Reuse. Avoid Wasting Capital On Rebuilding Life Sciences Bespoke Software

In the life sciences industry, bespoke software is a necessity—custom solutions tailored to meet specific, unique needs across organizations. These solutions, often developed in-house or through external vendors, play a critical role in achieving business objectives. Yet, many in the industry are unaware of what makes these software solutions bespoke or the challenges that accompany them.

This article aims to provide a clear, non-technical understanding of bespoke software, its applications in life sciences, and how adopting a reuse-first mindset can save time, money, and effort while delivering more predictable outcomes.

What is Bespoke Software?

Bespoke software refers to custom-built applications designed to fulfill unique requirements. While the primary purpose may align across use cases—such as portals, registration sites, or web applications—these solutions are custom developed (i.e. built from the ground up) to accommodate diverse needs.

Examples of Variables that Make Them Bespoke:

• Software Types: Portals, Omni-channel solutions, registration platforms, web applications.
• User Personas: Patients, sponsors, healthcare providers (HCPs), investigators.
• Use Cases: Clinical trials, brand campaigns, disease awareness, medical device management, patient support and reimbursement processing.
• Integration Needs: Systems like CRM, ERP, and other operational platforms.
• Business Rules: Regulatory requirements, consent management, and unique industry standards.
• Security: Tailored to meet regional, industry, and application-specific needs.

Where is Bespoke Software Used in Life Sciences?

Bespoke software is essential across a wide range of clinical and commercial applications in the life sciences industry. These needs often extend beyond traditional eClinical solutions, encompassing various specialized areas.

Organizations such as biopharma companies, contract research organizations (CROs), healthcare marketing agencies, and HUB service providers frequently develop these solutions in-house or outsource them to software vendors—many of whom lack expertise in life sciences, leading to inefficiencies and missed opportunities.

Clinical Applications

In the clinical domain, bespoke software supports a variety of critical functions, including:

• DCT Logistics Orchestration: Streamlining decentralized clinical trials.
• Investigator Payments and Patient Reimbursement: Managing financial processes efficiently.
• Study Startup and Subject Enrollment: Accelerating trial timelines.
• Education Portals: Providing information to patients, subjects, healthcare providers (HCPs), and investigators.
• Patient, Sponsor, and Investigator Portals: Enabling seamless communication and resource sharing among stakeholders.

Commercial Applications

On the commercial side, bespoke software plays a pivotal role in:

• New Drug Launches: Facilitating streamlined processes for market entry.
• Patient Support Programs (PSPs): Supporting adherence and access initiatives.
• Disease Awareness Campaigns: Enhancing public understanding and engagement.
• CoPay and Reimbursement Programs: Simplifying financial support for patients.
• Sales Tools: Including pricing estimators and registration platforms for sponsors, HCPs, and sales representatives.

Service Company Applications

Beyond clinical and commercial operations, bespoke software is widely utilized by life sciences service companies, including:

• HUB Providers: Managing patient access and support services.
• Healthcare Marketing Agencies: Customizing campaigns and outreach tools.
• Laboratory Testing and Specialty Pharmacies: Streamlining operations and reporting.
• Consulting and Reimbursement Firms: Tailoring solutions for complex compliance and financial needs.

Despite the widespread demand, the cumulative costs of bespoke software development often go unnoticed. Many clinical trials, brands, and patient support programs remain underfunded or delayed due to the high cost, effort, and extended timelines required to develop these custom solutions. Addressing these inefficiencies is key to unlocking greater value and accelerating innovation across the life sciences industry.

The Role of Reuse in Life Sciences Software Development

Would it surprise you to learn that approximately 90% of the core functionality across bespoke software in life sciences is identical? Yet, this common functionality is often rebuilt from scratch for each new project.

This redundancy stems from outdated industry practices, even though sectors like CRM, eCommerce, and service software have long embraced reuse principles. Life sciences, however, has been slow to evolve in this area—despite the clear opportunity to adopt reusable components.

Challenges with Current Practices:

• Unnecessary Redundancy: Core features are redeveloped repeatedly.
• Costly Waste: Budget overruns stem from inefficiencies in development.
• Unpredictable Timelines: Custom development introduces variability, increasing delays.

By challenging IT teams and vendors to prioritize reuse over reinvention, life sciences companies can achieve faster, more efficient, and cost-effective software development.

How Reuse Makes Development Predictable (and Faster!)

Software development is inherently complex and unpredictable. Estimates for time and cost often fall short due to unforeseen issues like defects and rework.

However, adopting a reuse-driven approach can transform this unpredictability into a controlled process:

1. Reusable Core Functionality: Develop common components once, with built-in flexibility for various use cases.
2. Customizable Add-ons: Tailor unique features to integrate seamlessly with reusable core modules.
3. Collaborative Development: Engage stakeholders continuously to validate functionality, user experience, and workflows in real time.
4. Iterative Refinement: Make quick adjustments and confirm changes as part of an agile, iterative process.

This approach accelerates timelines, eliminates waste, and delivers predictable costs. Stakeholders stay intimately involved, ensuring the final product meets expectations without surprises.

The Opportunity to Reinvest Savings

By embracing reuse, the life sciences industry can realize significant savings—both in time and resources—that can be reinvested into critical areas such as:

• Developing better treatments.
• Enhancing patient support programs.
• Expanding access to vital healthcare services.

Adopting this approach challenges the status quo, paving the way for a more efficient, predictable, and innovative future in life sciences software development.

Final Thoughts

The life sciences industry is at a crossroads where traditional practices can give way to more sustainable, efficient methods. By recognizing the potential of reuse in bespoke software, organizations can unlock predictable outcomes, reduce costs, and ultimately deliver better solutions for patients and stakeholders alike.

It’s time to demand better—from IT teams, vendors, and the industry as a whole—and embrace a future where reuse, predictability, and efficiency drive success.