Healthcare CRM:
capabilities, benefits & top platforms

Healthcare CRM: capabilities, benefits & top platforms

July 9, 2024

Healthcare CRM system market statistics

the expected CAGR of the healthcare CRM market from 2021 to 2027

Mordor Intelligence

the 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

Core features of medical CRM software

Patient data management

CRM solutions safely store all relevant patient information, including personal data, insurance and medical billing details, and appointment history. Medical professionals can access, edit, and use this information anytime and anywhere, which creates consistency and accuracy in records, frees clinicians from filling out forms during each visit, and facilitates more personalized patient interactions.

Sales & marketing automation

CRM systems for healthcare can provide marketing teams with data and tools for smart patient segmentation and demographic targeting, as well as for designing, launching, and tracking marketing campaigns across multiple channels. The software allows sales teams to efficiently identify and prioritize opportunities and leads and keep track of all interactions with them. Healthcare CRMs integrated with web forms help automatically capture information about leads and patients, reducing manual data entry and improving information accuracy.

Patient relationship management

Customer support specialists have immediate access to relevant patient data, predefined workflows, and tools to provide informational support, assist patients with issue resolution, book an appointment with a qualified expert, advise on the appropriate medical facility, and sign patients up for procedures and tests. With all-rounded patient data, customer service representatives can perform personalized interactions with clients via any channel, be it phone calls, text messages, social media, or email. Most CRMs for doctors feature referral templates for different medical case scenarios, automatically send out appointment reminders to patients, and help companies track the referral status to follow up with patients who don’t show up.

Document management

All documentation related to sales, marketing, and customer service operations in a healthcare organization can be stored securely in a unified database and extracted seamlessly when needed. Various built-in templates help healthcare organizations streamline the generation of invoices, medical certificates, and other documents according to industry standards.

Task management & collaboration

CRM software allows users to create and assign tasks for sales representatives or customer support team members, prioritize them based on urgency, and track their progress. In-system notifications help personnel keep track of sales pipeline events as well as of the tasks related to patient care. Managers can assess their team’s productivity and view entire teams’ schedules to plan the workload more efficiently. Healthcare CRM solutions allow departments to communicate and collaborate efficiently. For example, staff members in different facilities can communicate in a secure and compliant way via an intuitive mobile CRM app instead of calls or SMS.

Reporting & analytics

Healthcare organizations use medical CRM software to analyze data across sales, marketing, and customer service processes. It helps identify factors that influence conversions, measure campaign results, find the most successful customer acquisition approaches, uncover communication patterns associated with increased patient satisfaction or retention, and track marketing and sales performance metrics. Analytical dashboards can also provide a clear and comprehensive view of current leads, opportunities, and existing and referred patients, improving the transparency of processes inside the healthcare organization and contributing to better coordination among teams.

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Types of healthcare CRM

Before implementing a customer relationship management system, healthcare providers should decide whether they need an off-the-shelf or a custom-made solution and how it will be deployed. The key differences between the 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, maintenance, and accessibility.

Off-the-shelf vs custom

Off-the-shelf

Custom

Flexibility
Flexibility

Is less flexible in meeting the specific requirements of a particular organization.

Is fully tailored to meet organizations’ specific needs.

Implementation time
Implementation time

Can be implemented relatively quickly, as it’s already built and only requires configuration and/or customization.

Requires time for development and thus takes longer to implement.

Cost
Cost

Varies depending on the platform, but usually requires less initial investment.

Is more expensive upfront than off-the-shelf solutions.

Cloud-based vs on-premise

Cloud-based

On-premise

Hosting & maintenance
Hosting & maintenance

Patient and operational data is stored on the solution provider’s servers, unless it is a private cloud-based CRM. The vendor is responsible for SaaS software's maintenance, upgrades, and security.

Patient and operational data is stored on the organization’s servers. The organization is in charge of the system’s backups, data security, etc.

Accessibility
Accessibility

Can be accessed from any device with an internet connection.

Can only be accessed from devices connected to the organization's internal network.

Cost
Cost

Is usually sold on a subscription basis, which means lower upfront costs and higher TCO in the long run.

Is typically sold as a one-time license fee, which means higher upfront costs but lower ongoing expenses.

