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From long patient wait times to inefficient manual processes and risky paper records, the healthcare sector has faced numerous challenges historically. This has created a fertile ground for doctor appointment apps. According to Verified Market Reports, in 2023 alone, the market was valued at an estimated $318.49M, projecting a surge to $862.16 million by 2030 (15.29% CAGR). 

Given the growth of AI-based solutions in telemedicine tech and the modernization of the healthcare system, we can now highlight the importance of such solutions and dive deep into the specifics of healthcare appointment apps.

What is a doctor appointment system?

A doctor appointment application — is a digital solution that automates the registration of patients for an appointment with medical specialists. However, modern solutions imply more than just scheduling online appointments. They give patients useful information about a healthcare institution's services and specialists. Also, they connect patients with doctors and give access to their records in the comfort of their homes.

Why is this system gaining traction in the healthcare sector? Let’s break it down into factors:

• The widespread digitalization of the healthcare sector.
  Healthcare is moving beyond in-person consultations in the facility. Now, it includes remote consultations, app-based therapies, and remote health tracking for timely interventions.
• The development of modern technologies.
  Various mobile applications and the affordability of smartphones make this format of interaction with patients desired and preferable.
• Reducing the workload on administrators.
  To prevent personnel burnout, medical institutions can use healthcare scheduling software systems to reduce the number of routine tasks assigned to administrators and the number of errors associated with the human factor.
• Increased patient satisfaction.
  Transparent access to doctors' schedules and the ability to choose a suitable time—increase customer loyalty.
• Increased occupancy of doctors' schedules.
  With a doctor appointment system, healthcare organizations can minimize empty appointment slots since it will be easier for patients to choose the optimal date and time for a visit.

Key doctor appointment app features

Since the Apple App Store boasts approximately 35,019 healthcare and medical apps, among which are approximately 10 to 20 types of doctor appointment apps, features might hugely range from app to app. Let's examine the main features of the doctor appointment app.

Online appointment booking

The system should have filters for doctors by specialization, review patient feedback, and book appointment availability by date and time. Additionally, patients should be able to receive reminders for upcoming appointments (e.g., push notifications, email, or SMS).

Telemedicine

For routine follow-ups, an online medical appointment system is essential. It's not a choice but an inevitability. Both patients and healthcare providers save travel time and can schedule appointments just in the app via online consultations, video conferencing, or text chat.

Integration with EMR and billing system

Integration with electronic health records provides access to the patient's medical data directly from the application, allowing doctors to update and review these records directly from the platform. As for the billing system, the PCI DSS-compliant payment gateway will be the core element of the online payment process. In addition, it provides an option for generating bills and receipts.

Feedback and ratings

Usually, this is a window where patients can rate their experiences and write reviews for specific providers using a simple scoring system. For usability, this feature must remain unobtrusive within the app interface.

FAQ and educational materials sections

The app should include a FAQ section covering usage and privacy. It should also have an educational section with information about specialists, a map of the institution, and service costs.

Monetization strategies for doctor appointment apps

The ideal monetization strategy for a doctor appointment system depends on the target audience and the organization's business model. Let's look at the most popular types of monetization in this niche:

• Subscription-based.
  According to this model, after paying for a monthly or annual subscription, patients get access to advanced features, such as priority appointments or online consultations. 
• Pay-per-booking.
  This model involves charging a fixed fee or a percentage of the service's cost (usually 5-10%) for each appointment.
• Advertising.
  Based on this model, you can publish advertisements for medical services, pharmacies, insurance companies, and other partner organizations. This can be contextual advertising, static banners, or affiliate programs (for example, you can recommend pharmacies for buying drugs).
• Payments for telemedicine services.
  This approach to monetization involves charging a fee (either a percentage of the service cost or a fixed amount) for online consultations implemented within the application.
• Patient data monetization.
  This type of monetization involves selling anonymized patient data to global healthcare corporations. They can be used in the future for both clinical research and to improve the quality of services of partner organizations (for example, insurance companies, laboratories, etc.).
• White-label solution.
  Finally, you can develop a customizable solution and sell it to other companies under their brand. In this case, you must provide a settings panel where each organization can set individual configurations.

Benefits of doctor appointment booking app development

To understand the benefits of the doctor appointment booking system, we first need to figure out the main pain points such software can solve. Previously, we’ve mentioned some, but for the sake of completeness, let's consider each of them:

• Simplification of the procedure for making an appointment with a doctor.
  Earlier, patients had to call the clinic, wait for the admin to answer, and adjust to the schedule. With the app, they can choose the best time and date within a few moments on their smartphone.
• Drop in missed sessions and treatment gaps.

With appointment alerts or medication reminders, patients won’t forget about upcoming visits to the doctor and taking medications, which ultimately saves the clinic's resources.

• Transparency of pricing.
  Some patients find it difficult to understand the cost of the services; in turn, with the application, they will have access to all the price information before making an appointment.
• Comprehensive information about doctors and services.

To prevent patients from choosing doctors blindly, the application can offer them a convenient rating system, reviews, and descriptions of services; thanks to this, they will make a more conscious decision about choosing a particular doctor/service.

