Cost to Develop a Medical Networking App Like Doximity: Redefining LinkedIn for Doctors

The development of networking platforms designed especially for the healthcare sector has drawn considerable interest due to the growing need for effective communication and collaboration among medical experts. One well-known example is Doximity, a medical networking software that has transformed how healthcare professionals interact, cooperate, and access important resources within their professional community.

Creating a medical networking software similar to Doximity requires a multidisciplinary strategy that blends technological innovation with in-depth knowledge of the particular requirements and constraints found in the healthcare industry. Such a platform is essential for improving the effectiveness and caliber of healthcare delivery since it allows safe communication between practitioners and gives access to medical literature and educational materials.

Such an app has the potential to greatly advance medical practice and improve patient outcomes in addition to streamlining communication and collaboration among healthcare professionals via thorough planning, solid development, and a user-centric approach.

Developing a social media app tailored for doctors involves several factors contributing to the overall cost. Generally, the cost to develop a medical networking app like Doximity could range anywhere from $40,000 to $300,000 or more, depending on various factors. The complexity of features, design intricacies, platform compatibility, and security measures are some of the factors that influence the development expenses.

In this blog, we will study the various factors influencing the cost to develop an app like Doximity, its must-have features, the medical networking app development process, and its revenue model. However, let’s first begin with studying what Doximity app is, how it works, and its market growth. Let’s take a quick walkthrough.

What is Doximity App, and How Does it Work?

Doximity stands as a foundation in the field of medical practitioners’ professional networking, providing a strong platform meant to connect, educate, and facilitate contact between healthcare providers. Doximity, founded in 2010 by Nate Gross, Jeff Tangney, and Shari Buck, became a major force in the healthcare industry rapidly owing to its extensive feature set specifically designed to meet the demands of healthcare providers.

Doximity is essentially an online networking tool designed specifically for medical professionals. Initially concentrating on selecting health-related news and encouraging teamwork, the platform has developed into a versatile tool that surpasses traditional networking models.

The primary goal of Doximity is to enable smooth communication among medical professionals, allowing them to maintain relationships with coworkers, classmates, and fellow residents. With its user-friendly layout and intuitive features, the app facilitates genuine professional relationships and helps healthcare practitioners stay updated on medical breakthroughs.

As per a recent report, Doximity, experiencing remarkable popularity, saw a notable surge in revenue, marking an 81.7% increase from $79 million in 2021 to $474 million in 2024. Several important growth drivers have fueled the growth of the Doximity app’s amazing revenue surge. First, the COVID-19 epidemic has increased the use of telemedicine and remote healthcare services, propelling the demand for apps like Doximity that allow healthcare providers to communicate and work together seamlessly.

Second, the app’s cutting-edge features, like healthcare services, electronic faxing, and secure messaging, have improved its value proposition and increased user engagement and retention. Moreover, Doximity has expanded its reach and income streams through strategic alliances with pharmaceutical and healthcare organizations.

Going forward, Doximity’s development trajectory is anticipated to be fueled by continual innovation, strategic partnerships, and the ongoing digital transformation in healthcare, placing it as a prominent player in the telemedicine sector. Furthermore, Doximity’s recent IPO filing is also an evidence of its extraordinary growth and dedication to transforming healthcare collaboration and communication.

Considering the overall success of Doximity, if you too are looking to leverage the potential of building a similar app, then read on!

Factors Affecting the Cost to Develop a Medical Networking App Like Doximity

As discussed earlier, the medical networking app development cost ranges from $40,000 to $300,000, depending on a number of factors. This includes the complexity of features, platform compatibility, app design, and size and location of the development team. Let’s have a detailed look at those.

Features and Functionality

Development expenses are greatly impacted by the intricacy and variety of features included in the application. The cost to develop a medical networking app like Doximity will increase with additional time and resources needed for features like encrypted messaging, telemedicine capabilities, electronic health records (EHR) integration, appointment scheduling, and medical content sharing.

Furthermore, the complexity of implementing advanced functionalities such as real-time video consultations, AI-driven diagnostic tools, and geolocation-based services may further contribute to development costs. It’s crucial to carefully prioritize features based on user needs and budget constraints to ensure a cost-effective development process.

Design and User Experience

The application’s UI/UX design is vital in attracting and retaining users. While design resources and modifications may cost more, investing in intuitive design and seamless navigation increases user engagement.

