10 Popular UI Design Mistakes That Ruin User Experience

If you are currently looking for a web agency that you can safely entrust with your task regardless of its complexity and scale, this article is for you. Below, we will find out how to identify the best web design agencies and also consider several aspects that will lead you to the best choice.

What Sets Apart Top Web Design Companies

So, what distinctive features should top web development agencies have? In general, you have to check four fundamental ones. 

Innovative Design and Cutting-Edge Technology

If we are talking about a top web solutions agency, you should visit and analyze its website – this way, you will be able to understand whether its specialists follow web design trends, use modern technologies, and whether all this is reflected in the design of their website as well. Just check how modern their website looks, and also visit the Blog, Our Services, and Niches We Cover sections – here, you can get a complete picture of how regularly these guys up their skills.

Client-Centric Approach and Custom Solutions

The best web agencies should have a client-focused design approach, and this is always reflected in their values and mission, which can be described either in the same sections of the website or in the more general About Us block. You can also look through their web design portfolio to make sure that the projects they worked on look diverse and do not repeat the same or a couple of good templates. 

Case Studies: Success Stories

In general, today, it is difficult to find digital web agencies whose websites do not have a blog with case studies (or a private resource where they are posted and to which you can get access upon request), but exceptions do exist. Ultimately, you are better off avoiding those who fall into the second category because no matter how visually attractive their works are, the benefit of the created UX designs can always be measured by specific metrics. This means that if this analysis was not carried out on any of the previous projects, the same thing could happen to yours, and you will simply get pretty pictures instead of an innovative design that will provide you with the necessary conversion rates, user traffic, etc.

Client Testimonials

Finally, you will need to check reviews about cooperation with web development agencies of your choice, left by real clients. It is better to do this on third-party independent web resources where companies post their short presentations, such as Clutch, Upwork, etc. This way, you will be sure that the insights you received are honest and that you did not just read the praises left by employees of the specific agency about themselves.

Key Considerations When Choosing a Web Design Agency

If, after the research briefly described above, you already have a couple of agencies in mind, you can easily narrow down your choice for one by clarifying the following details.

Setting the Right Budget

If you think that you have already found your ideal web design agency and you truly like its ultimate web designs, make sure that your budget allows cooperation with it. The fact is that the pricing policies of agencies can differ greatly from region to region, as well as depend on their position in the market (experienced ones usually have a higher price tag because of their positive reputation and image).

Performing a Thorough Agency Search

If you had several agencies in mind, you may have filtered out the vast majority (or even all) of them in the previous step. In this case, in order not to be limited to a small sample, you will need to expand your list. To do this, you can use not only Google search results (although this is quite an effective tool for such tasks) but also all kinds of online rating platforms, LinkedIn, and, of course, your personal business connections. It is recommended that, at this stage, you have at least five agencies under consideration.

Asking the Right Questions

Now, it is the time to communicate with representatives of your chosen agencies personally and discuss issues that are critical to your possible cooperation with them. They are typically related to experience in your business niche, experience working on projects of your size, understanding your vision for the financial solution, and the supporting collaboration models and types of services (custom design, redesign, template-based design, etc.) that suit you best.

Conclusion

Now, you know the main criteria by which you can distinguish top web design agencies, and you can safely go in search of such one. And, of course, we cannot miss the opportunity to recommend ourselves to you. In particular, you can clarify the considerations that we provided above with our sales representative to gain confidence that your project will fall into the right hands.

According to Statista, revenue in the global digital health market is showing steady growth by nearly 7% (CAGR 2025-2029). Meaning the current amount of $197.88 bn will reach about $260 bn in 4-5 years. This forecast promises a massive business opportunity – but only for apps that move beyond standard metrics and deliver on real outcomes. 

Download count, for example, isn’t the only important metric. A high install figure is a good sign. But without sustained engagement, proven clinical impact, and a growth strategy – even the most downloaded app will be at risk. To capture lasting success and truly improve patient care, you need to focus on the right key metrics for health apps, effective healthcare app analytics, and thorough healthcare app data tracking from day one.

In this guide, we’re going to explore the most impactful performance indicators that go beyond installs and daily active users. For your convenience, they are split by category: user engagement, retention and churn, acquisition and growth, feature and content engagement, user satisfaction, clinical impact, as well as operational and financial metrics. We’ll also explore mobile medical app performance indicators and health app ROI tracking.

