The healthcare technology landscape is constantly evolving, and staying up to date on the latest healthcare technology trends and developments is vital for any company looking to have faster go-to-market timelines. Despite the potential benefits, developing new healthcare technology can be challenging due to legacy data systems, regulatory requirements, and cost constraints. To overcome these challenges, companies should consider several trends to speed up their development process without sacrificing quality or security.
Challenges in the Healthcare Technology Development
Developing healthcare technology can be a complex process. Companies must overcome various obstacles to bring their products to market. The first of these is legacy data systems built using outdated technology. These systems can be challenging to integrate with new technology, making it more difficult for developers to access the data that they need. Many companies have built data systems and databases over the years that are not interoperable with other systems, which can lead to wasted time and effort when trying to connect the two.
In addition, several regulatory requirements must be met to market a healthcare technology product. These requirements can vary from country to country and can be time consuming to comply with. Finally, cost constraints must be considered when developing a product, which can lead to development delays as companies try to find ways to reduce costs.
These challenges can make it difficult for companies to promptly bring their products to market. However, several healthcare technology trends can help speed up the process.
Trend 1: Augmenting Teams with Domain Experts
To speed up development timelines, companies can leverage domain experts who have experience with legacy data systems and software development. These people can help identify potential existing solutions and reduce costs by leveraging those solutions. They can also guide the best software development approaches and help ensure that the product meets regulatory requirements.
These experts can also help improve efficiencies in testing and quality assurance. By better understanding the underlying technology, they can identify potential areas of improvement and ensure that the product is ready for launch, which can reduce the time spent testing and help get the product to market faster.
Domain experts are critical resources for speeding up development timelines. When you are ready to augment your team, look for candidates with experience in the healthcare technology space. Companies should also consider partnering with experienced software development teams specializing in this area. Your team should have a clear understanding of the regulatory landscape to ensure that all requirements are met.
Ways that a healthcare company can gain access to the best domain experts include:
- Partnering with universities or research institutes with expertise in healthcare technology
- Hiring consultants who specialize in legacy data systems and software development
- Leveraging industry networks such as HIMSS and HL7
- Attending conferences, such as EHR Intelligence, to meet experienced professionals
- Joining professional societies and user groups, such as Healthcare IT News and mHealth Intelligence
Trend 2: AI in Healthcare
Artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning have quickly become essential to healthcare technology. AI-powered tools can help improve patient outcomes by providing better diagnoses and predictive analytics.
Predictive analytics is essential in healthcare technology because it helps identify trends and patterns in patient data, which can improve patient care and treatment protocols, ultimately improving outcomes. AI-powered tools can also help reduce costs by automating mundane tasks such as scheduling appointments or processing paperwork.
AI-powered technologies are also being used to help streamline the process of drug development and clinical trials. By using AI to analyze large amounts of data, companies can identify potential drug targets more quickly and test compounds more efficiently, reducing the time spent in the development process.
Trend 3: Easing Regulatory Requirements
Another way to reduce development timelines is to use existing standards and frameworks, such as FHIR, a set of standards developed to help companies swiftly build compliant applications. By leveraging these standards, companies can get their applications to market faster and reduce the time spent on regulatory testing.
In addition, several open-source frameworks can be used to build the necessary components of a healthcare technology product and reduce the time needed for development.
Companies should also consider working with third-party organizations, as they can offer best practices and help ensure that all requirements are met before the product is launched.
Conclusion
Staying up to date on the latest healthcare technology trends is essential for companies looking to get their products to market quickly and cost-effectively. Three trends that can help achieve faster go-to-market timelines include leveraging domain experts, using AI for patient care and predictive analytics, and easing regulatory requirements with existing standards and frameworks. By taking advantage of these trends, companies can reduce development timelines and get their products to market faster.
Here at OtterSoft, we help healthcare technology providers drive innovation and integrate smoothly with legacy systems to keep things in motion, address the challenges of healthcare innovation, and seamlessly sync information. To see how we can help you overcome the challenges of healthcare innovation, contact us today!