• Minimization of paperwork.
  Without a doctor appointment application at hand, medical personnel often had to work with paper journals. An app that integrates with the CRM, EHR, and other software will reduce reliance on paper docs.
• Higher revenue.
  You can sell additional services through the application; moreover, its convenience and transparency increase the likelihood of repeat visits.
• Reduced need for human resources.
  The application’s launch will help reduce the need for a large administrative staff, allowing existing employees to focus less on routine tasks and more on value-driven activities.
• Greater return on marketing efforts.
  The patient's behavior analytics can help you craft more targeted offers. With insights into patient habits and preferences, you can create highly targeted offers that resonate with your audience, optimizing both campaign success and budget efficiency while increasing engagement and retention.
• Increased competitive advantage.
  Modern clinics that offer convenient digital solutions win more patients, improve operational efficiency, reduce no-show rates, and enhance patient satisfaction, all of which contribute to a stronger competitive position in the overall healthcare market.

Steps to build a doctor appointment app

Let’s check the steps included in the medical software development services that our doctor appointment app development company provides.

Market research

At this stage, our doctor appointment app development team defines the application's target audience (the patients' age, smartphone proficiency level, etc.). Next, we analyze the institution's business model for which it’s being created while researching competitors and identifying their strengths and weaknesse

Based on the insights received, we determine the app's basic and advanced features. For example, we want real-time patient monitoring through wearables. We also need to agree on the OS, which can be Android and/or iOS. Lastly, we must choose the best monetization model. Finally, we determine the necessary integrations with third-party solutions and the requirements that must be met (usually GDPR, HIPAA, etc.).

Prototyping and UX/UI design

At this point, our experts create user stories to guide the development of prototypes (first lo-fi, and when agreed upon with all stakeholders, hi-fi). Once the prototypes are finalized, our team starts working on the full-fledged doctor appointment app design. We aim to create user-friendly navigation that cuts off the input needed from the user to complete tasks. At the same time, the team works on the UI, optimizing it for mobile platforms and obtaining WCAG 2.1 accessibility guidelines.

Architecture development

This stage involves choosing an architectural approach (for example, microservices for better scalability, REST or GraphQL for API, and so on). It is also important to plan the processes that will be implemented on the server side (in particular, record management, authorization, etc.). On the client side (usually, this is the patient and administrator interface) and on the database side (as a rule, flows for transactions and caching are separated). We also select specific solutions for implementing the necessary integrations.

Coding

Now, we have everything ready to define the technology stack for the backend and frontend. This decision is based on whether native or cross-platform development will be utilized for the doctor appointment app. Once individual program modules are ready, we proceed with coding and testing each component.

Testing

Since the entire code base is ready, our doctor scheduling app development team ensures that it is fully covered with test cases to perform integration, load, and other types of testing. If there are any bugs, we will fix them immediately and then test the product again. Repeat this process until we meet all the specifications.

Launch and deployment

Finally, our doctor app development experts set up the server infrastructure (optionally, they also introduce CI/CD practices). Ensures data security (through encryption and regular security audits) and carries out a test launch of the software. If there are no critical bugs in the beta version of the application, we release it in the App Store and/or Google Play.

Post-release support and development of updates

This stage includes maintaining app stability, fixing failures, adding new features, optimizing existing ones, updating the design, and scaling with the growing user base.

Doctor appointment app design: Best practices

When it comes to the UI design of a doctor appointment app, we prioritize WCAG 2.1 guidelines. This section details and provides practical examples of their effective implementation for an optimal user experience.

• Readability of information.
  Maintain a color contrast ratio between text and background (at least 4.5:1 for normal text and 3:1 for large text). Also, include doctor avatars and icons, ensure text scalability up to 200% (without loss of functionality), and add subtitles and text transcripts for videos (if any).
• Ease of navigation.
  All UI elements should be keyboard-accessible and have a minimum clickable size of 44x44 pixels. Ensure there’s extra space around buttons or links to prevent accidental clicks and include breadcrumbs for easier navigation.
• Clarity of the interface.
  Use simple language in the interface, label all form fields, provide input format examples (like "dd.mm.yyyy"), highlight errors, and offer step-by-step instructions for complex tasks, including a progress indicator.
• Interface reliability.
  Ensure that your application is compatible with assistive technologies (for all functional elements, use ARIA labels). Test your app on various devices and ensure it uses standardized data formats like JSON and XML for smooth communication with integrated third-party service.

Of course, this is only a small part of the best practices you can implement in the doctor consultation app development process. To maximize the loyalty of your audience and better understand what the design should be—read the WCAG 2.1 guidelines directly.

Doctor scheduling app development: Overcoming key challenges

Generally speaking, everyone who is going to develop a doctor appointment app faces challenges to one degree or another. To overcome them effectively, it's crucial to understand them in advance. Let's explore them in detail:

• Integration with software solutions that you already use.
  Your application may require integration with systems and services that are either legacy or support non-standard data exchange protocols (i.e., different from HL7 and FHIR). In this case, you may need additional middleware development to ensure seamless data transfer.
• Data security.
  Medical information must be protected with particular care, as its leakage can lead to large fines and loss of reputation for your organization. To minimize risks, consider data encryption at rest and in transit, implement two-factor authentication and role-based access control. After all, try to regularly conduct pen-tests.
• Performance and scalability.
  High server load during peak hours can lead to failures in the operation of your application. To prevent this, you can initially choose cloud platforms that support autoscaling for hosting and implement data caching.
• Testing complex scenarios.
  During testing, your QA specialists risk missing complex interaction scenarios with the application. For example, when several patients simultaneously make an appointment for the same doctor or when the selected order of visits to several doctors is conflicting. To ensure comprehensive coverage of test cases, use automated testing tools.
• Accessibility.
  A confusing interface can drive users away, leading to fewer interactions with your app. To prevent this, conduct thorough UX research with real users before launch. Based on their feedback, make necessary adjustments to the app's functionality and design.
• The unwillingness of personnel to switch to new digital solutions.
  Adjusting to new rules might be hard, especially within historically established healthcare practices. You might consider providing training for your staff on how to manage new progressive software.

