How much does it cost to build a HIPAA-Compliant platform for medical supplies delivery?

In the current era of global interconnectivity, where healthcare information is increasingly being shared through digital means, safeguarding patient privacy and upholding data security are of utmost importance. To address challenges like these, the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) comes into play.

HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act) is a set of rules governing the handling and protection of Protected Health Information (PHI). According to the act, the information created or received by healthcare providers or their partners must always be protected.

HIPAA sets strict encryption and access control standards to protect personal health information. Encryption scrambles the data, making it incomprehensible to unauthorized individuals. This additional layer of protection makes it difficult for unauthorized eyes to access and decipher personal patient data and information. Apart from this, HIPAA also governs the implementation of robust access controls. These controls decide who can access sensitive healthcare data and under what circumstances.

Although not directly involved in healthcare, logistics, and transportation companies are still required to comply with HIPAA standards. As per the omnibus rule, these companies are considered business associates if they assist healthcare entities in carrying out activities related to the industry.

This includes transportation and logistics providers that handle data transmission involving protected health information (PHI). In addition, non-emergency medical transportation firms hired by health agencies are also classified as business associates and subject to HIPAA regulations.

People trust HIPAA-compliant medical delivery software because it guarantees the privacy and security of their sensitive health information. This software ensures that unauthorized access or disclosure of data is prevented. Compliance with HIPAA regulations clearly indicates a commitment to maintaining strict standards and safeguards, thereby boosting the users’ confidence by ensuring their data is handled with the utmost care and confidentiality.

If you, too, are looking to build a HIPAA Compliant platform for medical delivery, this article will help you understand the overall cost of developing a similar software or an app. In addition to understanding the various factors that affect the HIPAA Compliant medical supplies platform cost, we will also look at the key considerations required to build a HIPAA-compliant medical supplies delivery app.

According to recent reports, the online pharmacy market size is expected to reach $31.64 billion in 2023 and will increase to $ 52.33 billion in 2027, witnessing a CAGR of 13.40% from 2023 to 2027. Thus, now is the right time if you wish to develop a medicine delivery app that is HIPAA compliant considering it is bound to gain instant market acceptance.

Before moving on to the costing details, let us understand if healthcare logistics and transportation software really need to adhere to HIPAA compliance.

Does a Medical Supplies Shipping Software need to Adhere to HIPAA Act?

Well, the answer to your question is yes! Suppose your business deals with Private Health Information such as medical supplies, medical equipment, pharmacy items, or any other healthcare product. In that case, it’s necessary to adhere to the HIPAA Act to ensure the privacy and security of sensitive patient data.

Here are the various reasons why you need a HIPAA-compliant medical supplies distribution platform:

Protect Patient Privacy

HIPAA compliance ensures that patient information, like medical records and prescriptions, is kept safe and private when moved around or delivered. This ensures that the patient’s personal information is always protected from authorized access.

Ensure Data Security

HIPAA-compliant software uses strong security features like locks, passwords, and records to keep patient information safe while it’s stored, moved, or delivered. This helps prevent hackers or unauthorized people from getting access to the information and keeps patient details private and secure.

Regulatory Compliance

HIPAA rules say that healthcare organizations and their partners must follow certain rules to protect patient information. Developing a HIPAA-compliant medical supplies distribution platform that follows these rules shows that a business follows the law, which helps them avoid getting in trouble and damaging their reputation.

Build Trust and Reputation

Using HIPAA-compliant software shows that you take patient privacy and data security seriously. This helps healthcare providers, patients, and other app users to trust your business and consider you a reliable and trustworthy healthcare partner.

Competitive Advantage

In the healthcare industry, with strict rules, having shipping and logistics software that follows HIPAA regulations can make your business stand out from the competition. It shows that you understand the unique needs of healthcare providers and can provide them with secure and compliant transportation and logistics services.

[Also Read: Top Healthcare Trends That Will Redefine The Industry in 2023]

Exploring the HIPAA Compliant Medical Supplies Platform Cost

To give you a rough idea, the cost of developing a HIPAA-compliant medical supplies delivery platform can vary between $45,000 to $200,000. Further factors impact the overall development cost, including the complexity of the software, the hourly rate and location of the software development agency, the features to be implemented in the software, etc.

Even though the total budget for app development may vary as per the type of software required and the services it should offer, it is necessary to get in touch with a dedicated healthcare software development company like Appinventiv that can offer you clear cost estimates by prioritizing the features based on your business requirements.

Factors Affecting the HIPAA Compliant Medical Supplies Platform Cost

As discussed earlier, the overall complexity of the software is the most vital factor that impacts the cost to develop a HIPAA Compliant platform for medical delivery. In simple terms, highly complex medical supplies delivery software with an extensive list of features will ultimately cost you more as compared to a simple software that offers only minimal features. Here is a rough cost estimate to build a HIPAA Compliant platform for medical delivery based on the overall software complexity.