Why Digital Health KPIs Matter

Unlike consumer apps, healthcare products operate in an industry with reliability, regulatory adherence, measurable patient benefits, great UX, and user engagement on top. That’s why here all key performance indicators aren't optional extras. Digital health KPIs are essential tools which turn raw data into actionable guidance.

By quantifying clinical outcomes, user behaviors, and system performance, you can gain the clarity needed to drive efficiency, ensure compliance, and continuously optimize your app’s impact. Without these data-driven patient engagement metrics and targeted healthcare KPIs – even the most innovative digital health solution risks missing the mark on patient safety, real-world value, and commercial success.

Key Healthcare App Success Metrics to Track

Before starting with feature roadmaps or marketing campaigns, it’s critical to establish the metrics that matter most. The right KPI for health app should give a 360-degree view into user behavior, patient outcomes, revenue, and compliance – ensuring your app delivers value at every level. 

Here’s a short list of key metrics for digital health apps and benchmarks to track:

1. User engagement (active users, session interval & duration)
2. Healthcare app churn rate & retention (user retention and churn rate, cohort analysis)
3. User acquisition (downloads & installs, user growth rate, and more)
4. Feature and content (screen flow, feature usage, views per session, heatmap)
5. Feedback (App store ratings & reviews, NPS, in-app feedback, surveys)
6. Clinical impact (patient satisfaction, health outcomes, reduction in ER Visits)
7. Operational and financial metrics (Time-to-Market, LTV, cost-effectiveness, conversion).

1. Clinician and Patient Engagement Metrics

Tracking how – and how often – users interact with your app is the first step toward understanding true product adoption and “stickiness.” Particularly in healthcare, high engagement often correlates with better adherence to care plans and improved outcomes. Here are the core engagement health app performance KPIs to monitor:

Daily Active Users (DAU) & Monthly Active Users (MAU)

Daily Active Users are about unique users who open the app or perform a meaningful action on a given day. In the same way, MAU represents unique users over a 30-day window.

You can use DAU and MAU to gauge overall reach and visibility. These metrics reveal whether users find ongoing value in quick check-ins (e.g., logging blood glucose) or are more involved in tasks (e.g., completing a telehealth visit).

DAU/MAU Ratio (Stickiness)

Stickiness is the percentage of your monthly user base that returns on a daily basis (DAU divided by MAU).

‍A higher ratio (ideally 20% or above) indicates a habit-forming product. This can help spot early signals of lowering engagement and prioritize feature improvements or reengagement campaigns.

Session Duration

Session Duration is the average time a user spends per session – from app open to close.

‍Longer sessions often reflect deeper engagement with core features (e.g., reviewing personalized health reports or completing guided exercises). At the same time, however, excessively long sessions in clinical-monitoring apps could also flag usability hurdles – so context is key.

Session Interval

Session Interval is the average time between two consecutive sessions for the same user.

‍Short intervals (daily or multiple times per day) are desirable for habit-based functions like medication reminders or symptom logging. Longer intervals may signal drop-off or insufficient value delivery between uses.

2. Retention and Churn

Keeping users engaged over time is the hallmark of digital health app success. High initial download and engagement numbers mean little if users disappear after a week or two. The following healthcare app churn rate KPIs can help you understand who’s engaged – and why. 

User Retention Rate

Retention Rate is the percentage of users who continue to use your app after a defined period (e.g., Day 7, Day 30, Day 90).

‍High retention rate shows that your app delivers ongoing value – whether through reminders, insights, or continual clinical support. Tracking multiple time horizons (1-week, 1-month, quarterly) can help you pinpoint exactly when the drop-off happens.

Churn Rate

As the opposite of Retention, Churn Rate is a percentage of users who stop engaging with your app during a given period.

‍A high churn rate can indicate usability issues, a lack of compelling content, or unmet clinical needs. Monitoring churn alongside retention helps you prioritize the most critical UX improvements or bug fixes.

Check out the full impact and reasons for User Retention in healthcare apps. Learn how to reduce churn and keep clinicians & patients engaged with the right strategy.

READ FULL GUIDE

Cohort Analysis

These metrics suggest grouping users by the date they signed up (or by behavior segments) to measure patient engagement in app and track engagement over time.

