How to Hire the Best HealthTech Website Development Company?
Daria Lymanska
CEO & Founder
April 15, 2024
2
min read
The medical field has been developing for ages, but over the past twenty years, we’ve seen the flourishing of healthtech. And it’s not surprising: this technology is a game-changer for patient care, workflow, and life-saving.
The healthcare industry includes producing portable devices to monitor vital signs and online medical consultations provided by modern digital health solutions. And, similarly, every private clinic should have a top-notch website where patients can book an appointment with a doctor.
What are the roles of a medical site?
A communication tool with patients. A site can be easily googled. Also, it contains information about available services and specialists. Thus, it makes it much easier for clients to reach out to you.
A communicational channel. Internet marketing is one of the most effective tools for attracting customers, but you need a web resource to use it. Thanks to a site, you will be able to find customers among users of search engines and social networks.
An image-maker of your organization. You need to give a good impression to make others want to collaborate.
A source of getting feedback and statistical data. Thanks to analytics systems, you can track changes in behavioral factors, perform A/B tests, and monitor the effectiveness of various traffic channels.
So, a medical website must be very comprehensive, secure, and accessible at all hours. To achieve this, it’s important to involve specialists responsible for different aspects of the work at each stage of the healthcare website development.
Key Considerations When Hiring
Before you hire a health tech development company, it’s essential to ensure their team has the necessary hard and soft skills. The task of the dev team will be to make the site appealing to users and customize traffic channels. In turn, the site owner should provide the essential information and approve tasks in time to avoid excess of the final healthcare website development cost and pauses in the work process.
What should you bear in mind while searching web development companies for healthcare?
Relevant experience. The more projects related to medicine they have, the better.
Technical knowledge. Find out if the developers know the required programming languages.
Communication skills. Website development is a team effort not just for the performers but also for the customers, so soft skills are vital here.
Ability to comply with regulatory requirements. The company must know about HIPAA compliance and other legal provisions.
Experience in HeathTech
The company you want to hire must understand your business. That’s why your healthtech development company must be experienced with medical data and technology. Look for the company that has previously worked on similar projects. They could have a background in developing electronic health record systems, medical visualization software, remote care platforms, or other products related to healthtech website development. Companies with extensive experience in this field are well prepared to meet the specific demands of healthcare software development.
Technical Expertise
The company’s tech team should have certain skills required for medical website development. First of all, they need to ensure the security of the medical website. Secondly, it must be able to scale. This will allow you to upgrade a site following current changes like adding new services, functions, categories, or sections. It will also increase functionality and optimize it based on customer requests and company interests.
Another important aspect is defining the right tech stack. The developers must be able to choose a health tech website development programming language that meets business needs. The most popular ones are HTML/CSS, PHP, Python, JavaScript, Java, Ruby, and Swift. The final choice of one or another development tool must be made according to the goal of creating responsive web design and providing a brilliant user experience. The company should also have a skilled designer who can transfer your brand identity into the website’s UX/UI design.
Regulatory Compliance
A team working on a health tech site must guarantee its security as patients leave their personal data there – this can be ensured by its knowledge of how to create a secure website for healthcare providers. Specifically, such websites must meet HIPAA regulations and other confidentiality rules in health care, such as GDPR and PCI-DSS. Make sure the company is aware of these norms and can perform HIPAA-compliant website development.
Communication and Collaboration
Healthcare website development requires ongoing communication between the client and the contractor. For example, in the beginning, you and the tech team will negotiate on choosing the right CMS for the website. Consider hiring only those who are accessible, transparent, and timely. If there are no meetings or any other forms of communication, move on to the next candidates.
Partner’s Reliability
Make sure the chosen company is trustworthy. It must be present on social media and have its website with a portfolio. Seek for clients' feedback on special resources, forums, and social networks. This way, you’ll quickly see what prior customers have said about a company's service delivery. And, if some field-specific media have published case studies about the company’s work, it’s a very good sign.
Compliance with Your Request for Proposal
Once you decide on a candidate, it’s time to write a project proposal. Health tech website development proposals include stating the project’s objective, target audience, budget, and other features specific to your project. This way, the potential company will understand your business needs better and be able to provide an individual proposal.
Impression After Personal Interviewing
A key to successful collaboration lies in communication. Interviewing health tech web developers will allow you to test their understanding of your specific demands and the concept of the website.
Crucial moments to clarify during interviews:
Ask for details about their experience. Get candidates to talk about a project related to health tech they have participated in. Go into detail to assess their role and expertise.
Ask about the development process. Give them thorough questions to test their technical knowledge and figure out the workflow. You can also provide them with a test task to evaluate their skills firsthand.
Uncover their management style. Ask if the team has worked on any cross-functional projects. Look for leadership qualities like guiding, empowering others to succeed, and handling conflicts constructively.
Find out the team membership. Alongside those who are usually present in the technical team, such as engineers, QA testers, and tech leads, there should also be a UX designer.
Ask who will own the code. It’s much better for you if the web development companies for healthcare offer a total handover. Yet, the agreement may include a clause that allows the contractor to keep the code. The worst thing that can happen might be that the company charges you more money because of the constant glitches they fix.
Question what happens if the team fails to meet the deadline. Find out how the company can repay for the lost time.
