Need Medical Software Development

Over a decade ago, internet entrepreneur Marc Andreessen famously said that software is eating the world. We might not be there yet, but there’s no doubt that it’s powering modern businesses — including healthcare facilities. In healthcare, medical software development is being applied to all areas — patient care, operations, human resources, etc. And it’s becoming more critical for hospitals trying to navigate a constantly evolving technological landscape. 

Ultimately, organizations that use custom medical software development built for their specific needs will have a far simpler time succeeding in an increasingly digital industry. 

Reasons to Embrace Software Development in Healthcare 

The need for software development in healthcare is growing fast, with some outlooks predicting that the medical software market will reach more than $104 billion by 2030. So how can you tell if it’s the right time for your organization to prioritize medical software development? Here are some signs: 

Poor data management:

Data is the lifeblood of healthcare facilities. But there’s a lot of it, it’s stored in different places, much of it’s highly sensitive, and methods for collecting it must comply with disparate regulations and requirements. Organizations need interoperable solutions to ensure their care teams can connect the dots and fully leverage information on hand.  

Low net promoter score (NPS) and patient experience survey results:

Over 90% of patients participating in a study by The Beryl Institute said their experiences at healthcare facilities significantly influence their future personal healthcare decisions. User-friendly patient engagement software can help support those experiences, delivering features like simple scheduling, automatic reminders, and easy payments. When integrated with EHR and practice management software, such applications are easily accessible to medical professionals and administrative support workers who need them.

Overworked staff and burned-out clinicians:

Even before the COVID-19 pandemic, a U.S. Health and Human Services report found burnout was reaching 35%-54% among nurses and physicians. Such numbers continue to climb and make it difficult for healthcare facilities to retain employees. Bespoke customer relationship management (CRM) software can digitize some healthcare workflows such as billing, telehealth, ePrescriptions, online booking, and lab referrals, giving doctors more time to engage patients and deliver high-quality care.

Siloed departments and service lines:

Silos within healthcare lead to poorer patient care, higher costs, and duplication of services. EHR systems are key tools for breaking some of these silos, pulling patient clinical data like medical records, immunizations, and vital signs into a single place rather than leaving them in myriad legacy systems.

Barriers to medication access:

There are numerous reasons people have trouble getting medications, from insurance coverage to costs to being able to physically acquire them. EPrescription software that lets medical offices directly send prescriptions to pharmacies can reduce travel needed to get medications. Medication management software streamlines in-office processes, like tracking, compliance, ordering, and maintaining inventory.

Difficulty scheduling appointments:

Medical scheduling software can automate appointment scheduling for patients, making it easier for them to set, change, or cancel doctor visits, and simpler for physicians to manage their agendas.

Laboratory delays and errors:

Mistakes in any step of the testing process can affect patient care. Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS) software is used to manage all aspects of running medical testing labs, from collecting samples and allocating resources to managing patient data, conducting tests, and generating reports. 

Ineffective billing and reimbursement practices:

Problems like miscommunication, haphazard procedures, and overly complex operations can cost hospitals money and time — and can lead to ongoing frustration for patients. Software can automate such services as billing, invoicing, and reimbursing, making it easier to charge patients and, in turn, giving patients greater visibility into their healthcare payments. 

Lack of hospital beds:

The pandemic years exacerbated what was already an ongoing problem of hospital bed shortages that could lead to rationed care, compromised patient privacy, patients leaving before completing treatment, and dissatisfaction among doctors and staff. Bed management software systems give doctors and hospital administrators real-time status updates of available beds, enabling them to plan ahead and coordinate the bed-turnover process. 

Lack of system integration:

Despite the recent stabilization of operating margins, healthcare operators are still struggling with mounting fiscal challenges. Software-based healthcare integrations can help by standardizing data flow between disparate systems like EHRs and revenue management software. With many organizations turning to mergers and acquisitions in hopes of increasing profits, having interoperable technologies can make such transitions easier to implement. 

Considering Medical Software Development Companies

Digital health can help healthcare organizations address these challenges, making medical software development central to improving how they operate and deliver care. Teaming with medical software development companies is a way of ensuring access to advanced software capabilities needed for streamlining operations, elevating the patient experience, and driving greater efficiencies. 

But medical software development is a complex process — one that can be accelerated by partnering with a firm that offers comprehensive technology services. Partners experienced in custom medical software development are best positioned to assist healthcare facilities with particular internal needs by offering access to custom solutions ideal for addressing their unique challenges.  

Importantly, such collaborations can save time and money. The cost of a six-month project done in-house can run as high as $388,000, while the same job outsourced to the right developer can cost about $200,000. Successful software development partnerships can also yield flexible solutions that may be utilized across multiple use cases, a critical component for complex IT environments like those found in hospitals and similar organizations. 

Lastly, the most effective medical software development companies provide helpful healthcare IT consulting services. Experienced advisers can help plan an IT strategy and roadmap that address the specific needs facing the client, then leverage their colleagues’ medical software development capabilities to put that strategy into motion. 

Learn more about how Elxo can help your organization develop a custom software solution.