Frequently Asked Questions

Everything you need to know about working with Arkenea, from how we engage to what we build and what it costs.

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  1. About Arkenea
  2. Service Offerings
  3. Types of Software We Build
  4. Technology Stack and Platforms
  5. Getting Started
  6. The Build Process
  7. HIPAA Compliance
  8. Integrations
  9. AI in Healthcare Software
  10. Pricing and Engagement
  11. Working With Us

About Arkenea

What does Arkenea do?

Arkenea builds custom healthcare software, web and mobile applications, exclusively for the healthcare industry. We have been doing this for 15 years, working with everyone from single-practice owners and healthcare startups to large hospital systems, pharmaceutical companies, and life sciences organizations.

Why only healthcare?

Within our first year, the overwhelming majority of our projects were in healthcare. We recognized the depth of value we could add by going deep into one industry rather than being generalists. Today, clients come to us specifically because of our healthcare expertise, not just our ability to write code.

Where is your team based?

Our leadership is based in Raleigh, North Carolina, with a development team of approximately 50 engineers in Pune, India.

Do you work with startups or only established companies?

Both. A significant portion of our clients are healthcare entrepreneurs and founders who come to us with an idea and no technical background. Several of our clients have gone on to raise millions in venture funding after building their initial platform with us.

Service Offerings

What services does Arkenea provide?

Arkenea is a full-service healthcare software development company. That means we cover the full lifecycle of a product: discovery and requirements, UI/UX design, custom software development, third-party integrations, launch, and ongoing support. We are not a design-only or development-only shop. We handle everything from the first conversation to the product running in production.

Do you offer UI/UX design as a standalone service?

Yes. If you already have a development team but need design expertise specific to healthcare workflows, we can work with you on UI/UX design independently. That said, most of our clients engage us for the full build, which includes design as a core part of the process.

Do you offer healthcare technology staffing?

Yes. For organizations that have an internal team but need to scale capacity with experienced healthcare software engineers, we offer healthcare technology staffing services. This is useful when you need engineers who already understand healthcare data standards, compliance requirements, and clinical workflows, without the ramp-up time that comes with generalist developers.

Do you offer digital health consulting?

Yes. Beyond building software, we consult with healthcare organizations on their broader digital strategy. This includes evaluating build-versus-buy decisions, mapping out technology roadmaps, and helping organizations understand what is technically feasible and what is not before they commit to a direction.

Types of Software We Build

What types of healthcare software does Arkenea build?

We build a wide range of healthcare and health technology software. The categories below cover the majority of what we work on, though many projects are unique combinations of these:

Can you build a custom EHR from scratch?

Yes. We have been building custom EHR software since the company started in 2011. A custom EHR makes sense for organizations whose workflows do not fit neatly into off-the-shelf systems, or for companies building a specialty-specific platform where a generic EHR creates friction rather than removing it. We help you determine whether a custom build is the right call before you commit to it. Here’s one case study of a custom EHR that we built from the ground up.

Do you build software for mental health providers?

Yes. Mental health is one of the faster-growing segments we work in. Applications in this space often involve unique considerations around data sensitivity, session documentation, crisis protocols, and the balance between clinical structure and patient comfort in the interface. We bring that context to every mental health build.

Can you build a telemedicine platform?

Yes. Telemedicine was one of the original categories we worked in when Arkenea started in 2011. A telemedicine build typically involves video consultation infrastructure, scheduling, provider and patient-facing interfaces, EHR integration, and billing. The complexity and cost depend heavily on how many of those layers you need and how they need to connect.

Do you build software for pharmaceutical companies?

Yes. We work with pharmaceutical organizations on software that spans clinical trial management, regulatory documentation workflows, patient recruitment tools, and internal operations platforms. Pharma software often has its own compliance and data governance requirements beyond HIPAA, and we are familiar with those constraints.

Can you build a healthcare eCommerce platform?

