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The healthcare industry increasingly relies on medical applications and software, from mobile devices to wearables, to track vital signs and provide accurate feedback on users’ well-being. As the need for healthcare software continues to grow, companies constantly look for ways to improve their offerings and enter the market successfully. That has led to a high demand for talented programmers who can create high-quality medical applications. However, finding the right engineers experienced in the industry can be challenging. This blog provides easy guidance on what to consider when hiring healthcare app developers.
What is a Healthcare App Developer
Healthcare app developers are engineers who specialize in creating software products for the medical industry. They use their programming skills to develop applications that can be used by doctors, patients, or both.
What makes medical applications so special that they require unique expertise to develop?
- Integration with healthcare systems
These apps must integrate with electronic medical records (EMRs), hospital information systems (HIS), and other systems to provide accurate and up-to-date information to healthcare providers. - Compliance
They must comply with various regulations, such as General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) in the European Union, Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) in the United States, and Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA) in Canada, to protect patient privacy and data security. - Data privacy and security
Healthcare applications deal with sensitive personal information, including medical and health records. Therefore, developers must ensure that the app meets stringent data privacy and security standards. - Clinical validity
Medical software must be clinically valid and accurate. The information and data provided by the app must be backed by scientific evidence and validated by healthcare professionals. - Usability
Such apps should be easy to use and navigate for patients, caregivers, and healthcare professionals. They should have an intuitive interface, be accessible, and have clear and concise instructions. - Reliability
These software products must be reliable and always available, especially in emergencies. Bugs, crashes, and downtime can be life-threatening for patients, so programmers must ensure the app is stable and robust.
So, to be successful healthcare app developers, they need expertise in several areas, including software architecting, full-stack development methodologies, and mastery of the most demanded modern programming languages. They must also understand healthcare systems, medical data, regulations, user experience design, security protocols, and data privacy.
Academy Smart’s engineers have been actively involved in developing healthcare software for various tasks, which allowed us to gain extensive experience in this area. For example, you can get acquainted with the application for rehabilitating patients with Parkinson’s disease.
Healthcare application LiveWell, developed by Academy Smart
When do you need to find and hire Healthcare App Developers
It would be best to hire healthcare app developers when you have a specific idea for a medical application you want to bring to the market. It could be when you are developing a new healthcare product, when you want to improve an existing one, or when you want to integrate new features or technologies into your software. How to create a user-friendly medical software product, read in our article “How to build a Healthcare App in 2023: complete guide“.
Hiring healthcare app developers is essential when you need more in-house expertise to develop the application or to expedite the development process. A great way to organize the work of your internal development team is to find a team lead who is competent in creating medical software. Naturally, your team will need a business analyst familiar with the niche, front-end, and back-end developers, design specialists, and testers. Their specific skills will tell you the requirements for your medical software: big data, artificial intelligence, augmented reality, IoT, etc.
And today, you are not limited to recruiting full-time employees. You can contact qualified freelance programmers or IT companies that provide outstaffing services to solve such a specific task. If maintaining an in-house development team is not profitable and costly, you can always find outsourcers with expertise in the healthcare industry. Our portfolio contains several healthcare software products the Academy Smart’s team created from scratch or significantly upgraded.
Medical App Developers: skills
Developing medical apps requires a high level of expertise and proficiency in various areas of software engineering. The list of necessary skills is extensive, from front-end to back-end development, cloud technologies, and familiarity with innovative software development areas.
Finding the right healthcare app devs with all the necessary skills can be challenging, but it’s important for the future product’s success. In addition, adherence to industry standards for quality and data security is crucial. Therefore, it’s often advisable to delegate the task of choosing specialists to professional IT recruiters who can identify the right candidate with the required skills and experience.
Proficiency in agile software engineering
This skill involves working efficiently in a dynamic and fast-paced environment. The agile methodology breaks down development tasks into smaller, manageable iterations, allowing for greater flexibility and adaptability to changing requirements.