‍Cohort Analysis gives you a clear view of how changes – like a new onboarding flow or a feature launch – impact user behavior. You can compare, for example, the Week 1 retention of users who already tried a new onboarding flow vs. those who didn’t.

3. User Acquisition & Growth

Growing your user base is the gateway to scale – but in healthcare, quality often matters more than quantity. These key metrics for health apps in acquisition balance volume with value:

Downloads & Installs

Downloads and Installs represent the raw count of app downloads from app stores or direct links, and the number of successful installs.

These numbers serve as a top-of-funnel indicator – how many people you are reaching with marketing and organic visibility. Tracking downloads vs. installs also helps you diagnose technical or onboarding blockers.

User Growth Rate

This is a percentage increase (or decrease) in total active users over a given period (weekly, monthly, quarterly).

User Growth Rate highlights momentum: a steady upward trend is a signal of healthy market demand. Whereas plateaus or declines are a sign of stagnation or competitive pressure.

Extra Healthcare App Business Metrics to Look for:

Cost Per Install (CPI): Total marketing spend divided by the number of new installs – vital for budgeting paid campaigns‍

Organic vs. Paid Ratio: The split between users who find your app through non-paid channels vs. paid channels & ads.‍

Virality & Referrals (K-factor): How many new users each existing user generates through invites or social sharing.‍

Download Source Attribution: Breaks down installs by channel so you can focus on the highest-ROI sources.

4. Feature and Content Engagement

Beyond overall app usage, it’s crucial to understand how users move through the interface and which UI/UX features or content resonate most. These digital health KPIs reveal where you’re delivering value – and where you may need to iterate.

Screen Flow & Feature Usage

Tracks the most common navigation paths users take – e.g., Home → Symptom Log → Insights Dashboard – as well as the frequency of specific feature interactions (telehealth calls, medication reminders, educational modules).

‍Identifies your app’s “power paths” that lead to desired outcomes (completing a care plan, scheduling a follow-up) and highlights dead ends or under-utilized features that may confuse or frustrate users.

‍Average Screen Views per Session

The average number of distinct screens a user visits in a single session.

‍A higher count can signal deep exploration of content – great for education-driven apps – but may also point to navigation complexity. Conversely, very low counts might mean users aren’t discovering key functionality.

Heatmaps and Interaction Density

Visual overlays of user taps, swipes, scrolls, and pauses within your app’s UI, typically generated by analytics platforms.

These maps show “hot” areas of interaction and “cold” zones that are rarely tapped or explored.

“A well-thought-out UX audit can uncover hidden usability issues – buttons that look clickable but aren’t, important features buried out of view, confusing layouts that impact task flow, and many more. We recommend focusing on these friction points early – so that you can optimize the interface for smoother navigation and higher overall engagement from day 1.” – Bogdan Paiuk, Head of Delivery

5. User Satisfaction and Feedback

Measuring how users feel about the app – and acting on their input – is critical for building trust, improving usability, and driving word-of-mouth growth. Key healthcare app success metrics here include:

App Store Ratings & Reviews

The average star rating (out of 5) and written reviews left by users in the Apple App Store, Google Play Store, or other marketplaces. High ratings and positive reviews boost credibility and visibility in store rankings (Social proof).

Recurring complaints about crashes or confusing features can alert you to issues that need immediate fixes (Early warning). Users often suggest improvements or new ideas in reviews – tapping into this can inform your roadmap (Feature insight).

Net Promoter Score

A simple survey asking users, “On a scale of 0-10, how likely are you to recommend this app to a colleague or friend?” Calculated as the percentage of Promoters (9-10) minus Detractors (0-6). A high NPS correlates with strong word-of-mouth growth and user advocacy.

We recommend comparing NPS across user cohorts (new vs. power users, free vs. paid) to reveal where sentiment is strongest or weakest. Healthcare apps can benchmark NPS against industry averages (often between +20 and +40) to assess competitive positioning.

In-App Feedback & Surveys

Contextual prompts – like pop-up surveys after completing a telehealth visit or finishing a learning module – capture real-time impressions and surface pain points when they’re freshest.

You can effectively use multi-question mini-surveys – or even single-question thumbs-up/down prompts. This can help you capture user sentiment, usability issues, and feature requests.