User research, prototyping, and usability testing are crucial processes that raise the overall design cost to ensure further that the app matches the needs and preferences of its target audience. Prioritizing user-centric design is essential to efficiently managing medical networking app development costs and giving users an enjoyable and captivating experience.

Integration with External Systems

Integrating the app with external systems, such as EHRs, laboratory information systems (LIS), or billing software, requires additional development effort and may incur licensing or integration fees. Extensive testing and validation are also required to ensure smooth data transfer and interoperability between the application and other existing systems, which raises the overall cost to develop a medical networking app like Doximity.

Long-term integration costs rise due to ongoing maintenance and upgrades needed to adapt to changes in external system APIs and protocols, ensuring continued operation and compatibility.

Security and Compliance

Tight security and compliance guidelines, such as those outlined in the US HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act), must be followed by medical networking apps. Adopting strong security protocols, such as audit trails, access limits, and data encryption, is crucial to protecting private patient data and guaranteeing regulatory compliance.

The Doximity-like app development process is further complicated by the need for continual compliance monitoring, frequent security audits, and employee training to maintain compliance with changing rules.

Development Team Location

The location of the development team significantly impacts the cost of developing an app like LinkedIn for healthcare professionals. Amidst the burgeoning offshoring trend, outsourcing partners in regions like Asia can offer their extensive expertise, resources, and cutting-edge technologies to transform your concepts into profitable ventures, all while ensuring compliance with global and local regulations.

Serving as a comprehensive solution hub, these partners adeptly tackle development hurdles, driving efficiency and minimizing costs by sidestepping the overheads associated with in-house team management.

Size of Development Team

Another important factor that affects the cost to build an app like Doximity is the size of the development team. While a larger team with project managers, QA engineers, developers, and designers might be able to do the job faster, the labor cost will increase. However, you can expect a quality end-product with post-launch maintenance and support services.

Hiring an experienced team for app development can expedite the development process due to their proficiency and expertise. Seasoned professionals are adept at navigating complexities, streamlining workflows, and making informed decisions, resulting in faster development cycles. Their knowledge of best practices and efficient problem-solving abilities enable them to overcome challenges swiftly, ensuring the timely delivery of high-quality solutions.

Platform Compatibility

The cost of mobile app development varies based on platform choice – iOS, Android, or both. Developing for multiple platforms escalates costs due to the added time and resources required for each platform.

The medical networking app development cost is further increased by tailoring the functionality and design of the app to each platform to guarantee a flawless user experience. Platform compatibility must be carefully considered at the planning stage to manage costs effectively.

Must-Have Medical Networking App Features

An app like LinkedIn for doctors typically includes a range of features designed to satisfy the requirements of medical professionals and facilitate seamless connections between members of the medical community. Typical features of these apps include the following:

Secure Messaging

Healthcare providers can securely interact with one another, share patient data, and work together on patient care through the HIPAA-compliant messaging features.

EHR Integration

Through integration with EHR systems, healthcare providers can update patient data, access medical histories, and access patient records from within the app.

Medical Database

This all-inclusive database of hospitals, medical facilities, experts, and healthcare providers allows users to locate and establish connections with colleagues and medical resources.

Continuing Medical Education (CME)

Healthcare workers can access certified CME courses and educational materials to meet their continuing education needs and stay abreast of the latest medical advancements and technologies.

Appointment Scheduling

Integrated appointment scheduling features let users manage patients’ schedules, make and send appointments, and send reminders.

Medical News and Updates

Healthcare workers are updated on the most recent advancements in their industry through real-time access to medical news, research publications, and clinical updates.

Telemedicine Capabilities

In-built telemedicine features allow medical practitioners to diagnose ailments, write prescriptions, and consult virtually with patients.

Prescription Management

Prescription management features enable healthcare providers to electronically prescribe medications, review medication lists, and check for drug interactions.

Collaboration Tools

Collaboration tools such as case sharing, medical image sharing, and secure document sharing facilitate interdisciplinary collaboration and case discussions among healthcare professionals.

Referral Management

This feature enables medical professionals to connect with referring physicians, monitor referral status, and refer patients to experts.

Safe Document Storage

Healthcare providers can securely store and retrieve patient data from any location using secure cloud storage for medical records, photos, and files.

Group Discussions and Forums

Healthcare professionals can participate in peer-to-peer discussions, exchange ideas, and seek assistance on various medical topics through group discussions, forums, and online communities.

