SaaS for healthcare industry is a much-needed intervention that can save healthcare professionals from mountains of administrative work and keep the PHI locked and secured. But is that all it does? After all, SaaS is popular for its Hulk-like benefits, But the arena of healthcare is no easy challenge either. If you are also intrigued to know how SaaS works for healthcare?
Let’s get the details ahead!
“There is no business strategy without a cloud strategy,” said the vice president of Gartner. Reportedly global cloud revenue is estimated to total $474 billion in 2022, up from $408 billion in 2021.
While the global cloud business is basking in glory, this might make you want to explore new areas of the cloud club. And as a member of the same cloud club, SaaS is blessed with amazing features that can be used for repairing the old bridges of the healthcare industry. SaaS application development has led many ventures to victory in other industries. But the question is can SaaS for healthcare open the gates of glory for you?
Why, yes! SaaS has earned its reputation by beating the most critical challenges of businesses. The Samurai of Software, SaaS, has weapons for all business problems. Saving the world both time and resources, the hero has given the gifts of scalability, accessibility, real-time tracking, fast upgrades, and cost-efficient practices. And yet after all of that, it doesn’t rest on its laurels as SaaS has started another venture, to conquer the healthcare industry.
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What Does SaaS for Healthcare Mean?
You might already know of SaaS as in Software-as-a-Service, as it is a well-known entity in almost all industries, so let’s finish the formalities quickly. SaaS is a software delivery model in which the software applications reside in a cloud-based server and are available for use by all the users around the internet. Essentially, it is subscription-based software, where the provider is responsible for maintenance, service, and upgrades of the application and the user stays hassle-free.
Although this would be ample for the majority, healthcare demands more than just any software can offer. The healthcare industry is a delicate ecosystem with unique necessities that require specialized tools. The healthcare industry brings forth new challenges that are frail and need precision more than any other industry. With multiple factors co-depending on each other, the implementation of new technology meets with numerous hurdles brought by old tech, budget issues, and regulatory compliance. Thus, making it difficult for just any healthcare software to work. Well.. there’s that but, will that be a concern for SaaS? Let’s find out!
Challenges of SaaS in the Healthcare Industry - a Breathless Endeavor!
The healthcare ecosystem is very sensitive because patient data is highly confidential. Many healthcare organizations are still wary of usability and interoperability issues from old to new tech making it a challenge for healthcare softwares. These challenges need to be dealt with precaution and extreme care. So let’s do a quick run-by through the challenges while exploring the solutions simultaneously.
1. Compliance with Regulations
To enter the healthcare industry you must be well versed in their healthcare acts. For a well-rounded healthcare SaaS, the first step will be its compliance with healthcare acts and protocols. Proving that your software is safe and won’t be a trojan to public health security, is the priority.
Solution: With a generous amount of knowledge and skilled expertise in healthcare software development, our developers navigate protocols to deliver the best healthcare software solution. Now let's take a sneak peek at the actual development.
2. Interoperability with Legacy Systems
These are the first sting you will face while developing healthcare SaaS software. The healthcare industry can’t afford to lose data, the reason being the care of their patients depends on it. While the incompatible software and outdated technology themselves are red flags, they also make it way harder to retrieve data from it. So what can be done to streamline the process?
Solution: With the help of HLF7 (Healthcare Level Seven International) and FHIR (Fast Healthcare Interoperability Resources), the job goes as smoothly as butter. HLF7 can make the data flow easier, faster, and better. And to top that you can set the mold in which you need your data to be transferred from the legacy system to your SaaS. For a more flexible approach, you can use FHIR, which uses web-based programming APIs. This allows authorized users to modify the data being transferred using standard HTTP protocols.
3. Data Privacy and Security Concerns
So once you are done with transferring the data you need to get ready for the war. That means you need to build barriers to protect the data that you collected. Data breach is a big No-No in this industry. So while building healthcare SaaS software you need to be extra mindful of this.
Solution: SaaS protects the data like no other but with the touch of an expert wielder, It can slice the most notorious intruders in two. Using access control, and data encryption as robust security measures you beat the odds. But the trump card is a government security standard-compliant solution that also handles security updates and alerts. Our savant developers are both skilled and knowledgeable as their hands-on experience brings out expert security solutions.