6. Health Outcomes & Clinical Impact

In digital health, success isn't just about user numbers – it's about measurable improvements in people’s health. These healthcare product KPIs focus on the clinical effectiveness of your app and how well it supports patient well-being, adherence, and satisfaction.

Patient Outcomes

Objective, quantifiable improvements in a user’s health as a result of using your app – such as lowered blood pressure, improved HbA1c levels, reduced anxiety scores, or fewer hospital readmissions. 

These metrics can be tracked through self-reported data, device integrations, or clinician-reported outcomes. They are also key to unlocking reimbursement models and long-term partnerships in the healthcare ecosystem.

Patient Satisfaction

A subjective measure of how users perceive the quality of care, communication, and overall experience they receive through your app. Typically gathered through surveys or questionnaires (e.g., “How satisfied were you with your care today?” on a 1-5 scale).

Patient satisfaction influences retention, adherence, and referrals. In value-based care models, it’s also tied to provider performance and reimbursement. High satisfaction can serve as both a competitive advantage and a sign that your digital workflows are meeting user expectations.

Reduction in ER Visits or Readmissions

The percentage decrease in emergency room visits or hospital readmissions among app users over a defined period.

One of the clearest indicators of clinical and economic impact. Lower use means better preventive care, improved patient self-management, and measurable value to healthcare systems and insurers.

7. Operational and Financial Metrics

Behind every successful healthcare app is a product that’s not only clinically effective but also operationally efficient and financially sustainable. These digital health KPIs help you understand how well your app performs as a business – ensuring you can scale, adapt, and deliver value over the long term.

Time to Market

The total time it takes to design, develop, test, and launch your healthcare app – from concept to release.

The ability to move quickly and safely is more than a competitive advantage. Shorter time to market allows you to validate ideas faster, capture emerging demand, and adapt to regulatory or patient needs in real time – without compromising compliance or quality.

Need to speed up your Time-to-Market?

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Cost-Effectiveness

A measure of the value delivered by your app relative to the cost of providing it. This could include cost per successful treatment, cost per engaged user, or overall savings compared to traditional care (e.g., fewer hospital visits or shorter recovery times).

‍Demonstrates that your app can deliver meaningful health outcomes without inflating costs – a key selling point for healthcare providers, insurers, and public health systems. High cost-effectiveness also supports long-term viability and favorable ROI.

Conversion Rate

The percentage of users who take a desired action – such as signing up after a trial, subscribing to a paid plan, or upgrading to a premium service (Converted Users / Total Users in Funnel x 100).

‍Tracks how effectively your onboarding, pricing, and product experience drive users toward key business goals. A low conversion rate could signal unclear value propositions, friction in the sign-up flow, or pricing misalignment with expected value.

Lifetime Value (LTV)

The total expected revenue generated by a user throughout their entire relationship with your app.

‍Helps you forecast revenue, justify acquisition spending, and evaluate business sustainability. A high LTV indicates strong user retention, successful monetization, and a loyal user base – especially important when pitching to investors or partners.

Aligning Healthcare Product KPIs with Business Goals and Stakeholder Needs

Healthcare executives must tie key metrics for health apps to the company’s global mission and current business objectives. Early on, the goal may be proving clinical validity and user fit, while later it shifts to market share, revenue, or profitability – so choosing the right KPI for health app is crucial at every stage.

For example, during launch, a startup may track adoption and pilot outcomes as core health app engagement metrics. Whereas in growth stages, you should emphasize sales, partnerships, or CAC and LTV metrics to align with broader health app performance KPIs.

Aligning expectations is critical in digital health: healthcare app success metrics that impress an investor (e.g., cost savings, patient retention) often take longer to materialize than consumer app metrics. Startups should therefore balance early wins (user sign-ups, engagement) against long-term healthcare product KPIs (improved health outcomes) so leadership and investors stay aligned.Executives should select a balanced mix of KPIs that reflects all stakeholder needs. Track financial and operational measures alongside clinical and patient-centric outcomes. Use both leading and lagging indicators: early adoption or satisfaction (leading) and later-rigor measures like readmission rates or symptom scores (lagging).