Portfolio
Ask companies included in a shortlist to demonstrate their previous projects. A voluminous portfolio is usually a sign of a company that has extensive experience. This way, you’ll wind out what they’re capable of. The portfolio will show you if the team can manage challenging projects and meet high regulatory standards. Also, it will show how good and user-friendly their software is. And, naturally, pay strong attention to websites related to the medical field.
Conclusion
Ideally, a website solves several problems of a healthcare business at once. First, it is one of the most effective tools for attracting new clients. It also acts as a channel of communication with existing patients, forms the image of your organization, and allows you to get feedback and collect your customers’ data. All this is possible if the site is developed by the pros. That’s why you should be very picky when you want to hire a health tech development company. Follow the recommendations listed above to find the perfect fit.
Why do healthcare providers need a well-developed website?
A well-developed website helps patients book appointments, find service information, and enhance your clinic’s reputation. It also acts as a marketing tool and feedback channel.
Why is experience important for a web development company in the healthcare industry?
Healthcare websites have specific needs like data security and regulatory compliance. A company with healthcare experience knows how to meet these requirements effectively.
What role does UX/UI design play in a healthcare website?
Good UX/UI design makes the website easy to navigate, aligns with your brand, and ensures patients have a smooth experience when booking appointments or accessing information.
Why is it important for a HealthTech website to be scalable?
Scalability ensures your website can grow as your business expands, allowing you to add new features, services, and functionality over time without major overhauls.
In 2024 alone, the medical imaging software market size reached $8.11B. By 2029, it is projected to grow to $11.83B and up to 7.84% at a CAGR. This is a fairly predictable trend due to the development of AI. Especially since big data, cloud technologies, and other advancements are already significantly speeding up the accuracy of diagnostics.
If you are considering custom development of medical image analysis software, now is the most favorable time. Below, we will reveal the specifics of creating such solutions and describe the requirements and the challenges you may face.
What is the definition of medical imaging software?
Medical imaging software—it's the digital tool doctors use to examine medical images. Think X-rays, MRI and CT scans, ultrasounds, PET, and other radiology scans. Basically, it helps to see the details of every complex illness and make informed decisions about patient care.
To maximize efficiency, medical imaging software integrates a range of advanced technologies. These include AI for anomaly detection, ML for image segmentation, and methods for filtering, contrast enhancement, and noise reduction to improve image quality.
Also, 3D reconstruction technologies create volumetric models of organs and tissues. Developers also rely on the DICOM standard for medical images as it allows seamless transfer. They also use cloud tech to access data, integrated medical records, and VR and AR to visualize data and create interactive interfaces.
As a result, with medical image analysis software, healthcare organizations reduce the workload of their doctors and researchers and minimize the likelihood of misdiagnosis.
Examples of medical imaging software
To better grasp how these solutions work, we suggest you look at several medical imaging software examples that have gained worldwide recognition.
RadiAnt DICOM viewer
It is a high-performance medical imaging software that processes DICOM images. Due to its rich functionality, both doctors and researchers use it in their work. It has smart multimodality tools for 3D and 2D visualization and MPR (multiplanar reconstruction). Moreover, developers made the interface very user-friendly, so this software is also a great choice for users with low technical skills.
OsiriX MD
Specifically designed for macOS, OsiriX MD is a powerful DICOM platform that meets the needs of radiologists. Its advanced capabilities support 3D and 4D image analysis, hybrid imaging with PET-CT and PET-MRI, and integration with PACS servers. Crucially, it is FDA- and CE-certified for clinical us.
Horos
Horos is a free OsiriX-based DICOM viewer available on macOS. It has rich customization options for analyzing volumetric data, such as 3D reconstruction, and is especially useful for students and researchers.
GE Healthcare Centricity PACS
GE Healthcare Centricity PACS is a proprietary enterprise medical image analysis software. It has EHR and EMR integration, real-time collaboration, advanced AI analysis, DICOM standards, and format support. It can be a full-fledged assistant for doctors and researchers.
Philips IntelliSpace Portal
Tailored for large clinical institutions, Philips IntelliSpace Portal excels in medical image analysis and visualization. It integrates AI-driven automation and tools for multiparametric imaging in cardiology, neurology, and oncology; this medical imaging software supports multi-user collaboration.
Key features of medical image processing software
This section explores the key functionalities typically found in standard medical imaging software.
Tools for viewing and processing medical images
Ensure your medical imaging software works with various input data (CT scans, MRI scans, X-rays, ultrasounds, and hybrid studies like PET-CT and PET-MRI). Usually, this is done by supporting the DICOM format. In addition, you will need tools to scale, rotate, and adjust image contrast. So, optionally, develop a panel for 3D and 4D visualization, including multiplanar reconstruction.
AI-driven image analysis
AI is key in automating the detection of anomalies in medical scans. It can identify cancerous tumors, blood clots, and fractures early, with a high degree of independence. Also, AI in your medical imaging software can classify pathologies using trained models. It can segment organs and tissues on scans and analyze multiparametric data.
Diagnostic and treatment planning tools
This includes tools for creating 3D models, surgical planning, and evaluating the effectiveness of treatment. You should also consider integrating your medical imaging software with robotic surgical systems.