Yes. Healthcare eCommerce is more complex than standard eCommerce because of the layers of compliance, prescription verification, insurance considerations, and the sensitivity of the products being sold. We have built platforms in this space and understand where the standard eCommerce playbook breaks down in a healthcare context.

Technology Stack and Platforms

What platforms do you build on?

We build across web and mobile. On the mobile side, that includes both iOS and Android, either as native applications or cross-platform builds depending on what makes the most sense for your product and user base. On the web side, we build full-stack applications, not just front-end interfaces.

Do you build native mobile apps or cross-platform apps?

Both, and the choice depends on your requirements. Native development, separate iOS and Android codebases, gives you the deepest access to device features and the most polished platform-specific experience. Cross-platform frameworks like React Native allow a shared codebase across iOS and Android, which can reduce cost and development time when your feature set does not require deep native capabilities. We will recommend the right approach based on what your product actually needs, not on what is easiest for us to build.

What technologies does Arkenea use for backend development?

Our backend work spans several languages and frameworks, selected based on the performance, scalability, and integration requirements of each product. Common choices include Node.js and Python, among others. We do not have a single mandatory stack: the right technology is the one that fits the product, not the one that is most familiar to a particular team.

What technologies do you use on the frontend?

For web applications, we work primarily with modern JavaScript frameworks, with React and Angular being the most common choice for its flexibility and ecosystem. For mobile, React Native covers cross-platform builds, while Swift and Kotlin are used for native iOS and Android development respectively.

What cloud infrastructure do you work with?

We work with all major cloud providers, including AWS, Google Cloud, and Microsoft Azure. For healthcare applications, cloud infrastructure choices are tied closely to compliance requirements: the provider needs to support HIPAA-eligible services, and the architecture needs to be configured correctly, not just hosted on a compliant platform. We handle that configuration as part of the build.

Do you work with healthcare data standards like HL7 and FHIR?

Yes. HL7 and FHIR (Fast Healthcare Interoperability Resources) are the primary standards governing how healthcare data is structured and exchanged between systems. Any EHR integration, data pipeline, or interoperability project we work on is built with these standards in mind. If you are not familiar with them, that is fine: we will explain what is relevant to your product and handle the technical implementation.

How do I get a price or timeline estimate?

We cannot provide accurate pricing without first understanding what you are building. Think of it like buying a car: we need to know what kind before we can quote you. Our process starts with a 60-minute requirements discovery call where we unpack your workflows, user types, and feature needs. From there, we produce a detailed proposal with scope, pricing, and timelines.

Can I just send you a document and get a quote?

A document helps us prepare, but it is always a starting point, not a substitute for the discovery conversation. High-level documents (including AI-generated ones) typically leave too many assumptions unresolved to price accurately.

What should I bring to the first requirements call?

Anything that describes what you are building in plain business English: user journeys, wireframes, mockups, or even an AI-generated outline. The more context you share, the more productive the conversation. You do not need technical documentation.

What happens after the requirements call?

We produce a detailed feature list aligned to your first iteration, send it to you for review and feedback, then finalize a proposal document with scope, pricing, and timelines.

The Build Process

What is an MVP and why do you recommend it?

MVP stands for Minimum Viable Product: the leanest version of your product that gets you to market quickly, lets you validate with real users, and avoids building features nobody ends up using. We help every client define what belongs in the MVP versus what can come later.

Do you build the entire product or just the front end?

We build end-to-end, covering system architecture, backend, frontend, integrations, and everything in between. We are not a web design agency.

Who owns the code and IP?

You do, 100%. Our contracts state this explicitly. You own the source code and all intellectual property.

How do you handle ongoing changes and new features after launch?

All products evolve. We continue working with clients post-launch through flexible support and maintenance plans tailored to each product’s needs. Some of our clients have been with us since we started the company.

HIPAA Compliance

Do you build HIPAA-compliant applications?

Yes. Approximately 99% of the applications we build involve protected health information (PHI) and must be HIPAA compliant. We apply the same security principles even to the rare projects that do not technically require it.