Phased Roadmap for Health App Performance KPIs:
Align Metrics to Each Stage of Your Product Lifecycle

1. Define Your Core Goals

Start by listing what success looks like for the product (e.g., improved patient outcomes, rapid user growth, or profitable partnerships). Map each goal to measurable health app engagement metrics. For example, if clinical impact is key – track patient adherence or health scores. If user growth matters – focus on signups and activation. Balance this with stakeholder needs: investors and payers value cost savings and outcome metrics, while clinical providers value safety and patient satisfaction.

2. Set Initial (Leading) Indicators

In the pre-launch phase, establish leading key metrics for digital health apps that show early progress. These may include prototype testing results, clinician feedback, beta user engagement, or approval milestones. Keep the list short (4-10 metrics) and aligned with strategy. Engage stakeholders (clinicians, regulators, patient advocates) in this stage to ensure you’re measuring what truly matters in healthcare.

3. Track Early Launch Metrics

Once live, focus on adoption and early engagement. Here, core health app performance KPIs include active user count, daily/monthly engagement, feature usage, and Net Promoter Score. Collect qualitative feedback to refine the product. Don’t chase revenue too soon; prioritize learning and evolution. Over-emphasizing sales during early testing can “overshadow vital user feedback and insights”.

4. Shift Focus in Scale-Up

When product-market fit is confirmed, it’s time to focus on healthcare product KPIs aimed at growth efficiency and outcomes. Track customer acquisition cost (CAC), monthly recurring revenue (MRR), retention/LTV, and partnership pipelines. Also monitor key clinical or engagement outcomes (e.g., symptom improvement rates, sustained usage) as validation of long-term value. Ensure operational metrics to support scaling.

5. Measure Maturity & Impact

In a mature phase, emphasize profitability and sustained impact. Your KPI dashboard should mix financial health with clinical and patient-experience outcomes. For instance, continue tracking retention rates, multi-metric clinical outcomes, and patient satisfaction scores. Also consider strategic measures like market share or the launch of new care modules. At this stage, use healthcare app success metrics that justify ROI to stakeholders: 94% of health startups use multiple outcome metrics (often two engagement, two clinical, one economic) to capture full value.

6. Review, Iterate

Hold quarterly reviews with your leadership team. KPIs should evolve as objectives change. Avoid “copying metrics” from unrelated organizations. Instead, tailor the set as your strategy shifts. Ensure everyone understands each KPI’s role. By phasing your key metrics for digital health apps this way – Pre-Launch, Launch, Scale-Up, Maturity – you can maintain clarity on short-term targets while steadily building long-term healthcare impact.

Conclusion: From Data to Impact

In healthcare app development, the difference between data collection and actionable insight lies in aligning the right KPIs. From user engagement and retention to clinical efficacy, operational efficiency, and financial viability – each metric plays a critical role in validating your product’s performance and guiding future iterations.

By phasing priorities for your healthcare product KPIs – pilot metrics in pre-launch, growth and satisfaction in launch, efficiency and outcomes in scale-up, and ROI and market share in maturity – you create a data roadmap that supports both technical growth and strategic objectives.

Pre-Launch: Set mission-driven KPIs (pilot outcomes, usability tests) and involve stakeholders.

Launch: Measure user growth (installs, DAU/MAU) and early satisfaction; gather user/patient feedback.

Scale-Up: Focus on growth/efficiency (CAC, MRR, partnerships) while tracking real-world outcomes.

Maturity: Focus on ROI and impact (financial returns, sustained clinical improvements, user retention).

Throughout: Align KPIs with the product’s mission and stakeholder needs, adjust metrics as your business evolves.

If your project needs a comprehensive HealthTech audit, we can help you instrument your analytics stack, benchmark against industry standards, and refine your KPI framework – so you focus on what truly drives you forward.

‍Tell us about your challenges, and we’ll help you deliver measurable health improvements and sustainable business growth.

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Budgets are tight, tech demands are high, and in-house teams can’t keep up. Outsourcing IT in healthcare is the solution. Why? Speed and savings. Outsourcing slashes time-to-market for critical tech and delivers top-tier talent on demand. In fact, 23.43% of IT outsourcing globally is healthcare-related. Beyond cost-cutting, there are many other advantages.

Healthcare IT Outsourcing Statistics:

• 30-60% cost reduction is achievable due to healthcare.
• 90% of hospitals in the US have outsourced at least 1 IT service.
• 70% of healthcare organizations plan to increase their IT outsourcing budgets in the next three years.
• 85% of healthcare executives report improved efficiency and productivity from IT outsourcing.
• 60% of healthcare providers have outsourced their EHR management.
• 50% of telehealth in the US is managed by outsourced IT services.

