The verdict in three sentences
A custom management tool for a private clinic costs 30,000 to 55,000 EUR, plus 2,000 to 5,000 EUR/year for certified health-data hosting (HDS), mandatory in France. Custom wins when you must combine multiple practitioners, third-party payment and a patient portal around processes unique to you. Plan for 16 to 24 weeks and always weigh the option against a market vertical health SaaS.
The modules of a connected clinic
The heart of a clinic tool is the patient record, which handles health data and requires HDS hosting. Around it sit the multi-practitioner calendar, billing with third-party payment, and a patient portal to cut front-desk calls.
| Module | Scope | Indicative 2026 cost (EUR) |
|---|---|---|
| Multi-practitioner calendar | Shared schedule, rooms, recurrences, SMS reminders | 6,000 |
| Patient record (HDS) | History, documents, prescriptions, encryption | 10,000 - 16,000 |
| Billing / third-party payment | Procedures, insurers, patient balance, exports | 8,000 |
| Patient portal | Online booking, documents, pre-admission | 4,000 |
| Reporting / steering | Occupancy rate, revenue per practitioner, no-shows | 4,000 |
| Total build | Full scope | 30,000 - 55,000 |
Vertical health SaaS vs custom
Health software vendors offer turnkey suites billed per use. They quickly cover the standard but stall on specifics (multidisciplinary pathways, atypical billing). Here is the economic trade-off.
| Criterion | Vertical health SaaS | Kolonell custom |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 cost (10 practitioners) | ~ 9,000 - 15,000 EUR/yr | 42,000 EUR (build) |
| HDS hosting | Included | 2,000 - 5,000 EUR/yr |
| 5-year cumulative | 45,000 - 75,000 EUR | 60,000 - 67,000 EUR |
| Fit to care pathways | Low to medium | Total |
| Interoperability (lab, imaging) | Vendor standard | Custom |
| Data and code ownership | No | Yes |
Below 5-6 practitioners with standard needs, vertical stays relevant; above that, or with specific pathways, custom balances TCO while removing vendor lock-in.
Mini case study
Dr Moreau runs a 9-practitioner multidisciplinary clinic in Lyon's 6th, with a front desk swamped by about 60 booking calls/day. He invests 46,000 EUR in custom software + 3,500 EUR/year of HDS. The patient portal absorbs 45 % of bookings, freeing 1.5 part-time reception roles (2026 order of magnitude saving: 28,000 EUR/year). The tool pays back in about 20 months, excluding gains from reduced no-shows via SMS reminders.
FAQ
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Is HDS hosting mandatory?
Yes, as soon as you store personal health data. You need an HDS-certified host; the extra cost is around 2,000 to 5,000 EUR/year depending on volume and redundancy.
How much is the patient record module?
Between 10,000 and 16,000 EUR, as it is the most sensitive module: encryption, access traceability, consent management and structured medical data.
Can it handle third-party payment and insurers?
Yes, billing handles procedures, insurer share, patient balances and accounting exports. Rules specific to your agreements are configurable.
How long to deliver?
Plan for 16 to 24 weeks. A first calendar + billing version is usually live around week 10, the patient record following after security validation.
Does the patient portal really cut calls?
Yes: depending on your patient base, 40 to 55 % of bookings shift online, with a measurable drop in no-show rate thanks to automatic reminders.
Let's scope your project. Tell us your practitioner count, third-party payment needs and HDS constraints: we'll price a calendar/record/billing core, indicative budget 30,000-55,000 EUR, delivery 16-24 weeks. Detailed quote within 48 h. WhatsApp +221 77 596 93 33.
Mohamed Bah
Fondateur, Kolonell
Passionate about digital and entrepreneurship in Africa, Mohamed has been helping Sénégalese businesses with their digital transformation since 2020. Founder of Kolonell, he believes every SME deserves a professional and accessible online présence.
