With the ultimate objective of conducting development projects at a relatively low price, the concept of offshore software development gained traction quickly, all across the globe. Not to mention, considering external tech help can free up internal IT resources and successfully focus on core competencies at hand. Since you are already reading this post, it likely means you are exploring different ways to cut development costs without sacrificing quality. Well, you have ended up in the right place, and what you need is to start looking around for a reputable and reliable software development company that doesn’t just carry immense knowledge but also experience in offering all sorts of solutions irrespective of the industry vertical.
Introduction to offshore outsourcing
Offshore outsourcing, once considered a mere concept, has now reached every business, be it small, medium, or large, worldwide. And please don’t misunderstand this as mere idle talk, we are pretty serious about it! Last year, the global offshore software development market was valued at $122 billion and is expected to reach $283 billion by the year 2031. Now I am sure you must be wondering why there is such a strong demand for offshore development.
Over the years, the software development landscape has undergone a significant transformation, especially after the COVID-19 pandemic; there has been a sudden rise in considering these offshore services, where several tasks are allocated to teams residing in different countries. Choosing this approach means you are bound to receive a plethora of advantages such as reduced costs, access to a global talent pool, and enhanced productivity.
How is the current state of offshore development beneficial?
Cost-effectiveness - One of the obvious advantages of considering offshore outsourcing is the cost efficiency. Yes, when you choose offshore as your tech partner, it reduces operational costs. No wonder, lots and lots of businesses can save on labor expenses since the teams you choose usually will have lower wages, especially in countries such as India, Vietnam, the Philippines, and more. In addition to all this, lots of overhead costs, especially in regards to office space, utilities, and other infrastructural expenses, can be eliminated. So yes, this one turns out to be a highly cost-effective solution.
Access to specialized skills - Offshore software development gives you instant opportunity to gain access to a global talent pool, which means lots of companies can successfully help to tap into specialized skills and expertise, especially since you aren’t able to find them near you. So businesses get to leverage niche technical skills and industry-specific knowledge, which is very important to conduct successful, complicated projects.
High scalability - Another advantage offered by hiring offshore development companies is that you are bound to receive unmatched scalability. Yes, it is possible for businesses to scale up or down team sizes according to the demand of the project. This means it is possible for businesses to leverage niche technical skills and industry-specific knowledge, which is a very basic yet important factor in the success of any development project.
Focus on core competencies - When you consider outsourcing or choose an offshore development company, it means you are outsourcing routine or specialized tasks, which also means companies get to focus well on their core competencies and activities, leading to an absolute increase in innovation and growth.
Healthcare Software Development
Now, healthcare software development is pretty much similar to any other offshore development project. I mean, even here you get to save enough money, gain technology-driven offerings, focus on core tasks, free up internal IT resources, and so more.
However, there was a time when healthcare organisations were supposed to have their in-house teams who were supposed to conduct a successful custom healthcare software development project. However, this decision came with several drawbacks, including financial burdens, the need to hire specialists, expenses for office space and employee training, a limited pool of local talent, and a lengthy hiring process.
What was the other option back then? These organisations began hiring freelancers for a healthcare app development project, but this also had an adequate amount of downsides as well, such as unverified skills, difficulty in ensuring adherence to industry regulations, lack of prioritisation, and communication challenges.
And last but not least, we are working with an offshore development company, a concept that seems to have recently boomed due to several reasons, which we will go through further in the following post.
First, let us understand what offshore healthcare software development is. Well, it is a term used to describe a situation when a business successfully outsources its healthcare-related software projects to a trustworthy development partner overseas, be it in a different time zone, cultural environment. Offshore healthcare software development usually comprises electronic health records (EHRs), telemedicine platforms, health information systems, and other specialised healthcare applications. When you collaborate with professionals in the market, you can develop software solutions that meet industry standards and regulations.
Benefits of Offshore Healthcare Software Development
Lower Cost
One of the obvious benefits to take into account is the lower cost, since the healthcare development company is located overseas, the overall cost is lower. However, there is no fixed price; in fact, it keeps on varying depending on different factors such as the type of app, complexity, platforms supported, UI/UX requirements, back-end processing, and a lot more.