And everything seems bright, yet the pros and cons of outsourcing healthcare persist. Now, let’s explore the meaning of healthcare IT outsourcing, the types of healthcare IT outsourcing, the commonly outsourced services, and the ideas of how to choose the best vendor for healthcare IT outsourcing to help you make an informed decision.

What Is IT Outsourcing in Healthcare?

Healthcare IT outsourcing means hiring external tech experts to handle tasks that aren’t core to patient care. As systems become more complex, providers outsource everything: telehealth, cybersecurity, data entry, billing, and transcription. This lets them focus on patients while staying up to date with technology.

Key Benefits of Outsourcing in Healthcare

Some stats to note: Hiring external IT experts speeds up project delivery by 33% compared to in-house teams. Skipping full-time hires saves over $100K per senior developer each year. Cutting internal recruitment slashes operational costs by 28%, freeing up the budget for core healthcare priorities. Nevertheless, the numbers speak for themselves; organizations must balance these pros and cons of outsourcing healthcare services to align strategy with healthcare’s core mission: delivering safe, compliant, and patient-first care.

Cost Reduction

First of all, outsourcing IT cuts costs by reducing in-house teams. It also replaces large hardware investments with pay-as-you-go services, such as cloud storage. This combination makes IT a predictable cost, freeing up funds for clinical needs.

Access to Specialized Expertise

Outsourcing IT gives healthcare providers instant access to expertise in EHRs, AI, cybersecurity, and blockchain, keeping them ahead of the curve in tech. Vendors already have specialized skills (e.g., AI diagnostics) and apply best practices from multiple clients. For example, vendors can apply innovations, such as robotic process automation for billing, that individual providers or internal teams may not be able to develop internally.

Faster Implementation of Technologies

Outsourcing IT allows healthcare providers to implement new solutions, such as cloud EHRs, telehealth, or advanced analytics, much faster than handling them in-house, thanks to vendors’ ready-made tools and specialized staff. This speeds up deployment, avoids overloading internal teams, and enables 24/7 progress across time zones. As a result, clinics and hospitals can quickly adopt the latest technologies and stay competitive without straining their own resources.

Focus on Core Healthcare Services

Clinicians and managers no longer need to fix servers or coding—external tech specialists handle it. This shift helps smaller practices save time; one clinic recovers hours each week by outsourcing scheduling and EHR support. Large hospitals free up their internal IT teams to focus on strategic priorities, such as care coordination, rather than routine maintenance.

Improved Scalability and Flexibility

Healthcare demand shifts quickly, often due to seasonal spikes, epidemics, or service expansions. Outsourced IT offers instant scalability. Vendors scale teams and systems up or down as needed. A hospital adding clinics can immediately extend the vendor’s support and network. Growing practices get more helpdesk or storage without major upfront costs. 

Optimizing Patient Services

24/7 IT support minimizes system downtime and service delays. AI and RPA automate tasks like appointment reminders and claims processing, cutting wait times. Expert-built telehealth platforms boost remote monitoring for rural patients. Outsourced revenue cycle management speeds up billing and claims processing, reducing patient financial surprises.

Potential Drawbacks and Risks of Outsourcing IT in Healthcare

Healthcare IT outsourcing brings big wins—but also big risks. Know how to manage the most common ones.

Data Security and Privacy Concerns

Outsourcing IT in healthcare raises privacy risks because sensitive patient data goes to external vendors. Each transfer creates vulnerabilities, especially if a partner’s security is weak. Breaches can expose records, violate HIPAA or GDPR, and erode trust. Providers lose some control over data protection, and inconsistent security practices add to the risk. Organizations must pick partners with strong security credentials to minimize exposure, which requires encryption, multi-factor authentication, regular audits, and strict contracts.

Compliance with Healthcare Regulations

Healthcare IT outsourcing partners must follow strict regulations, such as HIPAA, GDPR, and local laws. Non-compliance brings heavy fines. Cross-border deals add complexity to US hospital outsourcing to the EU, which must meet GDPR, and vice versa. Vendors must sign BAAs and match the provider’s policies since any partner failure is the provider’s liability. Cloud platforms like AWS and Azure are only compliant if they are correctly configured and covered by Business Associate Agreements (BAAs). Always check for certifications (such as ISO 27001, SOC 2, and HITRUST) and demand proof of compliance. Legal review and clear contracts are essential, but global rules can slow down deals.