Medical data management tools
To implement effective medical data management, you will probably need to integrate your medical imaging software with PACS (for storing and transmitting data), EHRs (for centralized access to personal patient information), and cloud solutions (for unimpeded access to images from anywhere in the world where there is an Internet connection).
Collaboration tools
It's mainly for remote access so doctors and specialists can chat and comment on each other's actions. It also involves integrating telemedicine platforms to discuss complex cases and hold educational seminars.
What development?
A wide range of organizations can benefit from medical image analysis software development. Now, let's find out which areas of healthcare benefit from medical imaging software the most.
Cardiology.
In this field, medical imaging software is mostly used to analyze CT and MRI of the heart and angiography. In addition, it monitors treatment effectiveness, plans operations, and predicts cardiovascular disease risks.
Dentistry.
Inevitable for 3D scanning when planning dental implants, diagnosing jaw diseases, visualizing root canals, etc.
Oncology. Here, medical imaging software detects and classifies tumors, tracks their growth, and assesses treatment effectiveness.
Neurology.
In this sector, medical image analysis software analyzes brain MRIs and CTs and provides 3D visualizations to assess the spine and nerves.
Orthopedics.
Orthopedics studies thrive on precise X-ray analysis, which includes 3D joint modeling and spinal disease diagnostics.
Mammology.
Medical imaging software can detect microcalcifications and early breast cancer through comparative analysis of changes in mammary gland tissue.
Urology.
In this industry, medical imaging software helps diagnose kidney and bladder diseases. It does this by analyzing CT and ultrasound images. Additionally, the software can help plan operations and monitor patients with chronic diseases.
Pulmonology.
Industry specialists can use such software to diagnose lung diseases, analyze chest CT data, and assess COVID-19 damage.
Gynecology.
In most cases, medical image analysis software is used to perform pregnancy ultrasounds. It helps monitor the fetus, find pelvic tumors, and analyze the endometrium and other tissues.
Traumatology and emergency medicine.
In traumatology, 3D medical imaging software can quickly diagnose fractures and internal injuries. It can also visualize organs for urgent decisions.
Still, deciding on the right healthcare sector for your medical imaging project? Contact us and discuss the possibilities of its practical implementation with Darly Solutions' experienced developers.
Medical imaging software development: Steps to follow
Custom development must follow clearly defined stages that most teams use. But, it can still be approached in various ways. Below, we outline how healthcare software development services are delivered in our company.
Concept formation
Start your medical imaging software project with market analysis. Define the target audience, prioritize tasks the software should solve, and research competitors (to identify their strengths and weaknesses). Based on the insights, our medical imaging software development team assesses the functional requirements and evaluates the need for specific technologies to handle image processing. This ensures that the chosen solutions align with the project's technical needs and optimize the processing of healthcare-related images.
Planning
Once we agree on the conditions with all stakeholders, we will write a technical specification for your medical imaging software. This document will describe its functionality, interface, API, security, and integration requirements. We will also approve the tech stack and necessary integrations. Finally, we create a roadmap that defines the milestones and deliverables for each medical imaging software development project stage.
Prototyping
Now that everything is ready, we can begin creating user stories. They include handling DICOM file uploads and 3D models, among other key tasks. For UX/UI best practices of safe data, we follow the WCAG 2.1 guidelines. They ensure accessibility for users with varying technical skills. We also test prototypes with focus groups to see feedback on complex features, which is helpful for future design improvement. Finally, after the edits are done, we develop a full-fledged design.
Coding
The frontend has algorithms to process and analyze medical images. The backend ensures secure data transfer between the medical imaging software and storage. It also encrypts data and protects against vulnerabilities like SQL injections. These involve writing database queries for smooth software interactions and data storage interactions. And last but not least—we also integrate with your healthcare org's existing systems and services (if any).
Testing
Once the code for your medical imaging software is ready and all components have passed unit tests, we run complete test cases. We check for load, functional, non-functional, security, and usability issues.
Deployment
At this stage, we are choosing hosting for your medical imaging software (usually either cloud or local servers), setting up CI/CD, and training end users, for example, by providing them with documentation, training materials, or live courses. Once we've done it, we deploy the solution (first in the test environment and then—in the actual usage environment).
Support and updates
Finally, after the medical imaging software is deployed, we set up monitoring systems to track its performance and detect errors, fix post-release bugs, optimize it according to user feedback, and add new features if required.
Key tech specifications for medical imaging software development
Such software development can be complex, especially in its early stages. Basically, there is often no clear way to turn an abstract idea into actual requirements.
So, let's examine all the key tech specifications that are usually implemented in medical imaging software apps:
Support for common medical image formats such as DICOM (including DICOM tags for metadata) and standards for storing, transmitting, and processing medical images (such as C-STORE, C-FIND, and C-MOVE).
Compatibility with various devices (CT, MRI, ultrasound, etc.).
Image processing can improve images by adjusting contrast brightness and applying filters. It can also segment them to highlight organs and tissues. Lastly, it can register them to compare scans over time.
2D and 3D visualization, including volume rendering (CT/MRI), support for iso-sections and reconstructions, and interactivity (e.g., rotation, zoom, and pan).
Data security, including HIPAA and GDPR compliance, support for TLS (for data transfer) and AES-256 (for image and metadata storage) encryption standards, as well as access control with role-based authorization and two-factor authentication.
