Ask HN: I'm creating an app that will help hospitals' processes. I need advice

[ajushi]

Hi guys, I found a process that I can automate in hospitals (it's not a critical process with regards with patient's lives). It needs interoperability among hospitals.

My questions are: 1. How can I monitize it? Should I sell it to the government agency that governs the hospitals?

2. I know PHP and C# and bit of Python. Which language would be more beneficial and easier to sell?

Thanks in advance!

[debacle]

> Should I sell it to the government agency that governs the hospitals?

I don't think you've done your market research.

> Which language would be more beneficial and easier to sell?

Neither. In my experience Java is the big language in Health IT these days. Just write in whatever language you feel will give you the best product.

[fourmii]

Beware of the red tape/bureaucracy. Healthcare is a lucrative industry, there are always those both inside the hospital organizations and their vendors who have a lot at stake with the status quo and will try to protect their lot. I worked for a large hospital system and I eventually left because I got to witness the dedicated, hard-working doctors and nurses on the front line struggling with a lack of resource and decent processes while the higher up administrators and bureacrats got to sit in their nice offices were often out of touch with the reality on the ground... And also, make sure you're pretty read up on the regulation and governance. Good luck!

[jnorthrop]

Before you start talking to hospitals make sure you fully understand HIPAA[1] regulations. Handling any personal health information is very regulated and if you are building a system for hospitals it will be the very first thing they will challenge you on. That is, if you are in the US.

[1]http://www.hhs.gov/ocr/privacy/

[redspark]

Set up a meeting with a Hospital Administrator, if they aren't the person to talk to, they should be able to point you in the right direction.

Make sure the problem is worth solving (will someone pay you to solve their pain?)

[leejw00t354]

In regards to what language is best, it probably won't matter too much unless performance is critical to the application. Just pick the language you're most conformable developing in.

[mrose]

As a word of warning, I should caution you that you are entering a domain filled with administrative red tape and bureaucratic obstacles. Regardless of which area of medical workflow you are targeting, I think it would behoove you to "team up" with someone on the inside, such as a doctor or someone in an administrative capacity in a large healthcare organization. The functional guidance provided will be a great boon, both in cutting through red tape, and by allowing you to focus on the technology aspects of the solution you are trying to build.