Selecting the best partner for application modernization is no longer solely a technical choice. It is now seen by healthcare executives as a strategic necessity that directly impacts patient care, organizational viability, and operational efficiency. When choosing a partner who can successfully navigate the complex intersection of clinical workflows, modern technology, and healthcare compliance, this comprehensive guide outlines the crucial steps and considerations to make.

Why Healthcare Modernization Can't Wait

About 70% of healthcare providers still use antiquated technology, according to various surveys. It leads to vulnerabilities that impact all facets of care delivery. For a number of reasons, these legacy systems - which are frequently constructed using obsolete programming languages like COBOL and are not prepared for the cloud - have grown to be a serious liability.

The Costs of Installing Legacy Systems

Up to 75% of healthcare IT budgets are spent just keeping these antiquated systems running, making legacy systems in the industry notoriously costly to maintain. Resources that could be utilized to promote innovation and better patient care are diverted by this financial drain. More importantly, unsupported architectures and sluggish patching cycles in legacy systems are the main causes of the healthcare industry's highest average data breach costs, which average $10.93 million per incident.

In addition to financial costs, old technology results in major operational inefficiencies. Up to 45% of a clinician's day is spent on administrative or non-clinical duties rather than patient care when they are using outdated electronic health record (EHR) systems that are not user-friendly and glitchy. First, it leads to burnout among clinicians. Second, companies are limited in utilizing technologies that are becoming commonplace in the modern healthcare delivery such as AI diagnostics, telemedicine platforms, and real-time data analytics.

The Need for Interoperability

Data must flow easily between departments, systems, and even healthcare networks in today's healthcare environment. Coordinated care is hampered by the fragmented data ecosystems caused by legacy systems' frequent silo operations. A typical hospital has 200–300 software systems, many of which are ineffective at communicating with one another. Incomplete clinical images and delayed information sharing are two ways that this lack of interoperability directly affects patient safety in addition to causing operational difficulties.

Defining Your Modernization Objectives and Strategy

Selecting Strategic Goals

Modernization initiatives should align with broader organizational objectives, such as improving clinical outcomes, ensuring regulatory compliance, reducing operational costs, or improving patient experience. Despite their difficulties integrating legacy systems, 95% of healthcare executives consider digital transformation to be a strategic priority, per industry research. In addition to providing essential metrics for gauging success during the modernization process, well-defined objectives also serve as a guide for the selection process.

Assess Your Current Landscape

Start by conducting a thorough audit of the current systems in order to find dependencies, security flaws, and compliance gaps. Focus on systems that support critical care procedures or handle sensitive patient data. This evaluation should also identify critical security updates and examine technical debt in order to lower risk during the planning phases.

Selecting Your Modernization Plan

Particularly in the healthcare industry, where system outages can literally mean the difference between life and death, not all modernization tactics are made equal. Although complete "rip-and-replace" projects might appear all-inclusive, they are frequently costly and disruptive. Phased modernization, beginning with high-risk backend systems, reduced IT operating costs by 25-40% over three years with little service interruption, according to a Deloitte study. Think about these tried-and-true methods:

• Rehosting (also known as "Lift and Shift"): Transferring current apps from on-premises infrastructure to the cloud with little change.
• Replatforming: The process of making specific application optimizations while preserving the core architecture to better utilize cloud capabilities.
• Refactoring: Using microservices and an API-first architecture, existing code is restructured and optimized to be cloud-native.
• Phased Replacement: Using the "strangler fig" pattern, gradually replace legacy functionality and migrate features until the old system is ready to be retired.

The optimal course of action will depend on your system interdependencies, clinical workflows, risk tolerance, and budgetary limitations. Instead of using a one-size-fits-all approach, a knowledgeable modernization partner should guide you through these choices.

Standards for Assessing Modernization Partners

Not every technology partner has the specific knowledge needed to modernize healthcare. Because of its unique regulatory requirements, security concerns, and clinical workflows, the healthcare industry needs partners with proven expertise in this specific field. Give these crucial areas of expertise top priority when assessing possible partners.

Experience in Healthcare and Knowledge of Compliance

The specific experience a partner has with healthcare systems and regulations is more important than their general technical skills. Seek partners who have:

• A proven Healthcare Portfolio: It consists of case studies and client testimonials from payers, healthcare providers, or associated organizations.
• Regulatory Compliance Knowledge: Proven familiarity with 21st Century Cures Act information blocking regulations, HIPAA, GDPR, and FDA requirements for software as a medical device.
• Standards for Healthcare Proficiency: Knowledge of data standards unique to the healthcare industry, such as DICOM for medical imaging, SMART on FHIR, and HL7 FHIR.
• Clinical Workflow Understanding: Proof that they are aware of clinical procedures and know how to update systems without compromising patient care.