A healthcare app developer with proficiency in agile software engineering can collaborate effectively with cross-functional teams, prioritize tasks effectively, and ensure the timely delivery of high-quality software.
Mastery in front-end development
That is another vital skill for healthcare app devs, as the front end is the user-facing part of any medical app. With mastery in front-end development, a programmer can ensure that the application’s user interface is designed to meet the needs of patients, healthcare providers, and other stakeholders.
The coder must have a deep understanding of user experience (UX) design principles and be able to create visually appealing and intuitive interfaces. Proficiency in HTML, CSS, and JavaScript is also essential. You can learn how to find great JavaScript developers in our thematic guide.
Expertise in back-end development
Healthcare applications often involve complex data management and require secure handling of sensitive information, making strong back-end development skills crucial. A medical app developer with expertise in back-end development that handles data logic, processing, and storage will be able to design and build a scalable, reliable, and secure system that can calculate large amounts of data and provide a seamless user experience. They should have experience working with databases, APIs, and server-side languages like Java, Python, or PHP.
Use of cloud technologies
Cloud technology enables the creation of scalable and flexible solutions that can be easily integrated with other systems, which is crucial in the healthcare industry where interoperability is essential. Knowledge of cloud computing platforms, such as Amazon Web Services (AWS), Microsoft Azure, or Google Cloud Platform, and experience with cloud-based architectures, such as microservices, can help developers create robust and secure healthcare applications that are accessible from anywhere with an internet connection.
Familiarity with innovative software development areas
Knowledge of innovative areas such as data science, AI, AR/MR, IoT, and other emerging technologies is a particular skill that medical app devs should have. This expertise allows them to create solutions at the industry’s forefront, such as healthcare applications that leverage machine learning algorithms to provide personalized treatment recommendations or virtual reality simulations for medical training. Such a skill set allows developers to stay up-to-date with industry trends and incorporate new technologies into their work, ensuring that their software remains cutting-edge and competitive.
Knowledge of industry standards for quality and data security
As healthcare apps deal with sensitive patient data, it is essential for developers to know industry standards for quality and data security. That includes understanding and implementing regulations such as HIPAA, GDPR, and other data privacy laws. Additionally, developers should have a solid understanding of encryption and other security measures to provide patient information’s safe storage and transmission. They should also be able to conduct thorough testing and quality assurance to ensure the app functions as intended and meets industry standards.
Teamwork skills
Medical app development involves multiple stages, from planning to deployment, and requires a coordinated effort from all team members. So, healthcare app devs often work with other programmers, designers, project managers, and stakeholders in a team environment. Therefore, the ability to work together and manage conflicts is crucial to ensure the project’s success. Effective communication, active listening, flexibility, and adaptability are key teamwork skills that healthcare app developers require.
The most important skills for Healthcare application developers
How to Hire Healthcare App Developers: 4 steps
Finding and hiring programmers for a medical application in practice is not much different from recruiting developers of other specializations. An offline and online search for the right talents using the algorithm below usually leads to the expected results. But if you feel burdened by an independent search for applicants, seek help from specialists in selecting suitable IT personnel. Their involvement can significantly reduce the cost and time of hiring the best healthcare software professionals.
Step 1. Goals and technical requirements clarification
Before hiring healthcare app developers, it is crucial to clarify the goals and technical requirements of the project. This step involves defining the purpose of the app, the target audience, and the features needed to achieve the desired outcome. It is also important to define the technology stack, programming languages, and frameworks that will be used in the development process. It helps ensure that the development team understands the project and can deliver a product that meets the client’s needs. This step is crucial in avoiding misunderstandings and miscommunications during the development process, which can lead to delays and additional costs.
Step 2. Definition of wishes to the development team
The engineering and programming expertise that matches the product’s specification is also crucial. It has to satisfy technical challenges and project goals and be able to construct desired features and functionalities. Once clarified, these requirements should be embodied in the development team that meets the project’s needs.