4. Pricing and Cost-Effectiveness
A good software solution is neither cheap to make nor easy to trade. In all fairness, any new product in the market can create a buzz in the crowd, but only a few customers actually become buyers. Old habits, high pricing, and a negative ROI are exactly what makes a customer wary of a new product. But to prove to each and every customer that your software solution tends to their needs is difficult but not impossible.
Solution: It is said that a simple solution is the best solution, rather than spending hours on convincing and negotiating up-down payments. A subscription plan would suffice all of the worries and fulfill the necessities for both parties. With SaaS, the whole control is in your hands. Also, this is an open secret that SaaS software is much cheaper than general software or application. So that’s a win-win situation for both!
Benefits of SaaS in Healthcare - The CPR for Healthcare!
By now healthcare problems would no longer be a blur like before. And this promises a smooth entry into the cloud club but let’s have a look at how we can make your membership VIP!
(a) Healthcare Management
- Renewal of Contracts: Stay ahead of the game with automated contract renewable notifications and analytic and reporting tools, that sets your life to easy mode. Streamline the contract renewable process, reduce administrative burden, and improve your overall contract management efficiency. Tracking contract renewable rates will optimize the workflow and help you to make informed decisions.
- Real-time Tracking: Get real-time updates not only for your contracts but for your inventory too. From receiving alerts and updates on items that are running low to tracking emergency response teams and resources in real time, SaaS platforms offer a range of tools that can optimize operations. Additionally, we can make your healthcare SaaS provide updates on clinical trials and patient's health status, which accelerates the time required to manage trial logistics and helps healthcare providers provide telehealth support unified.
- Fast Upgrades: Time-consuming software upgrades can be a big problem as the healthcare industry always races against time. As a matter of fact, every second counts, when you are fighting death on a routine. But not upgrading the software would result in missing features and unattended bugs, which might cause a problem in the long run. SaaS can be a soothing solution to this burning problem, as they require minimum time for upgrades and updates. Thus, patient care stays uninterrupted and your software stays up to date.
(b) Payment Management
- Billing: SaaS can be used to automate and optimize your old billing process. And not just that, SaaS also helps in generating invoices, processing payments, and tracking down all your invoices. But the best part is, with this data, it’s easy to track payments, monitor revenue streams, and also identify the areas for improvement. So making informed decisions based on them will be a piece of cake.
- Payment Gateway: Streamline your payment process with secure and hassle-free online payments, reducing both time and administrative costs. Also, by automating payment processes you can easily track payment status, for timely collections which will minimize errors and delays. Get access to multiple payment gateways and enjoy lightning-fast transactions.
- Payment Failure Handling: Skillfully embedded security protocols never let a single penny slip out of the pocket. With real-time payment tracking, keep track of payment failures and notify the patients immediately, so you don’t lose a single cent. With sleek security protocols and our development tactics, we make your payment transactions secure, efficient, and flexible.
(c) Data Security Management
- The Healthcare Act Compliance: To get a clean check for the healthcare industry, healthcare SaaS is an optimum solution. To walk past the HITECH security gate, SaaS has all the premium passes. With features like automated reporting tools, audit trails, and secure data storage, you also get a clean pass from the HIPAA and GDPR authorities. But wait, there is more, with tools for tracking and managing compliance regulations and identifying areas of non-compliance, you get to avoid any chances of penalties, like a pro.
- Data Encryption for PHI: The amount of stress we put on the importance of data security for healthcare SaaS cannot be underestimated. Patient Healthcare Information (PHI) must be locked and guarded at all costs. With EHRs (i.e. Electronic Health Records) patient data is encrypted. But one layer of encryption isn’t enough, you need robust security measures that ensure healthcare Saas companies provide reliable and secure service while being flexible and accessible to the masses.
- Role-based Access: Sensitive data should not have a free pass. A role-based system inclines on only providing what is needed for separate roles and custom data is provided required for patient care at their level. Also, it helps in keeping track of who and where the information is going. So only authorized people would be able to access the sensitive information. This just gives overall better security and makes sure the data is not leaking out anywhere.
Trending Healthcare SaaS Models
1. AI Model
AI is a trending topic overall, and with the latest developments it has brought wonders left and right. Chat GPT would be just one of the many examples of AI wonders. We can say AI development is a trending topic for good reason. It is a very powerful weapon that is on its merry way to change how the world works. Like image recognition, robotics, and self-driving cars, things that were just a vision are now functioning in reality. SaaS itself provides so many amazing benefits, so wouldn’t it be interesting to know what an amazing SaaS idea mixed with powerful AI could create?