Leading healthcare IT firms usually collaborate with clinical specialists or hire internal medical consultants to close the gap between technology and healthcare delivery.

Strong Technical Skills with a Healthcare Focus

• Cloud Platforms: They should be able to use AWS HealthLake or Google Cloud Healthcare API, which offer specialized services for the healthcare industry.
• Modern Architecture: They should be able to build systems using APIs and "microservices," which are tiny, autonomous parts that boost system flexibility and make connectivity easier.
• Interoperability: They need to demonstrate that they can easily communicate with both your old systems and other systems in the healthcare ecosystem.
• AI and Data Analytics: They should have previous experience using AI to help with tasks like automating clinical notes or predicting patient health risks.

An Unwavering Attention to Security

A security lapse in the healthcare industry can cost more than just money - it can cost lives.

• Certifications: For their work in healthcare, look for partners who have earned validated security certifications such as SOC 2 or HITRUST.
• Data Protection Techniques: They must specify how they will encrypt patient information, manage access, and monitor who has viewed it.
• "Zero-Trust" Mindset: They ought to follow the tenet of "never trust, always verify," which states that all access requests are examined regardless of their origin.

A Disruption-Reduction Approach

The fact that hospital systems cannot simply be shut down for upgrades should be incorporated into their project plan.

• Incremental Approach: They should plan their modernization in manageable chunks.
• Parallel Running: The new system should be able to be configured to operate alongside the old one, enabling a smooth transition without halting care.
• Change Management: They need to have a plan in place for training your employees and assisting them in adjusting to the new methods of operation.
• Clinician Input: A clear process for getting input from doctors and nurses should be in place throughout the project.

List of Top Healthcare Software Modernization Partners in 2025

Belitsoft

Belitsoft has been the go-to partner for startups, small businesses, large and medium-sized enterprises, and tech innovators across the USA, UK, Canada, and other countries since 2004. 

This application modernization firm provides cloud-native tools, intelligent integrations, and modular upgrades to help healthcare organizations modernize legacy systems in line with the rapid demands of clinical and business requirements. For healthtech companies, Belitsoft can serve as a full-cycle tech partner, from prototype to production systems that are ready for compliance.

For Hospitals and Health Systems

• Support for custom EHR migrations: switching from antiquated on-premises EHRs or legacy systems to contemporary cloud-native platforms.
• Frontend modernization: creating clinician-facing interfaces, ambient voice tools, or mobile-native apps that minimize clicks and documentation overload.
• Integration layers: using FHIR APIs and proprietary middleware to link disparate scheduling, lab, and billing systems.
• Low-code tools: developing simple apps for nurse scheduling, patient check-in, or discharge planning without having to wait for full-stack releases.
• Microservices architecture: by separating legacy hospital software, it allows for modular upgrades in areas like scheduling, reporting, documentation, and more.

For Startups & HealthTech Vendors 

Belitsoft is able to assist healthtech suppliers with: 

• Development of cloud-native platforms: creating essential SaaS tools for diagnostics, virtual care, and remote monitoring. 
• Modern EHR integrations: embedded analytics, SDoH data handling, and FHIR API development.
• Product-grade AI/ML integration: using unique models and audit-ready pipelines to power image screening, care recommendations, and triage tools. 
• Governance tools: dashboards for regulatory alignment, bias tracking, and model performance.
• Interoperability-first design: procurement-ready plug-and-play modules (such as audit logs, OAuth2, and FHIR).

For Payers (Health Plans)

Belitsoft can provide the following services:

• Modernizing adjudication and payment systems with cloud-native infrastructure and modular APIs.
• Modernizing the member experience includes creating omnichannel messaging platforms, digital self-service portals, and real-time benefits lookups.
• Interoperability solutions include creating secure audit-ready logs, FHIR integration, identity management, and APIs for CMS requirements.
• Using AI to automate claims processing by incorporating claim prioritization, denial logic, or fraud detection.
• Modern systems designed for traceability, audit readiness, and changing ONC/CMS requirements are examples of compliance-focused upgrades.