Is it more expensive to add HIPAA compliance after the fact?

Significantly more expensive. HIPAA compliance affects foundational decisions: which APIs you use, how data is stored, what consent flows look like, and more. When compliance is an afterthought, you often end up replacing integrations and rebuilding functionality you have already paid for. We strongly recommend building compliant from day one.

What does HIPAA compliance actually require in a software product?

Beyond accepting terms and conditions, compliant applications require the following:

  • Signed patient consent forms
  • Specific technical safeguards
  • Audit logging
  • Secure data transmission
  • Careful selection of third-party APIs and services

We handle all of this as part of our standard build process.

Integrations

Can you integrate with Epic, Cerner, Athena, and other EHRs?

Yes. We have extensive experience integrating with all major EHRs. As long as a system has an API, we can integrate with it. We also work with middleware integrators like Redox Engine and 1upHealth, which allow a single integration to connect with 70-80% of the EHR universe. This is a more efficient approach when you need broad EHR coverage.

Can you integrate with wearables like Apple Watch, Fitbit, or Oura?

Yes. We have built integrations with Apple Health, Google Health, and various wearable platforms.

Can you integrate with payment gateways, insurance verification APIs, and messaging platforms?

Yes to all. We have built integrations with Stripe, Twilio, insurance eligibility APIs, and lab systems including LabCorp and Quest, among many others.

AI in Healthcare Software

Can AI build my healthcare application?

No. AI tools are excellent for prototyping, organizing your thoughts, and generating wireframes, but they have no experience building production-ready software, no understanding of HIPAA compliance, and no context for the complex workflows in healthcare. Clients who have tried to build with AI alone have consistently spent more money fixing the results than they would have spent building it properly from the start.

Can you incorporate AI features into my application?

Yes. We have built AI-powered features including clinical documentation, recommendation engines, conversational agents, and machine learning algorithms. The key is ensuring AI adds genuine value to your users, not just adding it as a buzzword.

What is AI actually good for in the early stages of a product?

Prototyping and visualization. If you have an idea in your head, AI tools can help you sketch it out quickly, generate a user journey, or create a visual mockup to share with us. That is a legitimate and valuable use. Just do not rely on it for timelines, pricing, or technical architecture.

Pricing and Engagement

How do you price your healthcare software development projects?

Pricing is based on the effort required to build your specific product: the features, integrations, user types, and workflows involved. There is no standard tier or fixed price for custom software. Anyone who quotes you a fixed price without a discovery exercise is making assumptions that will cost you later.

What does a typical MVP cost?

Based on our 15 years of experience, most healthcare MVPs fall in the $50,000 to $150,000 range. Where your product lands within or beyond that range depends entirely on scope. We will give you an accurate number after the discovery process.

Should I give equity to my development agency to reduce upfront costs?

We strongly advise against this, regardless of which agency you work with. Development agencies are services businesses whose interests are not aligned with your product’s long-term success. In 15 years, every client who gave equity to a developer has regretted it. Protect your equity for partners who bring strategic value to your business.

Do you offer flexible payment structures?

Yes. We offer both monthly and milestone-based payment schedules, depending on what works best for your project and financial situation.

Working With Us

Do I need a technical background to work with Arkenea?

Not at all. Most of our clients are clinicians, operators, or entrepreneurs with deep domain expertise and no software background. Translating your vision into a technical product is our job.

How involved do I need to be during the build?

The discovery phase, roughly the first 8 to 12 weeks, requires the most collaboration. After that, your involvement tapers to regular check-ins, reviews, and feedback cycles. We design our process around busy professionals: you will always know what is coming and have time to prepare.

Can you help me think through go-to-market strategy, not just the build?

We do not run marketing campaigns, but we bring 15 years of pattern recognition across hundreds of healthcare products. We share what we have seen work and what has not, make introductions through our network when relevant, and help you think through positioning, pricing, and launch strategy as part of how we work with clients.

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