Beyond technical challenges, there are many business-related obstacles, from USP's definition to the choice of an effective monetization model. This is why, besides carefully selecting the right doctor appointment app development team, consider hiring skilled marketing experts, too.

Doctor appointment app development cost

From our experience of doctor appointment mobile app development, it is impossible to determine the accurate cost of such a project without understanding its functionality and the platforms it is intended for. However, based on the average cost for app development, we can give an approximate cost guide. Here’s a breakdown:

Complexity of projects:

• Simple apps typically range from $20K – $30K, and their implementation takes 4 – 6 months. These apps usually include basic functionalities like appointment scheduling and doctor search features.
• For medium apps like telemedicine integration and electronic health records (EHR), costs can rise from $30K to $45K with an approximate 6 – 9 months timeline. This includes both web and mobile platforms with a broader range of functionalities.
• Highly complex applications with real-time video consultations, comprehensive analytics dashboards, and AI-driven functionalities may exceed $45K+ and take 9 – 12 months.

Geographical variations

The cost can also vary by region:

• North America: Because of advanced technological capabilities, on average, it has the highest cost, ranging from $30K – $150K+. 
• Europe: Cost ranges from $20K – $150K, influenced by economic conditions from country to country.
• Asia: Development costs are generally lower, ranging from $20K – $100K.

Have a thriving idea for a doctor appointment app and are curious about a budget estimate for its deployment? Simply fill out this form, and we will swiftly calculate your project and contact you back.

Top 5 successful doctor appointment apps

Now, let’s explore some top-tier doctor appointment apps that excel in every aspect. These examples might inspire you to build a doctor appointment app for your healthcare organization.

Zocdoc

Zocdoc is praised for its intuitive interface and powerful search tools. The platform has an intuitive interface and powerful search tools. The platform streamlines appointments and has instant confirmation features, reminders, a feedback system, and seamless integration with insurance providers and document uploads.

Practo

Popular in India, Practo gives patients access to doctor appointments, telemedicine services, ordering medicines for delivery, and storing medical records. Patients can view individual doctor profiles, including their education, experience, and certifications, allowing them to choose the best specialists for their treatment.

Doctolib

The Doctolib application simplifies making appointments with doctors and provides the option to cancel a visit. This application is integrated with doctors' calendars, automatically sends notifications, and provides rich functionality for doctors (including scheduling management and provision of telemedicine services).

Healthgrades

As for alternatives for the US market, we cannot help but mention Healthgrades. This application helps users find doctors and medical institutions based on location, specialization, and rating. Plus, it allows patients to make appointments and get detailed information about particular specialists and organizations.

MyChart

MyChart—is a top charted app in the US and Canada. Designed to manage medical information and schedule appointments, it allows patients to communicate with doctors online and get family access.

Darly Solutions' expertise in online booking and enhanced customer engagement

The most relevant case for online doctor scheduling app development was Glamezy, a B2C solution for the beauty industry. Our client sought to create an online platform to help small and medium businesses in the beauty sector expand their reach, especially after the restrictions imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic. 

The goal was to develop a website that allowed customers to book beauty services online based on location easily. Also, the platform must have an easy and encouraging interface to communicate with potential partners while boosting sales and driving customer engagement. Ten experts worked on this project; and for the tech stack, we used React and Node.js.

As a result, we created a solution for easily searching and booking top beauty professionals. Now, the platform lets users add salons to a shortlist with one click, view nearby salons on an interactive map, and earn points for every transaction on the platform.

If you’d like to explore this case further, please visit our portfolio.

Final thoughts

It’s fair to say that at the heart of every design lies a larger goal for the benefit of humanity. A well-designed doctor appointment app boosts access and patient satisfaction while helping small and medium healthcare organizations and businesses thrive in the tech sector.

After you’ve read all the details about ideas and challenges for developing a doctor appointment app, it's time to find the right team to turn your vision into reality. 

For now, don’t settle for less. Darly Solution is here to help! Contact us today to discuss your project in detail.

The future of healthcare is digital. In 2022 alone, the global patient portal market reached $2.9B, as the Grand View Research reports. By  2030, it’s projected to grow even higher—at a CAGR of 19.44%. This trend reflects how public and private healthcare organizations strive to digitize paper documentation and automate everyday business operations.

Indeed, the stakes in healthcare are high. Even minor errors can lead to incorrect diagnoses and worsen patients’ conditions. This is where patient portal software greatly minimizes errors, particularly those caused by human factors 

Below, read on how to create a patient portal. We’ll analyze the target audience’s needs, dive into the most successful examples of its implementation, and examine the nature of the target audience's requirements.

What is a patient portal system?

An online patient portal is a web or mobile solution (usually for Android and iOS platforms) that gives patients access to medical records, helps schedule appointments in a few clicks, and easily communicate with healthcare providers at any time. 

By automating the interaction between the parties via the patient portal, organizations can improve the quality of care while making their services more accessible and convenient for patients.

In particular, modern patient portal requirements are:

• Fast and secure access to their medical data and records with guaranteed privacy protection.
• High-quality medical services without the need to wait in long queues.
• A clear understanding of the treatment plan and progress.