Moreover, the price even depends on complexity, how simple or complex the project is, scope, deadlines, and, of course, what kind of tech stacks are being used here. The more resources included, the price will certainly increase. So, the concept of the more the merrier doesn’t work everywhere.
Access to Global Talent
As mentioned above, it's offshore, which means the entire world is at your service. Here, you get a plethora of options and alternatives available. If you are looking for a specific kind of expertise, then this is also feasible since you have so many options around. In comparison to in-house, offshore definitely offers global access, which means you get high-level experts even at lower prices, but isn’t that great!
Faster Time-to-Market
We are talking about offshore, which means there will be huge time-zone differences. Usually, time zone difference is a disadvantage, but you can take it as your advantage, think here you are bound to receive services 24/7, which means even if you are sleeping, your development project will keep going on with your team of offshore developers. So this gives you a great opportunity to conclude development in no time and gain a significant edge over your competition. Let’s face it, surviving in the current cut-throat competitive world is extremely tough. You need some assistance that can give you a sudden push, and this is none other than your reliable offshore development partner. So, yes, another advantage to consider is faster time to market.
Lower Staff Burnout
Of course, when you hire professionals from overseas, it means you are enabling them to share the load and work on your project, and that too on your behalf. This surely means your current staff will have lower burnout, and they won’t drain themselves to an extreme level. This also means your team will specialise in their core competencies and nothing else. There are times when focusing on too many tasks can lead to early burnout and frustration, and scope for making unwanted mistakes. Here, your offshore software development team will successfully go an extra mile and strive to come up with the best possible outcomes, maybe sometimes even exceed your expectations, and whatnot!
Regulatory Compliance and Specialized Technology
The last but certainly not the least one is that the offshore development teams you pick must adhere to current compliance standards and specialized technological advancements. You see, strict regulations in the healthcare industry are meant for a purpose. After all, your valuable patients have offered their most intimate data, which shouldn’t be lost at any moment. HIPAA, HITECH, and FDA regulations must be well taken care of. Also, see whether they apply security measures such as audit trails, access control, and encryption.
So, check whether the development partner has a track record of creating HIPAA-compliant solutions, and what measures they take to maintain data privacy and security, and more.
Conclusion
Offshore software development isn’t going anywhere; with each passing day, it becomes stronger and a more go-to option for businesses all across the globe, whether they are in banking or finance, healthcare, education, or any other sector. Here are a few types of companies that can benefit from conducting offshore development projects, such as:
- Digital health startups with limited budgets
- Healthcare businesses lacking technical expertise
- Healthcare companies are willing to speed up time to market
Another quick question, when is the right time to outsource a healthcare software development company? If you are in your brainstorming phase, what I mean is when you have a basic idea of developing a medical app but lack severely in terms of technical skills, partnering with an experienced team of professionals can be highly beneficial. You can think of partnering even in the development stage. I mean, once you are thorough with the idea and structure of the healthcare app, you can successfully connect with a software development partner and begin the development journey right away. Once the app is released, you need assistance in regards to maintenance, which is where considering an app development company is a must.
Lastly, a few points to consider when outsourcing to an offshore healthcare software development company.
- Make sure the company is legit and remains compliant with laws, regulations, and standards
- Are they ready to sign an NDA?
- How is their knowledge of integration standards such as Health Level 7, HL7 Fast Healthcare Interoperability Resources, ANSI X12n 5010, NCPDP SCRIPT, DICOM, and HL7 v3 Clinical Document Architecture?
- Choose professionals who have cross-platform expertise as well as experience in encryption tools, libraries, secure coding practices, and SOAP and REST frameworks.
So that’s all for now! I hope you enjoyed reading the following post. In case you have any kind of doubts or queries, feel free to mention them in the comment section below. We will try reaching you in no time. Good luck with your app development project! Keep watching the space if you want to learn more about the healthcare app development realm.
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