Best healthcare CRM software options

The market for healthcare CRM systems is reasonably competitive. Multiple vendors provide medical CRM solutions for organizations specializing in healthcare and life sciences, with products from Microsoft, Salesforce, Odoo, Pegasystems, 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)

Healthcare CRM marketmarket dominated by 1-5 major playersConsolidatedModerately competitivehighly competitive market without dominant playersFragmented
Our experts help healthcare organizations transform their care and customer services with sales and marketing automation, patient service enhancement, care collaboration, and the data management capabilities of MS Cloud for Healthcare – a software ecosystem developed specifically for healthcare professionals to streamline the majority of healthcare workflows.
Key differentiators
  • Microsoft Cloud for Healthcare centralizes all crucial clinical and business data in one place, enabling healthcare providers to quickly and efficiently derive valuable insight into patients’ health, behavior, and preferences.
  • Microsoft Cloud for Healthcare supports intelligent chatbot-powered data acquisition.
  • This system’s capabilities facilitate dynamic appointment scheduling and task distribution for healthcare professionals based on the facilities’ real-time occupancy rates, personnel schedules, and other variables.
  • MS Cloud for Healthcare allows sales and marketing specialists to create campaigns based on the patients’ demand pattern, personalizing customer experience and enhancing their loyalty.
Limitations
  • Has multiple deployment requirements, therefore must be implemented by experts.
  • Microsoft Cloud for Healthcare implemented in the same IT environment with Dynamics 365 healthcare accelerator can lead to issues with user experience.
  • This system is complex, especially when customized with the help of additional modules or integrated with other software, which makes it tricky for new users to learn.
Pricing
  • The number and type of components included in the Microsoft Cloud for Healthcare solution depend on the company’s requirements, and constitute the final cost of the solution. Each MS Cloud for Healthcare component like Dynamics 365 requires separate licensing. 
  • A stand-alone Dynamic 365 Sales Professional application starts at $65 per user per month.
As a Salesforce Partner, Itransition is ready to leverage its specialized solution for healthcare, a highly flexible Health Cloud platform. The solution offers healthcare CRM features like all-around health profiles, tools for personalizing interactions with customers, like targeted marketing campaigns creation, and the means to streamline the sales pipeline from opportunity identification to conversion. Salesforce's solution for healthcare can be customized and configured in various ways, and its functionality can be further expanded via integrations with other ready-made or custom modules.
Key differentiators
  • Advanced analytics and reporting features enable healthcare organizations to gain insights into their operations and patient care.
  • Allows healthcare organizations to customize 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 more expensive than other CRM solutions on the market.
  • Salesforce Health Cloud is complex to set up and use, which can be challenging for healthcare organizations lacking the required expertise.
Pricing

Starting from $325 per user/month for the Enterprise edition. The implementation price varies depending on multiple factors, such as functional scope and the number and type of integrations required to implement the solution in the particular environment successfully.

Our team uses its broad Odoo expertise to tailor the platform to the operational specifics of medical practices. We help select an optimal set of Odoo capabilities, including but not limited to full control over the patient journey, automation of sales and marketing processes, tools for efficient real-time team collaboration, and integrated billing and invoicing.
Key differentiators
  • Customizable workflows based on organizations’ specific needs enable providers to manage their operations more efficiently.
  • Odoo’s modular structure helps healthcare organizations streamline their operations without investing in capabilities they don’t need.
  • Odoo’s free version makes it a good option for healthcare organizations with limited budgets.
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 doesn’t offer the same level of support as some larger CRM vendors.
Pricing

Using one online Odoo application is free. Other plans include all applications, starting at $24.90 per user per month if billed annually.

Our team uses the Pega platform to deliver CRM solutions specifically for the healthcare industry. Pega-based solutions provide intelligent sales automation, real-time one-on-one patient communication, a holistic view of each patient’s case, and efficient processing of insurance claims.
Key differentiators
  • Pega offers AI-powered tools, such as predictive analytics and decision-making algorithms, designed for medical settings.
  • Pega-based medical CRM can be easily integrated with other healthcare-related solutions, such as EHRs and claims management systems.
Limitations
  • Pega is among the most expensive platforms for creating healthcare CRM solutions.
  • Some Pega customers mention that this platform has a steep learning curve.
  • Healthcare professionals require experts’ help with customizing Pega-based systems to fit specific needs.
Pricing
  • The pricing is not publicly available.

Leadsquared

Leadsquared's healthcare CRM solution is relatively easy to set up and use for professionals with no software development expertise. The system offers standard medical CRM features, including lead management, appointment scheduling, contact management, and patient feedback management.
Key differentiators
  • Leadsquared’s CRM has a user-friendly interface, which makes it easy for healthcare organization personnel to manage patient records and engagement.
  • This CRM solution easily integrates with other healthcare software, including electronic medical records and practice management systems.
Limitations
  • Leadsquared doesn’t offer the same level of customization as other healthcare CRM platforms.
  • Customers report that Leadsquared's help center can be slow in responding to issues.
Pricing

The pricing is not publicly available.

Medical CRM integrations

Healthcare providers can gather more relevant patient management details and streamline a variety of workflows by connecting their CRM to other types of medical software.