Healthcare organizations instead aim to:

• Reduce their administrative costs – in particular, for maintaining paper documentation.
• Maximize personnel efficiency without the risk of burnout.
• Increase patient satisfaction through transparent interaction and remote patient monitoring.
• Comply with the healthcare regulations.
• Reach a new level of income by reducing expenses and attracting new patients.

That is why the patient portal system is the one-stop solution that, if implemented correctly, covers all the above-mentioned needs. This is typically achieved through the following features:

• Access to medical records (including medical history and test results).
• Appointment booking (with the option to select the date, time, and doctor).
• Online consultations (for example, via video calls and chats with doctors).
• Repeat prescription orders (automatic issuance of electronic prescriptions and reminders for refills).
• Online bill payment.
• Personal data management (including patient contact information).
• Push notifications (reminders for upcoming visits, tests, vaccinations, etc.).
• Educational materials.
• Feedback tools (surveys for patient satisfaction and forms for submitting complaints, etc.).

Types of patient portals: Which fits your healthcare needs?

Generally, there are two global types of patient portals: integrated and standalone. The former is presented as a component of electronic health records (EMR/EHR) and is fully tied to the infrastructure of a healthcare facility. Integrated portals ensure uninterrupted data exchange between doctors and patients but, in the case of ready-made solutions, are limited by the functionality offered by the specific healthcare provider.

Standalone portals, however, come in two forms: SaaS and on-premise. The former are hosted in the cloud and are available by subscription, which is especially convenient for healthcare providers within small organizations. Their advantage is quick deployment and configuration. At the same time, their customization options are often limited. 

As for the second category, these are software solutions installed on local servers of a specific healthcare organization. They provide comprehensive control over data but require significant infrastructure and support costs. They can also be difficult to scale and integrate with third-party solutions.

It is worth noting that every medical organization has its own regular processes and specific business tasks distributed among different departments. In particular:

• The reception desk keeps track of patient records.
• Laboratories collect, process, and store test results.
• The finance department is responsible for payments and insurance processes.
• Doctors and medical personnel work with medical records and appointments.

All the above processes can rarely be integrated into a single system, which makes it difficult to automate them using only one off-the-shelf patient portal. Moreover, medical institutions vary greatly in specialization (including clinics, dentistry, laboratories, hospitals, etc.), and ready-made products do not always meet their needs. 

If we add to this the need to comply with regional security standards for patient data, it becomes clear that out-of-the-box solutions may not be viable. This is the main reason why healthcare organizations are increasingly resorting to custom healthcare portal development.

Patient portal requirements: Key features and functionalities

Now, let's check the main functionalities and features that should be integrated into a patient portal.

User authentication and access management system

This portal component uses OAuth 2.0 and OpenID Connect for secure login. It protects users' credentials and enables multi-factor authentication. Usually, developers provide multi-level access with restrictions based on user roles (including patients, doctors, administrators, etc.). 

At the same time, when implementing role-based access, it is important to adhere to widely recognized patient data security policies, such as HIPAA and GDPR. Specifically, doctors and administrators should have full access to all patient data. In contrast, individual patients should only be able to view, edit, and delete their info.

Medical data storage

The storage is located on local or cloud servers using AES-256 and TLS 1.3 for data encryption. By the way, many cloud vendors have ready-made solutions for healthcare organizations that meet the standards of patient data privacy (including AWS HealthLake, Azure Healthcare, and others). It is also crucial to ensure that such storage is protected against data misuse and unauthorized access.

Integration with EHR systems

This integration is necessary for consolidating patient data. Thus, developers must adhere to FHIR and HL7 standards to ensure compatibility and data exchange. As for the integration itself, if we are not talking about legacy solutions, it is carried out through an API. 

Finally, to ensure that the patient portal system complies with the requirements of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (particularly, the ONC's Cures Act), it is essential that the platform could get full access to the patient, with all the ability to edit and delete.

Appointment schedules, doctors’ cards, and telemedicine tools

The first two components involve creating a catalog with therapists’ information and a scheduling system where patients can book visits. This can be achieved through RESTful API to synchronize with hospital calendars. Also, integrating with trusted video communication platforms like Zoom Healthcare can facilitate direct communication between patients and doctors.

Automation of bill calculations and online payments

Online payments are processed through integrations with payment gateways like Stripe or PayPal. In general, they must support PCI DSS standards. As for the automated billing system, this is essentially a regular calculator that “pulls up” data on the cost of services selected by the patient and sums them up (minus insurance and benefits, if any).

Integration with wearable devices

This is necessary so that doctors can monitor the condition of patients in real time. To do this, developers use APIs to collect data from devices (for example, from Apple HealthKit or Google Fit, as well as more specialized IoT equipment). At the same time, they must also implement a mechanism for obtaining prior patient consent to collect personal data.

Messaging 

It also makes sense to integrate a chat (with the ability to attach media files) for interaction with doctors, supporting end-to-end encryption (E2E) and using WebSockets protocols that provide real-time messaging.

User dashboards

The patient portal needs an interface for each user role. Basically, it should adapt the data and tools for doctors, admins, and patients. Among other things, it can also be enriched with advanced analytical tools. For example, Power BI or Tableau can be used to generate reports and visualize data (assessing attendance dynamics, treatment results, patient satisfaction, etc.).

How to develop a patient portal software: From concept to launch

When it comes to custom solutions, our telehealth website development services are provided in several subsequent stages. Let’s consider them in detail.