Advanced Features of Professional Medical Networking App for Physicians

An app like LinkedIn for medical professionals has several advanced features

that enhance communication, collaboration, professional networking, and access to medical information, making it a valuable tool for healthcare professionals in their daily practice.

Fax

Healthcare workers can send and receive faxes securely using the app’s electronic faxing capability, which is sent straight from their computers or mobile devices. This feature streamlines communication procedures and lessens administrative load by eliminating the requirement for conventional fax machines and paper-based communication.

Colleague Collaboration

This allows medical professionals to interact and work together with other experts in the same field or specialism. To promote professional networking and knowledge exchange, users can join groups tailored to their unique specialty, participate in conversations, share their ideas, and ask peers for assistance.

Newsfeed

Personalized to the user’s interests and specialization, the app’s news feed feature provides up-to-date clinical insights, research updates, medical news, and case challenges.

To support their clinical practice, healthcare professionals can read pertinent papers and publications, learn about new research findings, and remain current on the latest advances in their field.

Alumni Networking

App’s alumni networking features help medical professionals stay in touch with past students, alumni of residency programs, and colleagues from medical schools or training programs. This feature makes it easier for former students to network, find mentors, and advance their careers in the medical field.

Steps to Build an App Like Doximity

The medical networking app development process follows a few crucial steps. By following these steps and leveraging the expertise of experienced developers, you can develop a successful medical networking app like Doximity that meets the needs of healthcare professionals and enhances collaboration and patient care.

Conduct In-Depth Market Research

Analyze the market thoroughly to gain insight into healthcare practitioners’ requirements, inclinations, and challenges. Determine market gaps and opportunities and analyze competitors in the field of medical networking before plunging into the development process

Define Your Unique Value Proposition

Identify the unique features and strengths that set your medical networking app apart from competitors. Consider how your app could improve collaboration, interaction, and patient care while catering to healthcare workers’ unique demands.

Plan Your App Architecture

Outline the architecture and design of your medical networking app, including the user interface (UI), user experience (UX), backend infrastructure, and database structure. Determine the technologies, frameworks, and tools you will use to build and support your app.

Prioritize Core Features

Develop the core medical networking app features, such as secure chat, telemedicine, appointment scheduling, EHR integration, and a medical directory. Prioritize delivering a flawless user experience and guaranteeing HIPAA compliance when managing private patient data.

Incorporate Advanced Features

To improve the value proposition of your medical networking software, incorporate features like electronic faxing, newsfeed, colleaguing, alumni networking, and powerful search capabilities. Consider how these attributes might enhance healthcare professionals’ networking, communication, and teamwork.

Develop Your Application

Design your app’s frontend and backend architecture, paying attention to efficiency, usability, and usefulness. Ensure that frontend and backend components integrate seamlessly throughout the development stage to provide a consistent user experience. Use agile development approaches to support ongoing enhancement and flexibility in response to changing needs.

Assure Security and Compliance

Implement robust security measures to protect patient data and ensure compliance with HIPAA and other healthcare regulations. This includes access controls, multi-factor authentication, encryption of data in transit and at rest, and regular security audits to identify and address vulnerabilities.

Conduct Thorough Testing

Carry out extensive testing and quality assurance (QA) to ensure that your medical networking app meets healthcare professionals’ demands and operates as intended. Check for performance, security, usability, and compatibility with various systems and devices.

Deploy and Launch

Prepare for the launch of your medical networking app by creating a marketing plan, generating interest among medical professionals, and improving your app store listings. Release the application to the Google Play and App Store, then monitor user interaction and feedback to make iterative improvements.

Ensure Continuous Support and Maintenance

Provide your medical networking app with continuous support and maintenance to respond to user comments, address bugs and issues, and roll out new features and upgrades. Monitor your app’s functionality, security, and compliance closely to guarantee long-term success and a satisfying user experience.

Understanding the Revenue Models of LinkedIn for Doctors

By diversifying revenue streams and providing value-added services to users, a medical networking app like Doximity can establish a sustainable business model while fostering collaboration and innovation within the healthcare industry.

Subscription Model

Provide healthcare providers with tier-based subscription options under the subscription model. While premium features like expanded telehealth capabilities, enhanced analytics, or access to specialist information may require a paid subscription, basic services might be offered without charge.

Recruitment Services

Provide recruitment assistance to healthcare organizations and facilities looking to fill positions with competent candidates. This could include job postings, resume databases, and targeted recruitment campaigns. It can be profitable to charge employers a fee to publish job listings or use the recruiting aspects of the app.