PACS and EHR/EMR integration (e.g., via HL7/FHIR).
Annotation (adding labels, arrows, and text comments) and providing real-time collaboration tools.
PDF report generation and image export.
Scalability (including horizontal scaling via the cloud), multi-threading, and hardware acceleration.
WCAG 2.1 compliance and user interface customization.
Logging and monitoring events (including loading, processing, and exporting scans), auditing user access, tracking system performance, and setting up failure notifications.
Local deployment of software on physical servers (most likely, this will require ensuring compatibility with Linux and Windows OS).
Setting up regular data backups and automatic recovery after system failures.
Of course, this is just a basic list of specifications. In practice, your project team will expand and refine the list of features while specifying the tools and technologies for the project's unique needs.
Medical imaging software development cost
When it comes to the development cost of medical image analysis software it depends on its complexity and the technologies used. Without data and business needs—it's hard to define the precise price, but on average, basic DICOM (Digital Imaging and Communications in Medicine) typically ranges from $30K to $300K. A customized version of Basic DICOM may cost $30K to $50K. Advanced customizations could cost $70K to $150K.
Implementation costs differ based on the size of the practice:
Small practices typically cost $5K to $10K and take 1 to 2 weeks.
Medium facilities cost $20K to $50K and take 1 to 3 months.
Large enterprises may cost $100K to $200K and take 3 to 6 months.
Please complete this form to calculate the precise budget for your medical imaging software development idea. We will contact you shortly.
Challenges in medical imaging software development
Let's examine the main challenges encountered when developing medical imaging software.
Regulatory compliance. Software handling sensitive data, like patient information, must comply with HIPAA, GDPR, FDA 21 CFR Part 11, and CE Marking regulations. Key security measures include code audits, RBAC, 2FA, and strong encryption (e.g., AES-256, TLS). To avoid fines, consult a local lawyer on medical standards.
Integration with existing systems. Integrating PACS, EHRs, and other systems requires DICOM, HL7, and FHIR support. Also, medical organizations have very different established IT infrastructures, which makes it hard to unify their software. If you create a universal solution, you must provide some middleware. It will help users adapt to various services and systems.
High performance and scalability.
Medical images, especially CT and MRI, are large. This can slow their processing and increase resource needs. In this regard, you may need to implement lossless compression mechanisms for images and multithreading and parallel data processing algorithms. By the way, a common fix is to move your software to a cloud solution designed for healthcare businesses.
The complexity of big data management.
Storing and processing massive data, like images and metadata, require a careful choice of databases and storage. In particular, this implies a preference for distributed databases and object storage. For even greater reliability, do not forget to provide backup and auto-recovery.
Risks associated with cyber attacks.
Cyber attacks that leak medical data are a serious problem for healthcare software. To solve it, you must implement constant monitoring. Also, set up regular security updates, including patches and OS updates. Finally, train your staff on social engineering. It can reduce the risks of phishing attacks. Providing a user-friendly interface. Interfaces for doctors and medical personnel should be user-friendly and intuitive, requiring minimal technical training to operate efficiently. To achieve this goal, you must test hi-fi prototypes on the real target audience and perform subsequent optimizations. Also, do not forget to ensure your interface is created under the WCAG 2.1 guidelines.
The future of medical imaging software
Medical imaging software development will advance by adopting the newest technologies, process optimization, and increased integration with other medical systems.
So, here are the core areas in which medical imaging software can be optimized:
Speeding up diagnostic.
Increasing image recognition accuracy.
Costs reduction.
Improving user experience.
This can be achieved through the implementation and development of the following technologies:
Artificial intelligence and machine learning.
For highly accurate and automatic analysis of medical images and accelerated diagnostics.
Cloud computing.
To provide quick access to medical images from anywhere in the world, process large amounts of data without the need to upgrade local infrastructure, and implement remote collaboration between healthcare specialists.
VR/AR.
Medical imaging software development allows anatomy and pathologies to be studied using interactive 3D models and visualize the patient's anatomy before surgery.
Quantum computing.
While most quantum computers are not yet available for widespread use, they will speed up processing large datasets and training neural networks for image recognition in a few years.
Blockchain.
To guarantee the immutability and protection of data from medical imaging software while providing patients with comprehensive control over their medical information.
Our experience in medical imaging software development
This section covers the development of the PrismaORM brain scanner. This platform was crafted for chiropractors, neurologists, and neurosurgeons to monitor brain activity and brainwaves before, during, and after chiropractic treatments.
First, we assembled a team of eight experts to bring this vision to life. They worked closely with two external teams of medical imaging software engineers. We've pointed out a tech stack based on PostgreSQL, Typescript, React Native, Nest.js, Expo, Three.js, and SQLite. This tech of choice lets us build a platform that processes real-time data from brain activity helmets. The BLE protocol transmits this data. A tablet interface visualizes it. A key to the project's success was optimizing the user experience. This included better platform performance and integrating 3D models.
As a result—we've made a powerful tool that empowers medical professionals to conduct more precise diagnostics and offer more effective treatment recommendations.
Now that you understand the specifics of medical image analysis software development, you can begin searching for a team to bring your project to life. We are a reliable provider of custom healthtech solutions, ensuring a smooth, transparent, and predictable collaboration. Simply fill out the form, and we'll get in touch as soon as possible to discuss your medical imaging software project in detail.