Ideation and requirements analysis

At this stage, our team consolidates the portal concept of custom healthcare portal development, according to your business goals, unique aspects of your internal business processes and IT infrastructure, the needs of the target audience, and an analysis of competitors’ strengths and weaknesses. Based on this blueprint, we create documentation indicating functional and non-functional requirements.

Architecture design

From now on, our patient portal development team has everything ready to define the project's technological stack (for the frontend, backend, and database) and choose a specific architectural approach. We also approve the necessary third-party Integrations (including EHR, payment gateways, telemedicine solutions, etc.). 

Finally, we select tools and protocols to ensure our portal has a proper security level, including data encryption, user authentication/authorization methods, diagrams of interaction between components, etc.

UI/UX design

This stage involves building interface prototypes and gradually transforming them into a full-fledged design after usability testing. At the same time, our patient portal app development experts always take into account the requirements for the accessibility of the user interface. Basically, they are most accurately outlined in the WCAG 2.1 and ADA guidelines.

Development

Now, we can start working on the frontend and backend of the patient portal. Once individual functional modules are ready, we conduct unit testing to prevent hard-to-fix bugs at later stages of the project. This stage also involves the implementation of security mechanisms and integration with third-party solutions.

Testing and quality control

When the code base is ready, our patient portal development experts conduct rigorous testing, including functional, load, security, usability, etc. This stage ensures that the solution meets the best specs and software quality standards in healthcare.

Deployment and launch

Before launching the portal, we prepare all the necessary infrastructure, build a CI/CD pipeline, and set up a monitoring system. If needed, we can train your staff on how to use the portal. After all the previous stages are checked—we usually start deployment.

Post-release support and updates

To better understand ​​​​its further optimization, our patient portal development experts regularly check the portal’s logs and metrics, collecting feedback. In addition, as post-release bugs are discovered, we fix them and, if necessary, implement new features.

Understanding the needs of your patients

A patient portal and medical website design should fully adapt to the target audience's problems. That is why it is essential to define them in advance. Based on our experience, we would like to highlight the following ones:

• Long wait time when making an appointment.
  Patients often encounter long wait times in phone and in-person queues. A patient portal can help. It lets users book online appointments 24/7 and choose a specialist. In addition, it sends SMS or push notifications to remind patients about upcoming visits.
• Lack of full access to medical data.
  Many patients are forced to visit clinics because healthcare organizations still document their test results manually. The patient portal gives access to electronic medical records, test results, and doctor recommendations, which can be easily downloaded or saved (for offline access).
• Lack of understanding of the treatment plans.
  Patients may find it difficult to track their treatments' progress, which may result in forgotten, delayed, or canceled visits and procedures. To prevent this, portals display the treatment plan and the current status of therapy. In addition, patients get notifications about upcoming procedures, calendars, and recommendations, which is very smart.
• Difficulties in paying for medical services.
  The need for patients to be physically present makes offline payments resource-intensive. Patient portals eliminate this headache with integrated payment systems, allowing users to view their payment history and current bills in just a few clicks.
• Insufficient communication with the attending physician.
  In-person appointments to explain test results and treatment plans can be time-consuming for both patients and healthcare providers. Patient portals streamline this process with online chat and video calling capabilities.‍
• Weak control over the treatment of chronic conditions.
  Patients with chronic conditions often lack convenient tools for regular monitoring. Portals can address this with real-time health data visualization, medication reminders, and appointment scheduling, as well as integrating with wearable devices for continuous data collection.‍
• Low involvement in the treatment process.
  Since some patients find it difficult to understand how their actions affect treatment results, the patient portal development team can also add interactive tools to the portal to track patients' treatment progress or provide educational materials.
  Gamification elements can enhance the effect.

‍

Patient portal development challenges and solutions

In this section, we will analyze the most typical challenges of patient portal software development and the most effective ways to overcome them.

• Ensuring compliance with regulations.
  Telemedicine hugely relies on strong data protection, first—to comply with laws like HIPAA and GDPR, and second—obviously, it is for patient trust. End-to-end encryption, role-based access control (RBAC), and multi-factor authentication are key practices, along with regular system audits and penetration testing to ensure security.
• Integration with existing solutions in the organization's IT infrastructure.
  Many healthcare providers still use older systems that don't easily connect with modern software. To solve this, developers can build 'middleware'—software that acts as a bridge—to automate data transfer between patient portals and other systems, ensuring everything works smoothly.
• Ensuring high performance and scalability.
  Many portals frequently freeze when user traffic exceeds the original design capacity. To solve this, developers can host the portal in a cloud environment that scales as users grow and use a microservice architecture to balance the workload across the portal's services. Additionally, they can optimize a database through indexing and caching.
• Ensuring intuitiveness. 
  ‍Since the target audience of patient portals is diverse (including the elderly, people with disabilities, and people with no technical literacy), there should be universal access to the full use of all portal functionality. To solve this, during the development of the patient portal software, the team should conduct user research and surveys to guide and optimize the software effectively. They should also adhere to the compliance of this software with the WCAG 2.1 guidelines. 

• Accessibility on mobile OSes.
  As patients increasingly manage their healthcare on digital devices, patient portals must offer a seamless mobile experience. Poor mobile optimization can lead to slow loading times and display issues. Developers can address this by building progressive web apps (PWAs) or cross-platform solutions, implementing offline access for key features, and optimizing content loading with techniques like lazy loading and data compression.

