Software Development in Healthcare: Exploring the Pros and Cons

Software Development in Healthcare: Exploring the Pros and Cons

Information technology is gradually proving to have a great influence on all aspects of social life. For activities in the healthcare industry, it can be seen that software development in healthcare is playing an important role. In addition to the visible benefits, organizations will also need to understand the potential limitations to make appropriate investment decisions.

In this article, GCT Solution will figure out those pros and cons, thereby helping businesses to consider whether they fit their hospitals/ clinics or not.

1. Trends of software development in healthcare

With advancements in software technology and an increasing focus on data-driven healthcare, softwares for hospitals will play a pivotal role in medicine.

Here are some modern trends when people talk about medical software development in 2023: 

• Electronic health records (EHRs)
• Medical imaging software 
• Clinical decision support systems (CDSS)
• Patient portals
• Practice management software

2. Benefits of software development in healthcare

The application of technology to health management brings undeniable benefits.

• Enhance work productivity by simplifying procedures

Human day-to-day activities are facilitated by software, allowing them to do tasks more quickly and reliably, then work efficiency is significantly boosted, with a large reduction in human-caused errors.

For example, just owning an electronic medical card, the patient will be able to access it anytime, anywhere with an Internet connection. An electronic medical card will be like an electronic medical record, each time a patient goes for medical examination and treatment, the patient does not have to carry a lot of papers, medical records, and does not have to wait for procedures, tests, and examinations. 

On the other hand, the doctor can still determine the exact treatment regimen because all medical records such as medical history, symptoms, test results, prescriptions, etc. have been stored in the system. Since then, increasing the efficiency of medical examination and treatment, which originally takes a lot of time to process paperwork and look up. The time to deal with administrative procedures is also reduced, creating conditions for doctors to have more time to care for and contact patients.

• Support the communication between patients and doctors, improve service quality

When integrating the communication platform between the patient and the hospital, the patient can also directly contact and send email to the treating doctors; access the system to read information related to their disease. This not only creates many advantages for patients, but also contributes to improving the quality of medical examination and treatment and speeding up the handling of administrative procedures for patients of the Faculty.

• Support internal communication

Hospital management is a complicated mechanism that requires exact coordination and timely response from all departments. The medical center management system could make it possible to get necessary data in digital and on time. When patients are managed on the hospital's intranet, looking up test results and diagnostic imaging from previous visits and between departments will be very quick and accurate. Not only that, for the operation of the hospital, the application of information technology has helped the functional department to check the financial loss.

• Reduce payment and billing

The volume of payments and cash flow at the hospital is extremely complex, due to the relationship not only between the patient and the hospital but also between the hospital and their supply partners. The management by medical software will help payment accurately, eliminating unnecessary hardcopy invoices. Also, in the cashless era, paying online or on digital platforms also enhances the patient experience.

• Strengthen the management and operation of the complex hospital model

A management system provides a critical advantage by tracking staff performance and giving complete information to the administration. Moreover, these complete reports may be used by hospital administration to determine which types of hospital services generate the most income and which underperforming departments may be cut in funding or terminated, temporarily or permanently. It also aids in identifying and resolving potential problems before they grow and spiral out of control, thereby avoiding financial and reputational harm.

3. Key challenges of software development in healthcare

Although software application in healthcare contributes many practical benefits to businesses, it also has disadvantages points that organizations need to be aware:

• Risk of information disclosure

Data security is a big and sensitive issue, especially for data groups related to patient information, patient health, medical institution records. A cyber attack on this data group will have serious consequences. And fixing bugs will also become difficult without a high-qualified software engineer in healthcare.

• Not understanding compliance regulations

In fact, the healthcare industry is closely tied to regulatory compliance, especially when it comes to technological innovation. A non-compliant software or application will not even be placed on the market. Additionally, having a consistent and reliable mechanism to keep healthcare solutions in line with up-to-date policies and government standards is a key determinant of success in the market. To that extent, risks are high when it comes to sensitive patient information and mistakes can cost much.

• Risks of cooperation with a disreputable software development partner

Quality products are the key for the success of technology application. However, finding professional and reputable partners without too high costs is a concern to be solved. In the healthcare sector, standards are even more complex due to the complex nature of the industry, as product development requires experience and in-depth knowledge. Choosing a substandard supplier may entail a number of risks related to technology infrastructure, product delivery time, and post-processing.

Technology is a two-edge knife, which can be both beneficial and adverse at the same time. With the benefits that technology brings, the application of technology in healthcare management is a trend and the development of software in healthcare is an example. To address these concerns, you should thoroughly understand the criteria for evaluating the vendor quality.

In conclusion, choosing an outsourcing agency in a vibrant medical healthcare market is not an easy task. Besides costs, organizations need to consider the agency's capacity and operational factors to well- control the above challenges. As a reputable agency in the market, outsourcing software development with GCT Solution will solve problems that concern the organization, including but not limited to: cybersecurity, regulations compliance and cost effectiveness.

Final Thoughts: 

If you are seeking a seasoned IT provider, GCT Solution is the ideal choice. With 3 years of expertise, we specialize in Mobile App , Web App, System Development, Blockchain Development and Testing Services. Our 100+ skilled IT consultants and developers can handle projects of any size. Having successfully delivered over 50+ solutions to clients worldwide, we are dedicated to supporting your goals. Reach out to us for a detailed discussion, confident that GCT Solution is poised to meet all your IT needs with tailored, efficient solutions. 

Please feel free to drop us an email when it is convenient for you to have an online meeting to discuss this further. Have a productive day!