Let us move ahead and look at other factors that impact the development cost:

Location of the app development agency

The location of the agency hired to develop HIPAA Compliant platforms for medical delivery is a major factor impacting its overall cost. For instance, the hourly rate of development in the regions like Asia or Eastern Europe varies between $35-$50. On the other hand, hiring a development team from the regions like the UK or the US can increase your overall development budget considering their hourly rates vary between $100-$120.

UI/UX design of the software

A well-designed and user-friendly interface paves the way for a successful app to gain instant market traction. The cost to build a HIPAA Compliant platform for medical delivery can be impacted by the complexity and customization of its design, including graphics, animations, and user experience elements.

Security and Compliance Requirements

Adherence to the security and compliance requirements also impacts the development costs for HIPAA Compliant healthcare logistics software. Adding strong security measures to meet HIPAA compliance standards involves extra development work and can thus affect the HIPAA Compliant medical supplies platform cost. This includes encrypting data, controlling access, verifying user identities, keeping audit records, and securely storing protected health information (PHI), which may increase development expenses.

Third-Party Integrations

The overall complexity of integrating the app or software with third-party APIs like electronic health records (EHRs) or payment gateways can ultimately affect the development budget.

Team Size

Choosing between freelancers or outsourcing a dedicated app development team to develop HIPAA-compliant medical supplies software is necessary. Even though freelancers can help reduce the development budget, their inexpertise in the field and lack of necessary tools and resources can ultimately compromise the quality of the software leading to penalties, risk of malware, etc. On the other hand, outsourcing a dedicated app development agency can help you optimize the overall costs while leveraging their years of expertise.

Device Compatibility

Ensuring the compatibility of the software with various devices and platforms, such as Android and iOS, can impact the development budget. Developing and testing software on multiple platforms requires additional resources and effort. This is necessary to ensure a seamless user experience across different devices.

Quality Assurance

Thorough testing to ensure the topmost quality of the app is crucial to ensure it works well in the given environment, is secure, compatible, and meets the requirements. Robust quality assurance processes take extra time and resources, which can affect the overall cost of developing the HIPAA-compliant medical supplies delivery app.

Maintenance as Per Evolving Compliance Requirements

Another factor impacting the budget to build a HIPAA Compliant platform for medical delivery is maintaining and upgrading the app per evolving HIPAA compliance requirements. To keep the app rather sustainable, it is necessary to prioritize the long-term budget of these requirements.

Features of the Software

The features to be integrated into the medical supplies delivery software are among the most important factors affecting its development cost. For instance, software with an extensive feature set that caters to all the user and admin requirements will effectively cost you more than software with a minimal feature set.

Key Considerations for Building a HIPAA-Compliant Platform

While developing a HIPAA-compliant platform, it is vital to consider several key aspects to ensure the security and privacy of patient data. By doing so, organizations can meet regulatory requirements, build trust with healthcare providers and patients, and enhance the platform’s ability to deliver medical products.

Security and Privacy Requirements

It is crucial to comprehend the security and privacy requirements specified in the HIPAA regulations, such as safeguarding the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of patient data and implementing appropriate access controls and authentication mechanisms.

Data Encryption and Access Control

One must ensure the safety of patient data by implementing robust data encryption methods both at rest and in transit. Access control measures such as unique user accounts, role-based access control, and strong password policies must be utilized to restrict access to authorized personnel only.

Secure Communication Channels

To ensure the safety of sensitive patient information, it is crucial to establish secure communication channels through encrypted connections such as SSL/TLS. It is important to secure data transfers between system components and external parties involved in the medical product delivery process.

Regular Audits and Risk Assessments

Regular audits and risk assessments are necessary to identify vulnerabilities, assess the effectiveness of security measures, and ensure ongoing compliance with HIPAA requirements. This involves reviewing access logs, conducting penetration testing, and evaluating the overall security posture of the platform.

How to Develop a HIPAA Compliant Platform for Medical Delivery?

The HIPAA-compliant platform for medical supplies delivery must prioritize patient information security and privacy while providing efficient and reliable delivery services. Here are the various steps to be carried out while developing a HIPAA-compliant platform for medical supplies delivery:

Requirement Analysis

Our team will conduct a comprehensive analysis of your business requirements and gain a thorough understanding of your medical supplies delivery platform’s specific needs. This will involve identifying the necessary features, functionalities, and compliance requirements outlined by HIPAA.

Security and Privacy Measures

Our topmost priority is to develop a platform that can safeguard the privacy and security of patient health data. To achieve this, we will implement a comprehensive set of measures, including data encryption, access controls, user authentication, and audit logs that will ensure the confidentiality and integrity of patient health information at all times.