Patient portal software cost: What to expect

The cost of telemedicine app development depends on project complexity,  the team involved in the patient portal software development process, geographic location, development timeline, and the scope of features. Let's examine each of the points that influenced the cost in detail:

1. Project complexity

• Basic consultation apps with user registration, appointment scheduling, video calls, and messaging: $30K-$100K.
• Advanced telehealth platforms with multi-user portals, integrated EHR, and health analytics: $100K-$300K+.
• Telemedicine platforms with IoT/AI integration: $250K-$500K.

2. Team composition

A typical team for creating a basic patient portal usually includes:

• 2-3 developers: Where 1-2 are front-end developers, and 1 back-end developer.
• The project manager: Tracks the project goals and wins. 
• QA specialist: Tests the app to make sure it works correctly.

3. Development timeline

The time it takes for patient portal software development also affects costs. Most telemedicine apps take between 2 to 6 months to develop:

• Simple apps usually take about 2-3 months.
• More complex apps may take up to 6-12 months.

4. Geographic location

American tech experts can be expensive. For example, a front-end developer might earn over $100K annually, about $8K monthly. He might charge between $70K-$80K for a three-month project.

Hiring remote developers can save you money. For instance, Eastern European developers or other regions often charge between $2,500 and $3,500 monthly. You can easily hire a similar team for about $30K to $40K for the same project.

If you want to find out the patient portal software cost in your case, please fill out this contact form. 

Improving patient outcomes with data management: A case by Darly Solutions

From theory to practice—let's examine our relevant Darly Solutions experience through a top case from our portfolio.

In particular, we were approached by a HealthTech company specializing in consolidating unstructured medical data for organizations in the healthcare sector. They needed a custom digital solution to monitor clinical data. 

Faced with a tight deadline and the need for high precision, we meticulously planned and assigned all the UX/UI design, web development, QA, and project management tasks. We also reviewed the team's work schedule, as some members had to work overtime. Finally, we carefully chose the technology stack. We settled on Angular, HTML, CSS, Docker, ngRx, TailwindCSS, NGX Pagination, and JSON. 

Finally, our efforts paid off. We launched the product on time and met all design, functionality, and quality standards. As a result, the client has a competitive product with all the chances to thrive in the innovative telemedicine sector.

Find out more about this case here.

The future of patient portal development

In general, the future of patient portal software development is closely connected with the fast development of modern technologies, such as:

• Artificial intelligence and machine learning.
  These technologies will personalize the portal and related healthcare services. AI-powered chatbots, including ones with recognition of human voice commands, will assist with scheduling appointments and answering FAQs. In advance, machine learning can also analyze patient data and symptoms to provide preliminary diagnoses.‍

• Blockchain.
  The introduction of blockchain technologies in patient portals can be aimed at more secure storage of their medical records and ensuring access to them only to authorized users. In addition, with its help, each interaction with data (adding, editing, and deleting) will be recorded, increasing the system's transparency.

• Virtual and augmented reality.
  These technologies can form the basis of next-generation telemedicine solutions. In particular, in the future, patients will be able to interact with doctors at a distance without reducing the quality of service. AR interfaces will also help inform patients about upcoming treatment plans.
  ‍
• Internet of Things and integration with wearable devices.
  IoT solutions can provide end-to-end RPM in real-time (for example, portals will be able to collect and analyze data on the patient's pulse, blood pressure, oxygen level, and activity). Based on this data, doctors can receive instant notifications of critical changes regardless of patients' locations.
  ‍
• Big data and business intelligence.
  Examples of patient portals use big data to identify trends, such as tracking the rise in the incidence of a particular virus or assessing the effectiveness of treatments. Also, end-to-end medical data analysis ensures timely prediction of exacerbation of chronic diseases. Finally, doctors and administrators of healthcare institutions will be able to monitor departments' workloads and optimize appointment scheduling.
  ‍
• Biometric identification.
  Biometric mechanisms can give users access to the portal through fingerprint, face, or voice scanning, making the authorization process more secure and easier.

Conclusion

Now you know everything about patient portal development and can safely choose an off-the-shelf solution or search for a team to implement a custom one. If the second option is closer to you but you would not like to turn the search process into a real headache, you can contact us, and we will be happy to discuss the details of our future cooperation to implement your idea.

According to analysts, global employers are unable to fill about 40 million IT vacancies due to a shortage of technical specialists in their region. And the situation is expected to worsen further. For example, in the USA, it is projected that by 2030, there will be a shortage of over 85 million programmers.

What to do? The solution is simple: consider an extended development team as an alternative to in-house developers.

What are these teams? What are the benefits of this approach to creating digital solutions? We will discuss this and much more in this article.

What Is an Extended Development Team?

An extended software development team consists of specialists who work together on a single project, but can be located anywhere, even in different time zones. This type of work organization is typically designed to combine the internal team with external specialists.

In other words, by involving an extended team in your project, you can gain all the advantages of outsourcing while saving budget and maintaining full control over the development process.

According to research, 92% of G2000 companies use tended teams and other forms of outsourcing. Now is the time to consider involving freelance specialists and experience all the benefits of this approach for your business.

Key Benefits of an Extended Team Model

Integrating external specialists into an internal team helps achieve even the boldest business goals through the following advantages:

Access to Global Talent Pool

Do you want to create a truly innovative product that no competitor offers? Be prepared for the fact that the local market may not have a programmer with the relevant experience. Alternatively, a lack of personnel may make it very difficult to attract the right specialist.

‍The number of developers varies from country to country. In fact, the difference can be significant even within the same country. For example, in the USA, the highest number of software engineers resides in California. There are over 628,000 in this state, while in Michigan and North Carolina, the number of specialists barely exceeds 100,000.