With the global aging population and the rise of chronic diseases, the remote patient monitoring market is booming as ever. From 2023 to 2024, it grew from $30.97B to $36.31B. And it won't stop here. Insider Intelligence predicts 70.6M US patients will use software for remote patient monitoring by 2025.
We can't overstate the importance of remote patient monitoring software. Such apps improve access to care, reduce hospital readmissions, and help save up to 60% on hospital visits, which results in higher-quality treatment in the comfort of patients' homes.
And benefits don't end up here. With ongoing digitalization via IoT and modernization of the healthcare system, don't wait for the best time for remote patient monitoring software development. The best time is now.
We've detailed remote patient monitoring apps below and covered their benefits, architecture, and top examples. You'll also see how Darly Solutions crafted an app for the health tech company. Read on, and stay tuned.
RPM monitoring software—is a digital tool for wearables, mobile apps, and medical devices that collects, analyzes, and shares patient data with medical personnel. Heart rate, blood sugar, and oxygen levels are among the most vital metrics. RPM software scores help catch health issues early, manage chronic conditions, and aid post-operative recovery.
How remote patient monitoring software works
From heart rate to blood glucose, each RPM system is designed to monitor a specific aspect of the body. However, elements included in any remote patient monitoring software development are typically the same. This is how the RPM system works:
Collects and exchanges data. Once calibrated, the devices send the data from the patient to the provider. The devices must have a Wi-Fi or LTE adapter for successful transfer. The data can also be sent via Bluetooth to IoT mobile apps via RPM devices.
Centralizes storage.
The provider securely stores the data collected from various sources, including patient devices, analytics systems, and e-medicine.
Analyze. The data is processed using advanced AI for management and analytics. Alerts are sent to caregivers, providers, and patients as needed, per their preferences.
Broadcasts.
Remote monitoring systems become telemedicine platforms when integrated with communication features like video conferencing, simplifying doctor-patient interaction.
Sends emergency notifications. When doctors identify health issues requiring daily monitoring, they oversee the data collected by the RPM system. Notably, it can notify emergency services if a patient needs urgent care. For non-urgent cases, patients can receive instructions for the next steps. However, HIPAA and similar regulations may restrict including sensitive patient information in certain notifications to protect privacy.
Nevertheless, the RPM is part of the broader automation revolution; it has universal healthcare benefits overall. Let's examine the main of them:
Better access to health services
With remote patient monitoring software, medical services have no geographical boundaries. Patients can get timely medical attention at home and manage their health, fostering a greater sense of control under health conditions.
Improved patient outcomes
A study found that RPM cut hospital admissions for chronic care complications by 19% to 41%, which results in improved patient outcomes.
Cost-effective care with reduced readmissions
The average cost of hospital readmission is about $15,200, which makes the prevention of readmissions through remote patient monitoring software financially beneficial for both patients and providers. Even more, it is a well-established fact that early detection generally translates to lower healthcare costs.
Better client engagement and satisfaction
Over 94% of patients are satisfied with RPM's care. It sparks their curiosity about their health and boosts engagement. Such an increased sense of involvement often inspires commitment to treatment plans.
Early detection and timely intervention
The CDC reports that RPM can cut chronic disease complications by 40%. This highlights the need for swift intervention to reduce health risks.
Components of remote patient monitoring software
There is no one-fit RPM soft, as it differs in nature. However, each patient monitoring system generally has 3 to 5 basic components. Let’s delve into them:
Personal monitoring devices
From continuous glucose and heart rate monitors to blood pressure cuffs, digital scales, and peak flow meters.
Patient-side mobile applications
Prioritize user experience, making it easy for patients to access their health data. Additionally, they offer features like medication reminders and secure chats with healthcare providers.
Cloud database
Cloud repositories allow healthcare providers to store large patient data securely. They are scalable and accessible, adapting to growing datasets for long-term monitoring.
Hospital-side web app
These applications are part of hospital management software. They ensure compliance, enable integration, and support decision-making. Additionally, they offer reporting, notifications, and analytics to improve patient care.
Other modules
These comprise decision support systems, reporting tools, notification systems, and analytics platforms.
Essential features in remote patient monitoring solutions
Here are the essential features of a remote patient monitoring (RPM) solution:
Real-time tracking of patient vital signs
Wearable sensors, fitness trackers, blood pressure monitors, and glucose meters perfectly gather and handle real-time health metrics. Then, this data is sent to healthcare providers and added to Electronic Health Records (EHRs) for timely interventions and informed decisions preventing complications.
Intuitive interfaces and user-friendly features
Machines must be easy to set up, a breeze to wear, and simple to operate. Meanwhile, patients should access their data effortlessly through a smooth web or mobile app to track their progress. This connection allows seamless communication with healthcare providers, ensuring everyone's on the same page.
Accessibility features
Ultimately, create a system with all users in mind. Consider accessibility guidelines like WCAG and CVAA to pave the way for inclusive innovation. Encompass voice control for effortless data entry, navigation, and text-to-speech features to support people with dyslexia and other disabilities. Moreover, a patient-first design shines with screen reader compatibility, high-contrast modes, and a crystal-clear interface.