2. PPU Model (pay-per-use)
Do you like subscriptions? Well, if you do this is just the model for you. In the PPU model, you don’t need to pay a large sum upfront rather you pay as you use. That’s right! The price can be calculated however the provider sets, either based on the number of users or the features being used, API calls, or storage consumption. So you can see how much more flexible it gets for the user and easy for the provider to provide the desired features with low costs.
3. Natural Language Processing
NLP is one of the powerful components of the power dynamic of healthcare software development. NLP services are gaining rapid popularity thanks to their useful features like medical analysis, optical character recognition, name entity recognition, and more. As NLP’s features continue to bring innovative solutions to the medical industry, it is fair to assume that the implementation of NLP in SaaS has the very potential required to break the charts of the healthcare industry! Although to do so you would need experts who are in the know about this industry.
So now that you are in with the trends of SaaS in healthcare. Let’s have an overview of how a basic SaaS for healthcare solution is created.
How to Develop a Healthcare SaaS?
- Map your Problem: The healthcare industry has a few areas that need refinement, one such example is an inefficient workflow caused due to legacy systems. Many such problems are still haunting the healthcare industry, as they are looking for a healthcare solution for their rescue. So it's important to find the problem you want to tackle first and have a clear vision of the Achilles heel that you desire to solve.
- Quest for Experienced Vendors: Once you are clear on your path, it’s important to look for suitable and loyal allies that would hold down your fort with all their might. Search for a proper amount of experience and positive reviews, and at last take a test, to check their knowledge of the area they claim as their expertise.
- Mindfully Finalize your Features and Befitting Tech Stack: Now that you have both friends and a clear vision, it's time to choose your weapons that are sharp and strong. Keep in mind that the 'all in one' approach will get your system slowed & unnecessarily complicated. So, handpick the 'must have' features, second-think the 'good to have' ones & in the process, filter out the 'might be good to have' ones for version 2. In short, ensure your chosen features & functionalities serve your purpose just right. As for choosing the tech stack, remember the objective is to provide the best support to the feature set, regardless if it's trending or not."
- Development & Testing: Now here comes the test of your previous decisions. Together as a team you go through a storming development process and watch out for hidden holes you might find on the development way. And while testing, it is crucial that you keep your head up because it is important to ensure everything looks and works perfectly.
- Launch the Product: Finally, it's time to open the chest and claim the marvel you have ventured for. Launch your product with pride, as you have worked hard for it. Give the world a taste of the amazing solution you created.
- Update and Maintenance: Although it seems like it's over, it's not. You gave the world a masterpiece but soon folks around will want more benefits. Don’t let them down. As you are now one of the masters that rule a SaaS product, make sure to grease and polish your product so that it never loses its shine.
Start your SaaS quest with BinaryFolks today!
Hi, We are BinaryFolks!
As time is a precious commodity, let’s not waste it and get right on to business.
- We have hands-on experience in 70+ cloud development applications, where we challenged ourselves to create, optimize and upgrade at every step.
- Having been in the software industry for 12+ years, leveraging the needs of almost every other industry, learning about the challenges faced by our clients, and putting our heads together we bring out the optimum solutions.
- We have helped multiple businesses of various sizes develop and deploy some amazing software solutions, and needless to say we are as happy as our satisfied customers.
- Our team stands on the foundation created by ex-Google and ex-Amazon engineers, so we bring you the experience and expertise that takes your software product to the next level.
So yes, we are always looking forward to new challenges, learning and developing new products, and ideally getting a better understanding of industry-specific challenges. Although “No” is never our answer, but, if your question is, will you ever stop innovating new ideas? You will get a firm answer. So, if you are debating an idea of a plausible solution to a problem, let’s do it together. Make it a 50-50 relationship, you bring the amazing idea and we make it a functioning software.
Conclusion
By now the view must be less blurry than before as we went through the challenges and benefits of SaaS for healthcare industry, peeped into its trending trends, and also secured the steps to get a VIP pass with BinaryFolks. So we are almost there.
Now, some things that were not mentioned were your personal questions that are specific to your idea. If you are still reading you might be hesitating to draw up your doubts, maybe questioning whether your idea is right or not. Don’t worry we will solve every problem you have even before we become allies. If your idea is still just thought and yet to become a solution, no worries we can work on that together. Just quickly jot down the basic idea of the solution or maybe just the problem itself and shoot it on our way.
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