In such a situation, extended development teams can be a real lifesaver. With their help, you will be able to attract experts from any corner of the world to your project.

Cost-Effective Scaling

Hiring an employee in-house is always costly. According to numerous studies, it can cost a company anywhere from $28,000 to $35,000. And this is just the cost of provided benefits, insurance, vacation, and additional payments (such as overtime). In addition, you'll need to spend on training and onboarding staff.

Apart from the high costs, all of this takes a lot of time, and the need for scaling sometimes cannot be delayed.

However, if you consider involving external specialists, these problems can be easily avoided. A reliable provider will quickly find the right specialist, and your expenses will be limited to payment per hour or based on the actual volume of work completed.

‍Additionally, with the extended team model, you have another opportunity to save. This is possible due to the lack of regional constraints—as the cost of labor for developers is evaluated differently in various countries. For example, in North America, the average software development hourly rate is $77. In Eastern Europe, the same service can be obtained for $58 per hour, and in the Asia Pacific region, developers charge even less—around $28 per hour.

Faster Development and Delivery

An extended software development team helps accelerate development cycles. Here’s how this happens:

• Involving developers from different time zones allows such a team to work on the project almost around the clock. Is this possible with in-house specialists? Hardly.

• By expanding your team, you can save time on hiring and staff training. On average, the recruitment process in the IT field takes 35 days.

• You can hire several extended teams to handle different tasks. They will work on the project in parallel, thereby reducing development time.

Flexibility and Adaptability

The hiring model discussed in this article allows you to be as flexible as possible when it comes to changes in project needs. Let’s break it down further.

• Have the project goals changed, and you need to scale quickly? As you know, finding an external specialist is much faster than hiring an in-house employee. Additionally, you can adjust the requirements for candidates as the product evolves.

• Geographical flexibility also plays a role here. If you're experiencing a shortage of the right talent in your region, you can look for experts in the required technology stack overseas. With extended development teams, anything is possible.

Hassle-Free Management

When working with external specialists, you can fully control the process of developing a digital solution. At the same time, managing such a team is economically efficient and requires less time.

Why?

• When turning to trusted providers, they take on all the responsibilities for staff selection. You don’t spend time and money on searching, interviews, and hiring.

• The high qualification of extended teams frees you from the need for micromanagement. This allows you to focus on project management and achieving global business goals.

• Outsourcing service providers typically have established communication channels. They use specialized tools like Slack, Trello, or Jira to bridge geographical distances. Moreover, such companies often provide a project manager. It’s their responsibility to ensure smooth collaboration.

Operational Process of an Extended Development Team

To ensure the seamless integration of external specialists into your internal team, several stages of organizing updated workflows must be followed. Remember, your team is the foundation on which the creation of the software product will be based. Therefore, no detail should be overlooked.

Initial Planning Stage

This stage is crucial for the success of the project. Clear planning is the key to knowing the direction you need to move in.

It includes the following steps:

1. Formulating business goals. Start by defining the product you want to create and how it will benefit your business. It is also recommended to immediately outline the required features to be developed. This will help clearly define expectations for the final product and avoid misunderstandings between stakeholders and the team.

2. Assessing internal resources. Identify what knowledge and skills are needed to achieve the set goals. After that, assess your internal team. Are there enough specialists? Do they have the necessary expertise?

3. Project timeline and budget planning. Set realistic deadlines and determine the expenses you can afford. Consider development costs, project management, and potential unforeseen issues.

4. Choosing the collaboration model. If the project requires external developers, you have several options. Among them are outsourcing, dedicated teams, and the extended team model discussed in this article. We will discuss the differences between these three approaches later.

5. Risk assessment. Suppose you have chosen the extended team model. Think in advance about the risks you may face, such as communication gaps and potential time zone differences. In addition to the risks associated with engaging external specialists, consider other possible problems, including technical ones.

Finding the Right Tech Partner

Opt for a proven company with a good reputation. This guarantees that highly qualified professionals will be selected for you, whose expertise fully matches the project requirements. 

Here are a few tips to help you choose a reliable provider:

• Study the company’s website, focusing on its portfolio.
• Read reviews about the provider online.
• Compare the specialization of the potential partner with the plan for your project.
• Assess the cost-to-quality ratio of the services offered.
• Ensure that the company’s values align with yours.

Building the Development Team

The main task at this stage is to ensure smooth integration of the new specialists into the existing team. To do this, it is important to clearly define the roles they will perform on the project.

And a few more recommendations:

• Work on staff selection together with your technical partner. This does not mean total control or direct participation in the interviews. Just stay in the loop to ensure the candidate matches your requirements as closely as possible.

• Balance the size of the extended team. Make sure the number of employees corresponds to the goals of the project and its budget. A team that is too large may lead to unnecessary costs, while one that is too small can increase time-to-market.

Onboarding and Integration

This step involves introducing external specialists to the nuances of your internal processes:

1. Familiarization with the project specifics. Before starting work, make sure the hired developers fully understand the project’s goals and its specific requirements.

2. Setting up communication channels. Inform the extended development team about the communication channels used in your team. Set up tools like Slack, Trello, or Jira for project management and daily communication.

3. Providing access to technical infrastructure. Ensure that all team members have access to the tools necessary for efficient work. These may include version control systems, code repositories, etc.

4. Discussing internal procedures and rules. Communicate to the team how you plan to measure project progress, which metrics you will use to evaluate performance developers, and how often you expect feedback from them. This will help avoid misunderstandings and conflicts.