Healthcare CRM
EMR/EHR systems
Patient portals
Telehealth applications
Hospital management software
Pharmacy management software
Healthcare ecommerce
Healthcare organizations can improve their efficiency by tying their CRM with the electronic health records system to manage patient data efficiently, synchronize patient detail updates across all systems, and streamline business and care workflows.
A connection between healthcare CRM and a patient portal enhances patient engagement by allowing patients and caregivers to access and manage personal information, schedule appointments, and leave reviews of the healthcare organization’s services.

Healthcare CRM enables  healthcare professionals to improve customer service for their virtual visitors, promote and upsell telehealth services, as well as gather and manage patient data acquired from various secure communication tools, remote monitoring medical devices, and mHealth apps more effectively.

CRM software integrated with a hospital management system helps healthcare organizations enhance patient experiences and optimize resource usage by facilitating patient placement into the most fitting facilities in terms of resource availability and relevance to the patient’s condition.
The integration of pharmacy management software and CRM promotes faster and more accurate customer order fulfillment by eliminating duplicate data entry and reflecting real-time product availability, as well as allows for the creation of personalized offers to patients.
With a healthcare ecommerce solution integrated with the CRM software, healthcare companies can get insights into the demand for medical products and services, or trigger automated workflows like email send-outs to deliver more connected customer experiences.

Our CRM services

Our services

We offer advisory assistance to healthcare organizations to help them implement high-performing hospital CRM systems and maximize their ROI, improving patient care, increasing the efficiency of their medical institution, and driving revenue growth.

  • Solution conceptualization
  • Most fitting platform selection
  • Advisory support on custom software development
  • CRM adoption consulting
  • System modernization advisory

Our team carries out the end-to-end implementation of CRM systems and enables healthcare organizations to get the most value from their solution by ensuring its capability fit for the particular setting, flawless interoperability with other software, and compliance with industry regulations.

  • Custom development of the entire CRM system/its particular modules or CRM platform configuration and/or customization
  • Integration with healthcare and business software and third-party tools
  • Data migration from a legacy system or other sources, including medical history records
  • CRM solution launch to the production environment
  • User training and support

Backed by our engineering expertise and healthcare domain knowledge, we offer custom medical CRM software development to meet our client’s unique requirements. We help healthcare providers deliver a positive patient experience, foster referrals, and maximize patient acquisition on their terms.

  • Business needs elicitation and analysis
  • CRM solution architecture creation
  • Technology stack selection
  • Front-end and back-end development
  • Quality assurance and testing
  • Integration with other healthcare software or third-party tools
  • Deployment into the organization’s preferred environment
  • User acceptance testing and user onboarding
  • Relevant parties’ training

Our team provides ongoing and on-demand maintenance, troubleshooting, and enhancement of healthcare CRM systems. We offer varied service packages based on the healthcare organization's needs and budget to help them focus on their core business activities while we make sure their CRM software delivers maximum value.

  • System performance monitoring
  • Issue resolution
  • Routine update
  • Custom system upgrade
  • Backups
  • Training sessions

Looking for a trustworthy CRM technology partner?

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Key benefits of healthcare CRM software

  • Attracting new patients
  • Enhancing patient loyalty
  • Ensuring security, accuracy and compliance
  • Boosting feedback collection efficiency
  • Facilitating internal and outbound communication
  • Improving billing workflows
  • Optimizing resource distribution

  • Personalized experience
  • Better treatment adherence
  • Continuous support
  • Improved care quality
Key benefits of healthcare CRM software

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 that 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 that can become an easy target for cybercriminals.

We use the latest security technology to protect medical CRMs from cyber threats and to ensure the software’s HIPAA compliance and adherence to other global healthcare standards and data privacy regulations.

Many healthcare providers worry that they won’t be able to fully integrate their CRM with other healthcare software.

Many healthcare providers worry that they won’t be able to fully integrate their CRM with other healthcare software.

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 CRM to the healthcare organization’s workflows would take up personnel’s time and contribute to burnout.

Some professionals argue that adding CRM to the healthcare organization’s workflows would take up personnel’s time and contribute to burnout.

Healthcare CRM can reduce the manual workload and routine administrative tasks for medical and administrative personnel. Our solutions offer great user experience and user-friendly interfaces to create a comfortable working space for your staff.

FAQ for healthcare CRM

Why opt for healthcare CRM instead of a general-use solution?

Medical CRM systems usually have all the required capabilities to ensure regulatory compliance and basic industry-specific features, making such systems easier to set up 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 healthcare industry regulations like HIPAA and meet your organization’s specific requirements.

How to prepare for custom medical CRM development?

  1. Understand your business goals
  2. Clarify business and technical requirements for CRM
  3. Decide what customer relationship management tools your organization needs
  4. Calculate how much time, effort, and finances you can invest in CRM development
  5. Find a vendor that has relevant expertise with health systems and meets your requirements

Can healthcare CRM be a full-fledged medical marketing instrument?

Yes, it typically has all the features necessary to plan, execute, and analyze marketing campaigns. 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 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.

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