Healthcare CRM guide: capabilities, benefits & popular solutions
- Home
- Industries
- Healthcare
- Healthcare CRM
by Sergey Ivanov,
Head of Healthcare Center of Excellence
A healthcare CRM is an industry-specific solution that helps medical service providers store and manage patient information, improve their patient acquisition strategy, experience, and engagement, and automate sales and marketing processes while complying with healthcare security regulations. Itransition provides a full range of CRM implementation services for various healthcare organizations, concentrating on their unique needs and security requirements, while adhering to regulations like HIPAA, GDPR, and others.
Table of contents
Healthcare CRM system market statistics
expected CAGR of the healthcare CRM market from 2021 to 2027
Mordor Intelligence
estimated size of the global healthcare CRM tools market in 2030
Allied Market Research
of CRM software solutions’ end users are healthcare providers
Grand View Research
Our services
Consulting
Our consulting services help healthcare organizations choose, implement, analyze, and optimize their hospital CRM systems to improve patient care, increase the efficiency of their organizations, and drive revenue growth. Our experts work closely with our clients to understand their unique needs and provide the best quality services.
- Strategic planning
- The identification of key pain points and challenges
- Project roadmap development
- Process design
Development
Backed by our engineering expertise and healthcare domain knowledge, we offer custom medical customer relationship management software development to meet our client’s unique requirements. We will help you deliver a positive patient experience, foster referrals, and maximize patient acquisition on your terms.
- Patient profiles enriched with data from third-party sources
- Cross-channel health records availability
- AI-powered insights into patient behavior
- Built-in messaging tools
- Integrated portals for patients and medical professionals
Data migration
Our data migration services ensure seamless data transfer from legacy systems and other sources, including EHR and EMR, to a new CRM platform. We understand that healthcare organizations handle complex data, so we follow a structured approach to data migration and governance.
- Data profiling
- Data mapping
- Data cleansing and transformation
- Secure data transfer
- Data validation
Support and maintenance
We provide ongoing maintenance, troubleshooting, and enhancement of healthcare CRM systems. Our varied support packages are based on the healthcare organization's needs and budget to help them focus on their core business activities while we take care of the IT ecosystem.
- System performance monitoring
- Issue resolution
- Routine update
- Custom system upgrade
- Backups
- Training sessions
Expand your practice with a CRM for holistic patient management
Vital features of medical CRM software
Sales and marketing automation
Patient relationship management
Referral management
Document management
Task management and collaboration
Reporting and analytics
Types of healthcare CRM
Before shopping for the best healthcare CRM solution, healthcare providers should decide which type of system they need in terms of development and deployment model. The key differences between off-the-shelf and custom CRM software lie in the system’s flexibility, implementation timeline, and cost; while the cloud and on-premise systems differ in hosting and maintenance specifics and accessibility.
Off-the-shelf vs custom
Off-the-shelf
Custom
Flexibility
Flexibility
Is less flexible and can’t meet specific requirements of a particular organization.
Can be tailored to meet specific needs.
Implementation time
Implementation time
Can be implemented relatively quickly, as it is already built and ready to use.
Requires time for development or assembly and usually takes longer to implement.
Cost
Cost
Varies depending on the platform, but is usually cheaper than custom built software.
Is usually more expensive than off-the-shelf solutions, unless based on open-source software.
Cloud-based vs on-premise
Cloud-based
On-premise
Hosting and maintenance
Hosting and maintenance
The vendor is responsible for server maintenance, upgrades, and security.
The organization is responsible for the system’s backups, data security, etc.
Accessibility
Accessibility
Can be accessed from any device with an internet connection, so it’s generally more accessible but less secure.
Can only be accessed from devices connected to the organization's internal network, so it’s more secure but less accessible.
Cost
Cost
Is typically sold on a subscription basis, which means lower upfront costs and higher total lifecycle costs.
Is typically sold as a one-time license fee, which means higher upfront costs but lower ongoing expenses.
Best healthcare CRM options
The market for healthcare CRM systems is reasonably competitive. Multiple vendors provide health cloud solutions for organizations specializing in healthcare and life sciences, with products from Salesforce, IBM, Pegasystems, Odoo, and Leadsquared being the most popular.
Scheme title: Healthcare CRM market concentration
Data source: mordorintelligence.com — Healthcare CRM market size & share analysis — growth trends & forecasts (2023–2028)
Key differentiators
- Advanced analytics and reporting features enable healthcare organizations to gain insights into their operations and patient care.
- Allows healthcare organizations to customize their workflows based on their specific needs.
- A large ecosystem of third-party apps and integrations enables healthcare organizations to extend the functionality of their CRM platform.
Limitations
- Can be relatively expensive compared to other CRM solutions on the market, which makes it a better option for larger healthcare organizations.
- Complex to set up and use, which can be a challenge for smaller healthcare organizations.
- Integrating Salesforce Health Cloud with other healthcare systems can require technical expertise.
Pricing
$300 per user/month
for an out-of-the-box solution, yet the price varies depending on multiple factors.
Key differentiators
- AI-powered tools, such as predictive analytics and decision-making algorithms, designed for medical settings.
- Can be easily integrated with other healthcare-related solutions, such as EHRs and claims management systems.
Limitations
- Pega's medical CRM is among the most expensive healthcare CRM solutions.
- Some users have reported a steep learning curve and difficulty in customizing the software to fit their specific needs.
Pricing
- The pricing is not publicly available.
- Organizations that consider adopting this solution should contact Pega for a customized quote.
Key differentiators
- Customizable workflows based on organizations’ specific needs enable providers to manage their operations more efficiently.