Communication Barriers

Language differences and technical jargon can cause misunderstandings. Cultural variations in work style (e.g., how strictly deadlines are followed) can further complicate coordination. Time zone gaps can mean that real-time collaboration suffers—a US clinic’s urgent issue may require overnight handling by an offshore team. Tasks can slip or be misinterpreted without regular, structured communication (such as weekly calls and project management tools). 

Loss of Control Over Certain Processes

Outsourcing IT in healthcare means losing direct control over critical functions, which can lead to quality and security issues. Without hands-on oversight, providers cannot enforce their quality standards or catch errors, such as misconfigurations or coding bugs, in real-time. For example, an unsupervised IT helpdesk or feature rollout might deviate from security protocols. Overreliance on SLAs leaves providers powerless to address service drops beyond the contractual escalation process. Malicious or underperforming vendors might prioritize other clients or cut corners.

Technical Barriers to Seamless Integration

Outsourced systems must integrate smoothly within existing healthcare IT (in-house EHRs, lab systems, and workflows), which is often more complex. Moreover, integrating new solutions with legacy infrastructure can be challenging, especially if the existing infrastructure is outdated or uses different technology standards. Thus, discrepancies in processes can fragment workflows, such as those caused by different coding standards or software platforms. Testing and validation often take longer when multiple teams are involved. To overcome this, providers need robust integration planning: use APIs, middleware, or interoperability standards (like HL7 FHIR) and involve in-house IT early in the design. Nonetheless, some level of technical friction is almost inevitable, and providers must allocate resources for system integration and ongoing maintenance across vendors.

Commonly Outsourced Services in the Healthcare Industry

Healthcare is outsourcing smarter than ever. From IT support to billing, cybersecurity, and HR, these services help streamline operations, reduce costs, and keep the focus where it belongs—on patients. Read on for the most common services outsourced in the healthcare industry:

IT Infrastructure and Support Services

Many providers outsource their entire IT helpdesk, network management, and cloud services. For instance, hospitals increasingly rely on managed services for server upkeep and cloud platforms. An outsourced team can manage data backups, firewall maintenance, and user support 24/7. It is often more cost-effective than maintaining a large in-house infrastructure team.

Insurance Claims Management

Outsourcing insurance billing and revenue cycle management (RCM), including claims processing, is a common practice. Vendors with healthcare expertise can handle coding, claim submission, denial management, and collections. Using Robotic Process Automation (RPA) in RCM is a growing trend: automated bots can verify insurance coverage or submit claims 24/7. Put simply, vendors execute routine tasks in a fraction of the time by automating transactional and repetitive processes, which directly benefits revenue cycles. And the result? Faster payment turnaround and fewer denials. 

HR and Administrative Operations

External firms often handle non-clinical back-office functions, such as payroll, staffing, recruitment, and human resources. Outsourced HR specialists can recruit nurses and technicians, manage benefits enrollment, and ensure compliance with labor laws. This offloads the administrative burden from medical staff. 

Medical Documentation and Coding

Accurate medical coding, using ICD, CPT, and HCPCS codes, is crucial for both billing and compliance. Many practices outsource coding to specialized firms or offshore teams. This guarantees access to certified coders and up-to-date knowledge of coding rules. Studies confirm that outsourced coding ensures accuracy, maintains compliance, and reduces claim denials. Plus, faster claim submissions across time zones improve cash flow.

Healthcare Data Analysis

Firms may hire external data experts to sift through EHR data for population health management, predictive modeling, or operational improvements. For example, a health system might employ a vendor to flag readmission risks or optimize staffing. These partners use AI/ML tools to uncover insights from large datasets, providing access to advanced analytics platforms and data scientists without the need for costly in-house teams. Plus, cloud-based analytics (AWS, Azure, GCP) enable complex modeling and dashboards, with specialists handling HIPAA-compliant pipelines.

