A comprehensive guide on healthcare software development in 2024

Nidhi Thakur

16 Jan 2024

Software development is among the most thriving industries today. From online food delivery, entertainment, and fitness to learning, we have a plethora of applications that cater to hundreds of purposes. The healthcare industry is no exception. We no longer have to stand in long queues to fix an appointment for just a 15-minute consultation with the doctor. There are mHealth applications to deliver quality care to patients, as well as reduce clinical staff burnout.

And, with each day passing, the need for software development for healthcare is increasing gradually. The global healthcare IT market is expected to reach $974.5 billion by 2027. Big number! And, this growth is majorly due to the growing demand for healthcare software solutions that improve care delivery, patient outcomes, reduce costs, and increase overall workflow efficiency. 

Whether you are a professional looking to invest in healthcare solutions or develop software that can streamline healthcare operations, this comprehensive guide is for you. In this guide, we’ll delve deep into custom healthcare software development and predictions about the healthcare market in 2024.

Healthcare Software Development

Custom healthcare software development or custom medical software development means developing applications and software solutions for healthcare sector that aim to improve access to healthcare services and streamline processes while safeguarding patients’ data from potential loss or data breaches.

Healthcare institutions, nowadays, are transitioning to custom healthcare solutions to make the processes more efficient, improve patient satisfaction, and reduce operational costs. As a custom software development company, we build custom healthcare software solutions for healthcare organizations, hospitals, clinics, etc. located across the globe. We have an experienced team of QA engineers, front end & back-end developers, graphic designers, etc. with an in-depth understanding of the healthcare ecosystem. 

The type of healthcare software we develop includes EHR/EMR integration systems, telehealth & telemedicine software, revenue cycle management software, remote patient monitoring systems, healthcare CRM solutions, healthcare billing software, etc.

Top Trends Shaping Healthcare Software Development in 2024

With technology advancing rapidly, it becomes critical to embrace it in order to develop robust, competitive digital products to fulfill the evolving needs of people. Here, we’ll discuss top healthcare tech trends that will rule in 2024 -

• Remote Monitoring

This emerging trend in healthcare IT supports seamless communication between healthcare providers and patients by employing continuous monitoring. Utilizing a suite of wearable medical devices tailored for patients, physicians gain real-time access to crucial health data, which enables them to share essential information, provide top-notch medical services, and improve operations to reduce both costs and time expenditures.

• Internet of Medical Things

The Internet of Medical Things (IoMT) involves a networked ecosystem comprising medical services, applications, and devices, aimed at delivering essential care to remote areas, as well as to individuals confined to their homes. The increasing demand for these transformative technologies is projected to push the IoMT market to a staggering $142.45 billion by 2026. 

IoMT offers enhanced chronic care management, optimised drug supervision, real-time patient monitoring, and an expanding scope of patient management, marking a shift in healthcare delivery.

• Chatbots

Chatbots have proven advantages for companies across various industries. While the healthcare sector has only recently begun tapping into the potential of this technology, its future applications hold immense potential. The key use cases of chatbots in healthcare include streamlining appointment scheduling, conducting basic health checkups, providing improved customer service, minimizing waiting times, achieving substantial cost savings, and gathering valuable patient feedback. 

As this technology continues to evolve, its potential to revolutionize the healthcare experience also increases, offering enhanced efficiency and improved patient engagement.

• AI or Artificial Intelligence

When it comes to using AI in healthcare software, one of the best applications is NLP (Natural Language Processing). It does a bunch of useful things like handling clinical documentation, recognizing speech, automating patient registration & reporting, and more.

In 2021, the market value of AI in healthcare was $6.7 billion. And it makes sense because AI is super helpful – it cuts down manual clinical errors in healthcare, makes diagnoses more accurate, and even lowers operational costs smoothly.

• AR/VR

The integration of Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR) presents profound advantages for the healthcare sector. More healthcare institutions are embracing these technologies to improve their services, enhance patient engagement, and elevate the standards of medical training.

Some of the top applications of AR and VR in custom healthcare software include robotic surgery, medical training simulations, personalized physical therapy regimens, tailored patient care solutions, post-traumatic stress treatment programs, emergency response training, etc. These technologies not only revolutionize healthcare practices but also open new opportunities for innovation and efficiency.

Healthcare Software Development Process

Though healthcare app development steps vary from one company to the other, below are the five important steps of developing scalable healthcare software-

• Define the problem you are trying to solve

One key factor to successful healthcare software development is to focus on the problem, conduct market research, and observe what your competitors are doing. Once you know this, you can identify the existing gaps and how your product can solve the problem.

• Define your target audience

Your software should have a solid user base. For this, you need to know your target audience’s requirements and priorities and build an efficient solution that addresses their pain points.

• Create a design of the healthcare software

The initial version of your product will likely have limited functionalities. If your product is small but aimed at addressing a specific problem, it can bring a lot of value. However, it’s better to focus on building a scalable app from the start.

• Assemble the team

Now that you have decided on the most important functionalities and design of your application, the next step is to assemble the software product development team. After assembling the team, choose the right tech stack for your project.

• Create an MVP

In order to build a great app in one shot, it is advised to create an MVP which is the initial version of a product with limited features for very first customers. It will help you validate your customers’ interest in your product.

• Test the product

Software testing allows you to evaluate the user experience of your healthcare software product, find out development issues, gather feedback, and make necessary changes. This also enables you to identify bugs, fix them, and ensure that your software has improved features.

• Product Release

The final step is to release the product on the market. Further, fully developed healthcare software needs continuous maintenance and support. If you ignore the importance of app maintenance, you might face cyber threat risks or financial penalties later.

What to Consider While Looking for a Healthcare Software Development Team?

The most important step in building a successful healthcare software product is to know where should you outsource. Here are the criteria for choosing a software outsourcing company -

Tech Expertise

Once you've selected the right tech stack for your healthcare app, it's crucial to verify that the outsourcing company has the expertise in it. Specifically, a healthcare software development firm should demonstrate its expertise in software development to ensure the seamless integration and optimal performance of your application.

Industry Knowledge

Your software development partner must have rich industry knowledge. You can check their website to look for healthcare projects they have worked on.

Scalability

Look for a software development company with a professional team of healthcare software developers who can handle large-scale projects with better tools and processes. Also, the company must have enough resources to fulfill your project requirements.

Security

In order to deliver reliable healthcare software solutions, handling vast amounts of sensitive information is crucial. Therefore, it is imperative to ensure that your outsourcing partner builds a healthcare app that obeys healthcare security protocols, such as HIPAA, PCI, and ISO. This ensures not only the effectiveness of the solution but also the protection of sensitive healthcare data.

Why Choose Ditstek Innovations for Healthcare Software Development Services?

Building a custom healthcare software software is a tricky process. That is why Ditstek Innovations comes up with a team of dedicated software developers who build robust products that align with your needs. We have hands-on experience in building secure healthcare applications and ensuring compliance with healthcare regulations. Backed by an agile approach, our process is easy to understand. From MVP to product launch and maintenance, we guide you through every stage of software development.

Feel free to share your requirements at info@ditstek.com