Personalized risk alerts and reminders
For swift and customizable alerts, the RPM system must adjust thresholds. For example, alerts can be sent when vital signs fall outside preset limits. This enables timely intervention to reduce the risk of adverse events.
Safe data transmission and storage
Patient data security is a top priority in remote patient monitoring software development. Thus, apps must comply with all regulations like HIPAA, as they protect the privacy and security of patient data and save from hefty fines.
Smooth EHR integration
EHR integration allows the automatic transfer of RPM data, giving healthcare providers access to complete patient histories for better decision-making and outcomes.
Reports and analysis of patient health data
Advanced analytics and reporting in remote patient monitoring software development provide valuable data insights for healthcare professionals (for data-driven decisions) and patients (to motivate healthier choices).
The architecture of a remote patient monitoring system
Remote health monitoring systems are designed with a multi-layered architecture. Basically, it has five core components that enable uninterrupted data flow within the system. Let’s break into the point of the whole structure:
Smart-connected sensors for health tracking
The sensor layer comprises remote monitoring devices such as EKGs, sleep trackers, smartwatches, and blood pressure monitors. Then, they transmit this data to the dedicated mobile app via Bluetooth or to the cloud via the Internet.
Patient interface
Patient-facing RPM apps collect real-time health data from connected medical devices, allowing manual entry of symptoms and medication intake. RPM apps often include data visualizations for tracking health trends and may have integrated telemedicine features, such as video conferencing for appointments, follow-ups, prescriptions, and virtual consultations.
Cloud RPM server
Cloud services form the core of RPM systems, providing secure storage, processing, and data analysis from devices and the RPM app. This engine also integrates with EHR systems to access patient health information (PHI) in FHIR format. It can identify trends, such as early signs of complications.
Medical staff dashboard
Patient data flows bidirectionally between the medical staff interface and the cloud RPM server, enabling effective management by care teams.
Data visualization module. Via charts and graphs that show trends in vital signs, medication adherence, and other data, the module gives providers a 360-degree view of the patient.
Alert management module. The system promptly alerts clinicians to critical situations and device failures in real-time.
Reporting module. The module generates custom reports on patient data, which hugely help track progress and gain insights over time.
Communication module. This module has two-way messaging, video chat, and/or telephony integration and is made for secure, remote communication between clinicians and patients.
Appointment management module.
This module handles appointment scheduling and patient-provider communication, allowing both patients and providers to request appointments.
Depending on the organization's needs, a doctor-facing RPM interface can include other modules, such as patient management, care plans, and patient education.
Admin web panel
A key part of the RPM architecture is a control dashboard. It helps with admin tasks like configuring roles, managing patients, and setting alarms.
Once you have a clear idea for your software product, find an experienced dev company to implement it. When contacting your tech partner, you don't need detailed software requirements. A high-level understanding of the functionalities is enough to get started for any custom healthcare software development services stages. Let’s break them down:
Step 1: Requirement collection and analysis
The process starts by refining your product vision. Then, define project goals based on the health conditions your RPM solution will address. Your team will then identify core functions, pick the best tech stack, and plan the app's architecture. If integration with systems like EHRs is required, your tech partner will ensure compatibility.
Step 2: Outlining security and compliance requirements
Remote patient monitoring software must follow HIPAA and FDA rules. The development team implements audit trails, encryption, secure cloud storage, and APIs for secure communication to ensure data security and privacy. They also define a testing strategy for the pre- and post-production phases.
Step 3: Prototyping and design
To create an intuitive, user-first staff interface, UX/UI teams conduct user research to define user personas and journeys. Based on this research, designers create a prototype reflecting both the initial vision and user needs, gathering feedback on the user experience. The team prioritizes a clean, engaging, and accessible design. Based on feedback, they will refine the prototype and send the final designs to the dev team.
Step 4: Development and integration
Tech experts will use best practices to develop your RPM system iteratively to meet regulatory compliance. This work may include front and backend components, patient and doctor apps, and integration of medical devices.
Step 5: Testing
When it comes to RPM development—thorough software testing is as important as the development itself. After testing, developers should prioritize IoMT device compatibility. They must also ensure smooth integration with the RPM system for the most stability.
Step 6: Ongoing improvements
After deployment, the dev team monitors and tunes the RPM system to meet business and tech needs. They provide training and support for patients and healthcare professionals.
Beyond monitoring and troubleshooting, your tech team will prepare a roadmap for software updates. This will enhance the system's features and security in the future.
RPM Software Deployment: Challenges and Practical Solutions
Let us explore the most notable challenges organizations encounter while deploying their RPM.
Regulatory compliance
RPM's compliance with HIPAA and GDPR relies on strong data security and privacy. It must meet standards like ISO 27001 and IEC 62304 for this.
What to do:
Develop a comprehensive compliance framework according to all requirements like HIPAA, GDPR, FTC (Federal Trade Commission), FDA regulations, and more.
Conduct regular audits and assessments outlining clear policies and protocols for staff.
Provide ongoing staff training to ensure they are aware of their responsibilities.
Data security and privacy
Healthcare organizations handle sensitive patient data (vitals, medical history, personal details, reports, treatment plans). Unauthorized access poses the risk of data breaches and subsequent fines that could total millions of dollars.
