Mistakes and Fixes to Healthcare Custom Software Development

Everyone wants their healthcare experience to be seamless. Healthcare companies can offer this to clients and patients by using well-developed custom software. Custom software is flexible, scalable, and efficient. It improves operability and increases productivity, reducing transmission errors and redundancies.

However, software development comes with risks, and healthcare custom software development is no exception. This guide tackles the following risks:

• Having an incomplete strategy
• Prioritizing price over value
• Overlooking software requirements
• Following inaccurate and vague estimates
• Focusing too much on design
• Skipping the testing stage

Avoid these common mistakes for efficient software development. Let’s go!

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Having an Incomplete Strategy

Some stakeholders might already have features they need in the software or application, so they start the development process right away without further planning. However, an incomplete or ill-defined strategy can lead to failure and overspending.

A solid strategy offers guidelines on how to begin software development. It details the development process step-by-step. Before product development, stakeholders should know what they want to achieve, their practices and benchmarks, and the project's intended outcome. 

Avoid this mistake by following these best practices:

• Define the software’s scope early to allow proper alignment with all stakeholders. Include software development technologies, features, deliverables, timelines, milestones, budget, documentation, and responsibilities.
• Follow an agile method. This development method supports flexibility, efficiency, and collaboration for faster software development.
• Focus on urgent tasks without losing sight of your goal.
• Consider the latest software development trends when creating a complete strategy.

Prioritizing Price Over Value

You get what you pay for when it comes to custom software development. A company that chooses developers based on cost rather than the value they provide might end up with low-quality software. Expert software developers charge more but guarantee better and more efficient software. This investment adds value to your healthcare business in the long run. 

If you plan to outsource software development, remember these techniques:

• Understand the work scope. Divide the development process into various stages or list features. This step clarifies the scope and timeline of the custom software project.
• Estimate software costs by studying similar projects your company has done before.
• Decide according to the tech stack and project complexity. The more complex the app or software is, the more expert programmers it needs. These programmers can be designers, front- and back-end developers, quality assurance (QA) experts, etc.
• Break down the project into smaller pieces to estimate the cost of each task.
• Consider the software project’s type. Web-based software apps might need more labor hours compared to mobile apps. Data warehouse software handling large amounts of data takes longer to develop. Applications that display data also take considerable time.
• Account for other factors, such as the developer's location and QA and development processes. Take into consideration the developer's skill level and tech stack.
• Expect hidden costs, such as overhead or indirect costs. Discuss these with your software developer before beginning the project.

Overlooking Software Requirements

Another consequence of neglecting the planning stage is failing to consider software requirements. This shows poor planning; it can also lead to costly mistakes. 

Developers should review software requirements with proper documentation during the development phase. Strict verification and validation are critical at every stage. Every custom project is unique and requires a deep understanding of the requirements. 

Developers and stakeholders must communicate about the project's progress. Open communication ensures both parties understand and agree with the design and requirements. Prevent this software development mistake using these strategies:

• Determine clear software goals and outcomes.
• Conduct regular meetings or reports to ensure everyone is on the same page.
• Use software tools to enhance team communication.
• Be strict about software documentation. It improves installation, troubleshooting, and tracking at every stage of the development process.
• Conduct code reviews to ensure quality and clean codes. Reviews can avoid issues and promote learning for everyone involved in the process.

Healthcare companies and providers collect and use patient health information (PHI). Developers must ensure their build follows the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA). Compliance includes creating software that encrypts PHI during transmissions, considering user authorizations, creating remediation plans, and many other factors.

Another critical software requirement is ensuring accessibility. Developers must follow the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), which states that websites must be accessible to users with visual, auditory, and physical disabilities. ADA-compliant websites feature mouse and keyboard and voice control, organized and structured headers, and image alt tags.

Following Inaccurate and Vague Estimates

Following inaccurate and vague estimates is another common mistake in creating custom software. Stakeholders unaware of software development's tedious nature might have unreasonable expectations. Examples of these expectations are incorrect estimates of budget, time, or effort that affect the result.

Here are more techniques to define project estimates at the onset and help businesses avoid this mistake:

• Cross-review project requirements with all team members working on the project.
• Improve cost and time estimates by conducting proper research.
• Assign tasks and priorities to team members.
• Separate tasks into smaller and more manageable parts.

Focusing Too Much on Design

Having a flawless software design is critical for healthcare companies. They need software that looks professional and has a seamless dashboard. 

However, software design should not be the sole focus of development. Developers should also consider the software's or application’s functionality. They must develop user-focused software with seamless navigation and a simple design.

Experts use these strategies in custom software development to avoid relying too much on design:

• Set a clear goal for software development. Understand the details of the software to get a broader picture of the project.
• Use software quality control to meet standards.
• Create basic, user-focused software interface designs. Software should be intuitive and minimalistic. It should also load quickly. User help options and personalization options must be available.

Skipping the Testing Stage

Testing is a crucial phase of the software development process. Overlooking testing can lead to security issues, coding errors, and damage. Developers might skip or conduct limited testing because they lack time or resources.

Software developers should never skip the testing stage. They should use proper testing systems, such as unit and load testing. The resulting insights give developers a good idea of the different issues in the software. Testing also ensures that the customized software meets the client's desired outcomes. 

Developers can avoid costly mistakes by prioritizing testing. The following strategies can help minimize impact:

• Perform testing right from the start of the development process to reduce delays and prevent issues.
• Create a well-structured test plan. A good plan includes the scope of testing, objectives, limitations, and deadlines.
• Write compelling test cases. This step ensures the quality and reliability of the custom software. Keep cases simple and specific. Include positive and negative scenarios.
• Automate repetitive and time-consuming cases to save time and effort.
• Create clear lines of communication to ensure proper implementation of the goals.
• Test custom software in various environments and on different operating systems, devices, and browsers.

Summing Up

Focusing on these software development mistakes can prevent costly issues in the future. Implementing the above strategies ensures successful customized software development, enhances patient management, improves healthcare processes, and promotes compliance.

Partner with an expert in healthcare custom software development. Contact Digital Authority Partners today to leverage our industry knowledge.