For Life Sciences and Pharma 

Belitsoft can help modernize CTMS and EDC by substituting cloud-native platforms for fragmented legacy systems in trial design, patient recruitment, and data collection. 

• Analytics and BI dashboards: instant access to information about trial results, recruitment status, and site performance. 
• Incorporating real-world evidence (RWE) into commercial data pipelines and trial systems.
• Tools for supply chain and manufacturing visibility include yield optimization, cold chain monitoring, and real-time batch tracking. 
• CRM modernization for sales teams: enhanced segmentation, real-time performance monitoring, and targeting tools.

In addition to providing application modernization services, Belitsoft turns their clients' ideas into reality by creating and tailoring software solutions to their particular requirements. 

Booz Allen Hamilton

Booz Allen Hamilton is a great choice for extensive public-sector health modernization projects, such as its integration of the complex Healthcare.gov system. Managing extensive, multi-vendor programs and negotiating the unique needs of federal health agencies are its strong points. 

However, this enterprise-scale approach is also its main drawback for the majority of healthcare providers. Focused application modernization may require agility and cost-effectiveness that the firm's model, which emphasizes high-level strategy and governance, may not provide. 

Instead of working as a hands-on development team, it functions best as a program manager. As a result, providers looking for an agile, direct partner to refactor and rebuild particular applications frequently rank higher for specialized software engineering firms. For the majority of modernization requirements, these experts provide a more specialized, effective, and technically hands-on partnership by integrating seamlessly as an extension of the internal IT staff.

Deloitte

A major player in the healthcare industry, Deloitte is a multinational consulting and professional services firm. They are a good fit for very big, complicated projects and provide application modernization services. They have a track record of successfully collaborating with major health systems and insurers, and they are knowledgeable about the stringent rules of the healthcare industry, such as HIPAA.

The main consideration is that Deloitte is a major consulting firm. High-level strategy and complex, multi-year programs are effectively managed by their model. Sometimes, though, this can mean that they are not as involved in the everyday, practical tasks of writing code and creating software. In order to carry out the actual programming, a provider may collaborate with Deloitte strategists, who subsequently work with other firms.

The strategy of a specialized software development partner is in contrast to this. The technical implementation of modernizing applications would be the sole focus of such a partner. This model frequently offers a direct line to the engineers performing the work, is more cost-effective, and is more agile.

In summary, if your large health system needs a comprehensive, top-down technology overhaul that calls for a lot of strategy and program management, Deloitte is a great option. However, a business that focuses exclusively on software engineering would probably be a better option for a provider that requires a quick, knowledgeable, and hands-on technical partner to modernize particular applications effectively.

Globant

The healthcare and life sciences sectors are the focus of Globant's practice. They present themselves as a collaborator who can assist in rethinking the digital future of a healthcare institution. 

If you want to totally revamp your digital front door or introduce a brand-new, AI-powered patient app, Globant is a great option. However, a partner with a more specialized, focused, and demonstrated track record in hands-on application modernization would probably be a safer and more effective choice for the crucial, unglamorous task of rebuilding and migrating the core, legacy applications that power your healthcare organization. 

Ask Globant for specific case studies where they updated a legacy EHR or comparable core healthcare system - rather than just where they created something new - in order to make a decision.

Turing

Turing is a tech business that mainly functions as a platform for talent. Its primary function is to use artificial intelligence to locate, screen, and supply software engineers and developers from around the globe for businesses to employ.

This implies that you can use Turing to identify and employ a single engineer or a small group of engineers who are skilled in updating outdated software systems for application modernization.

However, this model has a lot of drawbacks for a healthcare provider searching for a premier modernization partner. The main concern is the distinction between hiring a committed, full-service partner and hiring individual technical staff.

Working with Turing is like expanding your team by adding remote workers. Turing does the initial screening, but your company is still in charge of day-to-day management of those individuals. It is your responsibility to develop the project plan, give them precise technical guidance, oversee their work, and make sure the end product satisfies your security and clinical requirements. This puts your own IT leaders under a lot of management strain.

Turing is also a generalist platform. It supplies talent for a wide range of sectors, including e-commerce and finance. Modernizing a healthcare application requires knowledge of clinical workflows, data standards like HL7 and FHIR, and laws like HIPAA. Even a talented generalist developer might not be aware of these nuances.

If you have a solid internal management team and you just need to add a few more highly qualified engineers to your staff for a project you are already overseeing, Turing is a good option.