HIPAA Compliance Framework

Our developers will follow HIPAA compliance rules and guidelines to ensure the platform is secure. This involves assessing risks, putting safety measures in place, and ensuring we follow the privacy and security rules set by HIPAA.

Secure Communication Channels

Our experts will establish secure communication channels, including encrypted messaging and file transfer protocols, to guarantee the safe transmission of sensitive patient data among healthcare providers, suppliers, and patients.

[Also Read: How can automation be used to ensure security and compliance in business?]

Testing and Quality Assurance

We will conduct rigorous testing and quality assurance processes to identify and fix security vulnerabilities or compliance issues. This will involve penetration testing, vulnerability scanning, and code reviews to ensure the platform’s resilience against potential threats.

Ongoing Support and Maintenance

Our team offers ongoing support and maintenance services to keep your HIPAA-compliant platform up-to-date per the latest security norms, compliance regulations, and industry best practices. This ensures that potential security risks are addressed promptly and the platform remains HIPAA compliant.

How to Reduce the Cost of Creating a HIPAA Compliant Mobile App for Medical Supplies Delivery?

To create a robust HIPAA compliant logistics app for medical supplies that can help you gain instant market traction, it is vital to ensure the integration of top-notch functionalities that can make medical supplies delivery a seamless and secure task. Collaborating with a dedicated app development company with expertise in the field can help you optimize the overall development costs as per your budget and requirements.

Prioritize Essential Features and Functionalities

Conduct a thorough analysis to identify and prioritize the essential features and functionalities critical for your platform’s success. By focusing on developing core functionalities that align with your business goals and comply with HIPAA requirements, you can effectively allocate resources and ensure the cost-effective development of your platform.

Choose the Right Technology Stack

When building a cost-effective HIPAA-compliant platform, selecting a technology stack that is secure, scalable, and compatible with HIPAA guidelines is crucial. Choosing the right technology stack can help optimize development time and costs. Therefore, it is important to carefully evaluate the available options and select the one that best meets these requirements.

Consider Cloud-Based Solutions

Cloud-based solutions offer numerous benefits for hosting your platform. They provide scalability, flexibility, and enhanced security features. Utilizing cloud services can reduce infrastructure costs, improve accessibility, and simplify HIPAA compliance management.

Collaborate with Experienced Development Partners

Collaborating with an experienced development team like Appinventiv, which specializes in building HIPAA-compliant platforms, can offer valuable insights, guidance, and support throughout the development process. This ensures adherence to HIPAA regulations and cost-effective implementation.

How Can Appinventiv Help You Develop a HIPAA-Compliant Medical Supplies Delivery Platform?

To sum up, the HIPAA Compliant medical supplies platform cost varies between $45,000 to $200,000. Strict adherence to HIPAA compliance has become crucial in the rapidly evolving healthcare industry. Businesses that will prioritize and comply with these evolving regulations are more likely to achieve instant success in the competitive market as they demonstrate a commitment to safeguarding patient privacy and data security in the digital age.

Appinventiv is a top-notch organization that offers healthcare software development services and has extensive experience in the field. Our deep understanding of the industry can help you create secure medical supplies delivery software that complies with all HIPAA regulations.

Our cloud managed services experts strive to conduct thorough testing and quality assurance processes to ensure the HIPAA Compliant healthcare delivery platform’s functionality, security, and compliance. Appinventiv’s advanced technological expertise makes us the perfect partner for any healthcare project you have in mind.

Get in touch with our team to develop a HIPAA Compliant platform for the healthcare supply chain in no time.

FAQs

Q. What is the cost of building a HIPAA-compliant platform for medical supplies delivery?

A. As revealed earlier, creating a HIPAA Compliant healthcare delivery platform may vary between $45,000 to $200,000. Several factors impact the overall cost of development, such as:

• Location of the app development agency
• UI/UX design of the software
• Security and Compliance Requirements
• Third-Party Integrations
• Team Size
• Device Compatibility
• Quality Assurance
• Maintenance as Per Evolving Compliance Requirements
• Features of the Software

Q. How long does it take to develop a HIPAA-compliant platform for delivering medical supplies?

A. The time frame to develop a HIPAA Compliant solution for delivering medical supplies varies as per the overall complexity of the software. For example, a simple software solution with a minimal feature set can take around 3 to 5 months. On the other hand, highly complex software with an extensive feature set may take around 10 to 12 months.

Q. What Are the Penalties for Non-Compliance to HIPAA?

A. It is crucial to comply with HIPAA regulations to avoid severe penalties. Violations can lead to fines that may range from $100 to $50,000 for a single violation, with a maximum annual penalty of $1.5 million per violation category.

THE AUTHOR

Amardeep Rawat

Co-Founder and Director