What to do:
Use encryption techniques of RPM-collected data, telehealth appointment recordings, and other sensitive patient health data.
Implement strong authentication and role-based access.
Regular audits and security assessments.
Conduct employee and patient training.
Adopt role-based access control (RBAC)
Technology integration and compatibility
Outdated systems may lack compatibility, hindering integration and impacting data accuracy and security. Integrating EHR and clinical systems can also be difficult, affecting data sharing and patient care. Ensuring interoperability for seamless data exchange adds another layer of complexity.
What to do:
Assess current infrastructure compatibility.
Follow interoperability standards and protocols.
Adopt HL7 and FHIR standards.
Cost-benefit analysis
RPM implementation presents a cost-benefit challenge for healthcare organizations. While offering benefits like improved outcomes and enhanced care, the substantial upfront investment in hardware, software, infrastructure, licensing, staff training, regulatory compliance, and data security must be carefully weighed.
What to do:
Conduct thorough cost assessments.
Estimate ROI and potential cost savings.
Strategically allocate resources.
Data precision and accuracy
Inaccurate data transmission from RPM devices (e.g., wearables) poses a significant challenge, potentially leading to misdiagnosis and compromised treatment. Several factors can affect data accuracy, including device calibration, signal interference, network issues, and device quality.
What to do:
Choose quality sensors and wearables.
Regularly calibrate devices.
Implement quality assurance measures.
Lack of patient engagement
Some patients fear switching to modern healthcare and its tech just because they are used to in-person hospital visits. Thus, using the devices, checking vital signs, and messaging the doctor may be hard for the patients.
What to do:
Prioritize a user-friendly interface.
Craft tutorials for device usage and RPM data analytics interpretation.
Incorporate gamification elements (e.g., badges, progress tracking) to incentivize engagement.
Bridge language barriers for diverse patient populations by providing support in multiple languages.
RPM software development cost
The cost of developing Remote Patient Monitoring (RPM) software varies based on complexity, features, and the development team's location. Here’s a breakdown of the estimated costs associated with RPM software development:
Basic RPM application ranges from $50K–$70K.
Standard RPM software ranges from $100K–$400K or higher, depending on the specific requirements and features.
Costs can be $500K or more for advanced solutions with complex systems and integrations.
Both building an in-house tech team and outsourcing software development come with significant costs: salaries/recruitment expenses versus hourly rates and vendor fees. Without proper research, you risk overpaying for a software solution—whether through in-house hiring costs or outsourcing fees—or settling for a product that doesn't meet your requirements.
To calculate the precise budget for your RPM software development idea—please fill out this form. We will contact you shortly.
Best RPM software
Here are some popular remote patient monitoring use cases that might inspire you for your own:
CoachCare
CoachCare was founded over a decade ago, now supports over 3,000 organizations, and serves over 150,000 patients. Boasting a remarkable RPM, it claims a success rate exceeding 95%. It advocates for RPM coverage and collaborates with groups like CMS and AMA. CoachCare's tech lets patients log vital health metrics via an app. Its simplicity boosts engagement. Experts recognize its support of the healthcare industry.
Healee
Healee is a health tech company founded in 2017, now handles over 700,000 visits per month, both onsite and virtual, and supports 5,000 physicians across 200 clinics. With EHR, e-prescription, and billing integrations, the Healee platform streamlines healthcare delivery in wellness, mental health, chronic care, and women's health.
Doctolib
Founded in Paris in 2013, Doctolib is a top healthcare booking platform. It serves over 400,000 providers and 50 million users. It handles 70 million monthly bookings in France, Germany, and Italy. It offers appointment scheduling, telemedicine, and patient messaging. These services reduce missed appointments by 60% and save doctors 1.5 hours per week on administrative tasks.
Senseonics
This company revolutionizes blood glucose monitoring. The system features a sleek, removable transmitter and a sensor expertly implanted under the skin by a healthcare pro. Connected to a mobile app, the sensor offers real-time insights, alerting patients through their smartphones or smartwatches when their glucose levels are too high. Sharing data with healthcare providers and family members becomes a breeze, ensuring optimal treatment strategies.
Currently, around 6,000 users benefit from the Eversense CGM system. By 2025, Senseonics aims to double that number.
Teladoc
Established in 2006, this Hoboken, New Jersey-based powerhouse is revolutionizing healthcare. With an extensive network of licensed professionals, HRS proudly claims the #1 spot in KLAS’ ‘Top Remote Patient Monitoring Companies’ from 2020 to 2023.
HRS offers its innovative PatientConnect platform, featuring over 90 tailored RPM plans for healthcare providers. Beyond monitoring, HRS embraces holistic care, providing behavioral health services like therapy and psychiatry, ensuring a comprehensive touch on every aspect of patient wellbeing.
Improving patient outcomes with RPM software: A case by Darly Solutions
In particular, the health tech company approached us about remote patient monitoring software development. They faced challenges with patient tech literacy, especially among the elderly. There was a risk of data overload for providers. Patient engagement was inconsistent. There was a need for system integration, like with EHRs. Plus, they had to ensure data privacy and security (HIPAA compliance).
Since the deadline was tight and there were a lot of high-precision requirements—we created a detailed plan for the project, assigned UX/UI design, web development, QA, and project management tasks, and pinpointed the tech stack.