Establishing Clear Objectives

What do you think is the most important thing at this stage? The answer is simple. You need to ensure that both in-house and external specialists are working towards the same goal. To do this, you should:

• Clearly define the project goals. This may involve creating a product from scratch, implementing new functionality, or maintaining an existing system.

• Set milestones. Break the project into smaller segments. Each segment should have specific deadlines and deliverables. This will help track progress.

• Define KPIs. Predefine metrics to measure the team’s performance. These should relate to both the technical characteristics of the product (e.g., code quality or delivery speed) and the achievement of business goals (e.g., return on investment).

• Discuss communication issues: Frequency of meetings, reporting formats, communication channels—all of these should be discussed with the extended software development team at the very beginning of the collaboration. This will ensure you always know what stage of goal achievement you are at.

Project Kickoff and Execution

When all the details are discussed, it's time to start working on the project.

Project kickoff is the official start of collaboration. Now, the team needs to gather together (in whatever format possible), discuss the final details, and set the tone for the subsequent work.

The further work on the project includes:

• Prioritizing tasks. If the team uses an agile development methodology (which is most commonly used these days), this step involves planning the upcoming sprint. Specifically, it means defining the scope of work and aligning the team’s focus.

• Moving toward set goals. The team starts coding, testing, and building according to the project’s defined requirements.

• Monitoring progress and making adjustments. As the team completes tasks, it is important to track the status of the project. This allows for timely identification and resolution of problems.

The success of this stage depends on how accurately the previous steps for organizing the work with the extended team were followed.

Dedicated vs Outsourcing vs. Extended Teams: A Comparative Analysis

All three terms—dedicated team, outsourcing, and extended development team—refer to outsourcing work on a project to external developers. However, there are significant differences between them. Let's explore them further.

When to Consider an Extended Development Team?

There are several situations where it makes sense to consider the extended team model.

1. Need for rapid scaling. Is your business growing quickly? Do you need additional staff but don’t have time for long-term hiring? An extended team can help.

2. Need for specific expertise. If your internal team lacks certain skills, it’s not always necessary to hire a full-time employee. You can find an external specialist who will integrate into your team and contribute to the project.

3. Risk of missing deadlines. Is it time to release the product, but your internal resources are exhausted? This is another reason to turn to external developers. Extra hands and minds can easily save the situation.

4. Limited budget. Hiring external specialists is cheaper than increasing your full-time team. This is why extended teams are optimal for startups.

5. A responsible project requiring personal control. Not every project can be fully outsourced. Often, the client wants to retain the right to control the development process themselves. This opportunity is exactly what extended teams provide.

Want to get the best global talent at your disposal? Need to relieve your internal team? Want to speed up time-to-market and beat your competitors? Create an extended software development team on your project, and all of this will become a reality.

Challenges of Managing an Extended Development Team

If you’ve decided to integrate external developers into your internal team, you should consider not only the benefits of this approach, but also the certain challenges that come with it. It’s better to know about these challenges in advance.

• Communication Barriers. If you’re bringing in foreign specialists, be prepared for language, cultural, and time zone barriers. However, some of these can easily be turned into advantages. For example, thanks to different time zones, work on the project can continue around the clock.

• Integration difficulties. External developers may use work methods different from yours. Therefore, it’s important to discuss all expectations for collaboration in advance.

• Limited visibility. It can be challenging to monitor the work of remote employees as closely as you would like. To avoid this, it’s important to use reliable communication channels, reporting tools, analytics, and project management systems.

• Risks related to data security. This is especially relevant for projects involving sensitive user data. To minimize risks, work only with a trusted provider who ensures the reliability of the provided staff.

• Team engagement. It’s logical that full-time employees are more invested in the company’s development and the project’s success. Therefore, when bringing in external specialists, make sure to focus on their adaptation and motivation.

As you can see, with a thoughtful approach to forming extended development teams, all potential challenges can be easily overcome, leaving you in a winning position.

Future Trends in Extended Development Teams

The popularity of the extended team model in the field of software product development is gaining momentum. What transformations can we expect for this approach to organizing workflows in the near future?

• Focus on the use of AI and automation. Innovative technologies will allow companies to optimize project management and minimize the risks associated with working with remote employees.

• Preference for hybrid work formats. Companies will become increasingly interested in combining internal teams with external specialists. This will allow them to tap into the global talent pool while still maintaining control over processes.

• Emphasis on Agile and DevOps. Recent practices show that more and more teams are abandoning classical development methodologies in favor of flexible approaches. This allows extended teams to integrate more smoothly into internal processes and stay on the same wavelength as the in-house team.

• Expanded integration of specialized tools. Collaboration platforms are an essential attribute of extended development teams. As this model of cooperation spreads, new tools will emerge, and existing services will be improved.

• Maximum focus on data security. This issue is critical for all companies that engage external specialists. As a result, improved security protocols will emerge, and decentralized development and blockchain will become more relevant.

In summary, the future of extended teams is closely tied to the implementation of progressive technologies, process automation, and the increasing spread of this work format.

Create Your Extended Development Team with Darly Solutions

Darly Solutions is your reliable partner in creating unique digital solutions that will become a competitive advantage and the hallmark of your business.

We are ready to strengthen your internal team with specialists in Web and mobile development, UI/UX design, and testing. A qualified project manager will seamlessly integrate our experts into your processes and ensure smooth operations.

Contact Darly Solutions for a personalized consultation and experience the full potential of an extended development team from a trusted provider.