- Open-source modular structure helps healthcare organizations streamline their operations without investing in capabilities they don’t need.
- Odoo is relatively affordable compared to other CRM solutions, making it a more suitable option for smaller healthcare organizations.
Limitations
- This healthcare CRM platform’s basic functionality doesn’t cover the business requirements of large organizations.
- While Odoo’s customization potential is the highest among its competitors, its implementation requires the assistance of technical experts.
- Odoo does not offer the same level of support as some larger CRM vendors.
Pricing
The Community version
free
The Enterprise version
starts at $12 per user per month for a basic feature set.
Leadsquared
Key differentiators
- A user-friendly interface makes it easy for healthcare organizations to manage patient records and engagement.
- Leadsquared's CRM solutions integrate well with other healthcare software, including electronic medical records and practice management systems.
Limitations
- Leadsquared doesn’t offer the same level of customization as some other healthcare CRM platforms, and some advanced features require additional customization or integrations.
- Some users have reported that Leadsquared's customer contact center was slow in responding to issues.
Pricing
Starts at $25 per user per month and increases based on specific features and requirements.
IBM
Key differentiators
- The powerful Watson Health platform includes advanced AI and analytics capabilities.
- IBM's solutions are highly scalable and customizable.
- A broad range of integrated features, including patient engagement and retention tools, care and practice management, and population health management.
Limitations
- IBM's solutions can be complex to set up and use, which may require significant resources and training.
- The vendor doesn't reveal pricing publicly.
Pricing
Costs vary depending on the specific solution and customer requirements.
Medical CRM integrations
Get a 360-view of all patients’ details and streamline workflows by connecting your CRM to other types of medical software.
Enable healthcare professionals to consult, diagnose, and prescribe treatments to patients remotely using various secure communication tools, remote monitoring medical devices, and mHealth apps.
Looking for particular healthcare CRM features?
Key benefits of healthcare CRM software
- Attracting new patients
- Enhancing patient loyalty
- Ensuring security, accuracy and compliance
- Facilitating internal and outbound communication
- Improving billing workflows
- Optimizing resource distribution
- Personalized experience
- Better treatment adherence
- Efficient feedback collection
- Continuous support
- Improved care quality
Barriers of CRM development for healthcare
Challenges
How we overcome them
The healthcare industry has had the most expensive data-leak cases in recent years, and CRM systems contain sensitive information which can become an easy target for cybercriminals.
The healthcare industry has had the most expensive data-leak cases in recent years, and CRM systems contain sensitive information which can become an easy target for cybercriminals.
We use the latest security technology to protect medical CRMs from cyber threats. In particular, we ensure the software’s HIPAA compliance and adherence to other global healthcare standards and data privacy regulations.
Many healthcare providers worry they won’t be able to transfer patient data from CRM to other healthcare software if it is from a different vendor.
Many healthcare providers worry they won’t be able to transfer patient data from CRM to other healthcare software if it is from a different vendor.
All systems should be compatible and interconnected to create a barrier-free data flow throughout the organization. That’s why we enable our solutions to integrate with third-party systems through APIs or custom connectors.
Some professionals argue that adding a CRM to the healthcare organization’s workflows would take personnel’s time and contribute to burnout.
Some professionals argue that adding a CRM to the healthcare organization’s workflows would take personnel’s time and contribute to burnout.
Healthcare CRM can reduce the manual workload and routine tasks for medical and administrative personnel. Our solutions have logical and user-friendly UI/UX to create a comfortable working space for your staff.
FAQ for healthcare CRM
Why opt for a healthcare CRM instead of a general-use solution?
A medical CRM has all the necessary functionality by default, unlike general-use solutions which require configuration and integration with additional modules to function correctly in a hospital environment. However, if you already have a general-use CRM and don’t want to waste time and effort implementing another one, our experts can adapt it to fit the healthcare industry regulations like HIPAA and meet your organization’s specific requirements.
I want to develop a custom medical CRM. Where should I start?
- Understand your business goals
- Clarify legal and technical requirements for a CRM
- Decide what feature set your organization needs
- Calculate how much time, effort, and finances you’re willing to invest in CRM development
- Find a vendor that has relevant expertise and can meet your requirements
Can a healthcare CRM be a full-fledged medical marketing instrument?
Yes, it typically has all the features necessary to plan, execute and analyze marketing campaigns. A medical CRM can track the marketing campaign performance throughout its lifecycle and show which tactic generates the most leads and returning patients. Moreover, the solution can even measure a particular physician’s or care center specialist’s impact on the company’s reputation and revenue.
How to make sure healthcare CRM brings value?
The effectiveness of your CRM system depends not only on the software itself but also on whether you use it correctly and to its full capacity. In order to get maximum value from a healthcare CRM, you should invest time and effort into employee training to help your team understand the system’s capabilities and how to make full use of them.
Case study
A remote patient monitoring and mobile telehealth suite
Learn how Itransition developed a remote patient monitoring and telehealth platform for sexual assault victims for a US research center.
Insights
Business intelligence for healthcare: a full implementation guide
Discover the types and benefits of BI tools for healthcare organizations and learn how to implement a fitted solution in your company to avoid common pitfalls.
Case study
Healthcare analytics applications revamp for a US multinational
Itransition helped the customer bring their solutions up to speed and further secure their leading position in the healthcare analytics app market.
Insights
RPA in healthcare: use cases, benefits, and challenges
Learn how robotic process automation streamlines processes in the healthcare industry and improves care delivery. Explore top RPA vendors, use cases, and costs.