Professional IT recruitment agencies can help hire healthcare app developers with the necessary skills and expertise to bring the project to fruition. For instance, an app that collects and analyzes large amounts of data may require a developer with expertise in big data technologies like Hadoop, Spark, or NoSQL databases. An app integrating with IoT devices may need a programmer experienced in platforms like Arduino, Raspberry Pi, or AWS IoT. Additionally, an app using machine learning to analyze medical images or predict patient outcomes may require an engineer proficient in ML frameworks like TensorFlow, Keras, or PyTorch.
Step 3. Search for developers of appropriate qualifications
The next step is to search for devs with the appropriate qualifications. One way to do this is to post ads on job boards and professional social media platforms like LinkedIn. Another option is to explore freelance marketplaces such as Upwork or Freelancer, where you can find experienced developers with the required skills and expertise.
Good idea is to use reviewing platforms that provide access to pre-screened development teams. These portals like Clutch may have teams specializing in medical app development and can provide case studies and client reviews as references.
IT outsourcing or outstaffing companies are viable options for hiring healthcare app developers. With outsourcing, you can delegate the entire software development process to an external team. At the same time, with IT outstaffing, you can hire dedicated programmers who will work as part of your in-house team. Both options allow you to access a large pool of developers with the required skills and expertise without the need to go through the entire recruitment process.
Regardless of the chosen approach, it is essential to carefully review candidates’ resumes, portfolios, and references and conduct thorough interviews to assess their technical and communication skills, cultural fit, and work style.
Step 4. Presentation of the project and negotiations on the nuances of the work
After finding potential candidates, the next step is to present the project to them and negotiate the specifics of the work. Take special care discussing the project scope, timeline, budget, and any technical requirements or constraints. It’s essential to articulate your expectations and ensure that both parties are on the same page before moving forward.
During the negotiation phase, discuss the developing process, approach to development, and communication style and availability. That helps establish expectations and ensure a smooth working relationship throughout the project.
Once the details have been agreed upon, it’s important to document the terms of the agreement in a contract or statement of work. It should include a detailed scope of work, project milestones, timelines, and payment terms. It’s also essential to create a clear communication plan and point of contact for both parties to address any issues or concerns promptly.
Another critical aspect to consider when hiring healthcare app developers is protecting the project’s intellectual property. Before starting any discussions or negotiations with potential developers, it is recommended to have non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) in place to safeguard any sensitive information shared during the hiring process. Including clauses related to intellectual property rights and ownership in the contract is also essential. It ensures that the app development company or freelancer does not claim ownership of the product and that the source code and other materials are handed over to the client upon project completion.
In addition, verifying that the developer has no conflicts of interest that could impact the project is important. This can be done by checking their past projects and clients and verifying that they have not worked on a similar app for a competitor.
By establishing clear expectations and documenting the terms of the agreement, you ensure a successful project outcome. Taking steps to protect intellectual property and ensure confidentiality can save time, money, and legal headaches in the long run. It is advisable to seek legal counsel to draft appropriate agreements and contracts.
How to hire healthcare app developers in four steps
How Academy SMART can help you hire Healthcare App Developers
Academy Smart is a company that also specializes in developing healthcare apps. Over the years, we have successfully delivered numerous projects, including medical applications, providing us with deep knowledge of the industry’s specifics and requirements and invaluable experience in selecting the best solutions.
As a Ukrainian outstaffing company, we proudly offer our clients access to top-quality programmers at a highly competitive price point in Eastern Europe. Our team comprises highly skilled and experienced developers with expertise in various front-end and back-end fields. If you require qualified remote employees to augment your development staff, we invite you to contact us and share your ideas.
Hire Healthcare App Developers: Frequently Asked Questions
How much does it cost to hire Healthcare App Developers?
Healthcare app developers are in high demand, and their rates are usually higher than those of programmers working on other projects. At Academy Smart, you may hire qualified programmers for your project for 30-60 euros per hour.
TOP places to find Medical App Developers?
Here are some of the top places to find medical app developers: online job boards, freelance websites, outsourcing companies, staff augmentation services, industry events, and conferences.
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