Patient and Client Support Services

Many patient-facing administrative tasks are outsourced to call centers or virtual assistants. This includes scheduling appointments, pre-visit insurance verification, nurse triage hotlines, and follow-up calls with patients. Modern outsourcing even incorporates AI: healthcare chatbots can answer common questions or provide medication reminders. Thus, a BPO firm or a hospital might route after-hours calls to an offshore nurse advice line, which keeps patients supported 24/7 and reduces the load on busy office staff.

How to Choose the Right IT Outsourcing Partner

Once you’ve defined the pros and cons of IT outsourcing in healthcare, set clear goals and scope—identify required IT functions, establish your budget, and define desired outcomes to guide every decision. Next, assess your internal capabilities and identify any gaps, so you can target partners with the right expertise in healthcare systems, cloud computing, AI, or cybersecurity. 

Research vendors’ reputations, review case studies and speak with references to confirm their track record and financial stability. Verify HIPAA and GDPR compliance, encryption standards, multi-factor authentication, and audit practices to safeguard patient data. Evaluate cultural fit, communication style, and time-zone overlap to ensure smooth collaboration. Negotiate a clear contract with detailed SLAs, performance metrics, pricing models, and exit clauses to align expectations and manage risks. 

Develop a transition and knowledge transfer plan that covers data migration, team onboarding, and training to minimize disruptions. Finally, set up ongoing governance with regular performance reviews, reporting dashboards, and feedback loops to drive continuous improvement and keep your partnership on track.

The Future of IT Outsourcing in Healthcare

The healthcare IT outsourcing market is set to explode, doubling from $60.6 billion in 2025 to $117.1 billion by 2035. Hospitals and clinics worldwide now outsource EHR management, analytics, cybersecurity, and revenue cycle ops to cut costs and speed up digital transformation. AI and machine learning drive predictive analytics, automate admin work, and secure patient data. Blockchain gains traction for medical records and fraud prevention. RPA bots handle claims, billing, and scheduling, which reduces errors and boosts efficiency.

Cloud adoption is leading in North America and Europe, with providers transitioning to hybrid and multi-cloud setups for increased scalability and flexibility. Outsourcing partners help even small clinics access enterprise-grade cloud and analytics. Demand for telehealth and IoMT platforms has surged since the pandemic, with many providers outsourcing these services. 

Cybersecurity is shifting to managed security service providers as threats rise.

Looking ahead, expect more outsourcing of advanced tech like genomics analysis and virtual reality rehab tools. The market’s growth stems from pressure to cut costs, fill IT skill gaps, and comply with stringent data laws like HIPAA and GDPR. From small clinics to major hospitals, the next decade belongs to providers who turn to outsourcing AI, cloud, and automation.

Darly Solutions—Is Your Proven Vendor of Healthcare IT Outsourcing

Darly Solutions offers end-to-end expertise in healthcare IT, covering everything from core application development to comprehensive back-office and support functions. Our expanded service portfolio taps into industry best practices and proven outsourcing models to help you accelerate innovation, enhance security, and control costs—all while keeping your focus on patient care.

Service Portfolio

• Custom Software Development: BPM, CRM, LIMS, and patient management platforms tailored to your workflows.
• App Development: Native mobile and web apps for telemedicine, remote patient monitoring, and on-the-go clinician tools.
• Cross-Platform Development: Framework-agnostic solutions that run seamlessly on iOS, Android, and web browsers.
• Automation Services: AI-driven RPA for appointment reminders, claims adjudication, and revenue cycle tasks.
• UI/UX Design: Patient-centric interfaces and clinician dashboards that boost engagement and usability.
• Integration Services: Middleware and API management for seamless data exchange.

If you need a managed IT team or project-based augmentation, partner with Darly Solutions to outsource your healthcare software development. Contact us today to transform your digital health initiatives with experts you can trust.

Conclusion

Outsourcing IT in healthcare reduces costs, taps expert talent, accelerates innovation, and scales quickly—ideal for both small clinics and large systems. It frees providers to focus on care, roll out tech like cloud EHRs and AI analytics quickly, and boost service quality with faster billing and 24/7 support.

But it’s not risk-free. Data security, regulatory compliance, and quality must stay airtight. Avoid breaches, integration flops, and control loss by locking down clear contracts, vetting partners hard, and keeping communication sharp.

The smart move? Outsource only non-core IT tasks. Keep sensitive or strategic functions in-house. Treat outsourcing as a long-term strategic play, not just a way to cut costs. Get it right, and it can supercharge your digital health game.