Technology stack
We understood that choosing the right technology stack was crucial for success. After thorough consideration, we selected:
Angular: For building dynamic web applications.
HTML/CSS: For structuring and formatting the user’s interface.
Docker: To streamline deployment through containerization.
ngRx: For effective state management.
TailwindCSS: To enable rapid UI development.
NGX Pagination: For efficient handling of large datasets.
JSON: For smooth and efficient data transfer between client and server.
Our efforts paid off. We launched the product on time, meeting all design, functionality, and quality standards. Our client now has a competitive product that is well-placed to thrive in the innovative telemedicine sector.
Rising public interest, health concerns, and tech advances drive the RPM market to new heights in solutions and revenue. As we noted earlier, these technologies enable 24/7 health monitoring. They also provide remote populations with access to quality treatments.
Doctors, nurses, and other healthcare staff should focus less on routine, manual tasks in the next few years. They should focus on saving lives and providing treatment, which RPM can support perfectly. It can greatly reduce burnout and ease stress on global healthcare systems while driving market share to higher results and stakeholder benefits.
This is a great time if you're considering developing your RPM solution.
No matter how ambitious your goals are when you first think of creating a custom software solution, strict budget and deadline constraints can easily dash them. So, what should you do in this case?
Specifically, before your tech team starts implementing a healthtech solution, you can choose two different paths for them: native and cross-platform mobile app development. In the vast majority of cases, in this area, the second option can cover all the needs and requirements for the project without harming its critical aspects, such as usability, performance, reliability, etc. At the same time, you will be able to launch your product on the market faster and save your financial resources.
However, such a development process is somewhat different from the one that precedes the launch of several native applications. Below, we'll cover how these differences can impact critical aspects of your project and share insights that help you fix them.
Best Practices for Cross-Platform Development in Healthcare
Since cross-platform app development involves adapting a healthcare solution to multiple platforms at once, it is important for the team to adhere to the following best practices to ensure the proper quality of the resulting solution.
Compliance and Security
The first thing you should probably start the development process for the healthcare industry is to ensure compliance with generally accepted standards and policies. The most common among them are HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act) and GDPR (EU regulation aimed at giving citizens control over their personal data). Along with that, software engineers must use standard security mechanisms such as encryption, integration of secure connection certificates, etc. Ultimately, it is better to check the requirements for medical software development according to the legislation in force in a particular region – this way, you will not face any fines and bans.
User Experience (UX) Design
Now, let's talk about user experience in health apps – it should be smooth regardless of the platform they are running on. Since many healthcare mobile applications are positioned as an alternative to offline services from legally operating medical institutions, they must comply with accessibility rules that are described in detail in WCAG 2.0. These guidelines allow developers to implement seamless interaction with medtech solutions for people with all kinds of disabilities. Depending on the type of medical tasks assigned, you will need to ensure that your healthcare app UI/UX design meets WCAG 2.0 requirements to the appropriate level.
Performance Optimization
Nowadays, high performance is considered one of the key aspects ensuring the app’s survival in the market; however, in the healthcare sector, this parameter is much more critical since someone's life may depend on it. Indeed, if your digital solution involves an urgent call to a doctor, lags in its functioning may end tragically for some of the users. At the same time, it is believed that native applications work faster than those created in the process of cross-platform or hybrid app development. This is not true – such modern development tools as React Native, Flutter, Ionic, and many others allow teams to build software with complex business logic without reducing its speed. Of course, these frameworks will not handle resource-intensive gaming applications, but, most likely, this is not the original task. Whatever approach and technology stack you choose, your team involved in software development for healthcare will need to spend some time testing the application before launching and ensuring that it works equally effectively on all platforms.
Testing and Quality Assurance
Yes, we have already outlined the importance of this process above, but we will repeat it once again: no application can be launched for public access before it has passed a series of tests, both with the participation of the team itself and involving focus groups assembled from representatives of the target audience of your software. The most common types of testing are modular, integration, functional, acceptance, system, smoke, and so on. Each of these types takes place at a certain stage of development (and has to be performed on each platform separately), but the amount of code covered by test cases and the number of iterations will directly depend on the established deadlines.
Integration
Finally, it is worth saying a few words about integrating your app with existing third-party products and services that your organization already uses. This is usually necessary to expand the functionality of the former and, in particular, to ensure seamless data transfer between applications. However, while the vast majority of modern custom healthcare solutions integrate via API, it is quite predictable that your team will face some issues if you use legacy software. For this, an additional middleware will have to be developed – it will take responsibility for converting data to the required format and back.
Conclusion
In general, as you may know, cross-platform development is cheaper than native development, because most of the code is reused between platforms, and you do not need to hire two separate teams to create native software for each of them (in particular iOS and Android). Moreover, with the right approach, frameworks such as Ionic allow you to build both mobile cross-platform and web applications, reusing most of the code, which, in turn, speeds up and reduces the cost of development for mobile and web platforms, respectively.
So, now, knowing the specifics of developing solutions using cross-platform app development tools, you will be better informed about how to ensure their proper quality and control each stage of their creation. However, if you would like to outsource this complex task without unnecessary doubts so as not to spend too much time on supervising, feel free to contact us.
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