At Appinventiv, our experts developed a recruitment app, JobGet, that revolutionized the recruitment landscape for blue-collar workers, reducing job search time from months to days. This resulted in a funding of $52 Million and 2 million+ mobile app downloads.

Partnerships and Sponsorships

Form strategic relationships and sponsorships with medical associations, academic institutions, healthcare organizations, and business leaders. These collaborations can involve co-branded projects, sponsored content, or collaborative marketing campaigns that generate revenue through sponsorship payments.

In-App Purchases

In-app purchases allow users to upgrade their experience with extra features, premium content, or virtual products. This can entail accessing online forums, virtual meetings, or research materials.

Advertisement

Provide opportunities for pharmaceutical companies, medical equipment manufacturers, healthcare institutions, and other relevant entities to advertise their products or services to healthcare professionals within the app. These advertisements can target users based on their interests, specializations, or geography.

Also Read: How Much Money Can You Earn Through An App?

Data Licensing

Compile and de-identify user data to offer insights and analytics to pharmaceutical businesses, healthcare research organizations, and other stakeholders. Access to this data can be licensed for a substantial profit while protecting user anonymity and privacy.

Courses for Continuing Medical Education

Partner with authorized CME providers to provide training modules, webinars, and online courses through the app. Healthcare practitioners can offer paid access to training materials, aiding users in fulfilling continuing education requirements and staying updated on medical advancements.

Telehealth Services

Include telehealth services in the app and charge users for virtual consultations with medical professionals. Offer paid features like electronic prescriptions, secure messaging, video consultations, and appointment scheduling to enhance user experience and generate revenue.

Leverage Appinventiv for Its Expertise in Social Media App Development for Doctors

The development of a medical networking app tailored specifically for doctors represents a transformative step forward in enhancing communication, collaboration, and knowledge sharing within the healthcare industry. By partnering with a reputable social media development and healthcare software development company like Appinventiv, healthcare organizations can leverage the expertise of skilled professionals to create innovative solutions.

Healthcare organizations and individual stakeholders can unlock new opportunities for networking, learning, and improving patient care through our specialized approach to medical networking app development for doctors. Our experts have developed several premium healthcare applications like YouCOMM, Soniphi, Health-e-People, and others that showcase our proven track record of delivering quality-backed custom healthcare solutions that streamline patient care.

Collaborating closely with these industry leaders, we’ve demonstrated our ability to tackle complex challenges, drive innovation, and shape the future of healthcare collaboration and communication. To get a precise estimate of the cost to develop a medical networking app like Doximity, connect with our experts today.

FAQs

Q. How much does medical networking app development cost?

A. The cost to develop a medical networking app like Doximity might vary significantly based on features, complexity, platform compatibility, and security needs, among other factors. The cost of developing a basic version of LinkedIn for doctors app can cost you around $40,000, but more sophisticated ones with extra features could cost up to $300,000 or more. Overall, the total cost to develop an app like Doximity would range anywhere from $40,000 to $300,000 or more. Connect with our experts to get an accurate cost estimation.

Q. How long does it take to develop an app like Doximity?

A. The time required to develop a professional medical networking app for physicians depends on various factors such as features, complexity, and development approach. Typically, it may take around 6 to 12 months for the initial version. However, this timeline can vary based on specific project requirements and the development team’s efficiency. Read this blog for detailed insights into the timeline of app development.

Q. How to develop an app like Doximity?

A. The development of a medical networking app entails following these essential steps:

Research and plan features: Conduct market research to identify key features desired by users, considering functionalities such as secure messaging, telehealth, news aggregation, and professional networking.

Design user interface or frontend: Create intuitive and user-friendly interface designs that prioritize ease of use and accessibility for healthcare professionals.

Develop backend infrastructure: Build a robust backend system to handle user data securely, manage communications, and support features like messaging and telehealth.

Integrate secure messaging and telehealth functionalities: Implement encrypted messaging features and integrate telehealth capabilities, ensuring compliance with healthcare data privacy regulations like HIPAA.

Conduct extensive testing: Thoroughly test the app for functionality, usability, and security to identify and address any bugs or issues before deployment.

Launch the app: Release the app on various platforms such as iOS, Android, and web, ensuring compatibility across different devices and maximizing reach among healthcare professionals.

THE AUTHOR

Dileep Gupta

DIRECTOR & CO-FOUNDER