The verdict in three sentences
A haemodialysis centre with 24 machines and 140 patients bills over 2.5 billion FCFA (EUR 3.8 million) a year, and every session poorly recorded or rejected by the insurer costs 90,000 to 150,000 FCFA. Imported European dialysis packages are complete but expensive, and rarely fit local insurer billing such as Gabon's CNAMGS or Gulf private insurers' specific rules. A custom build at 25 to 60 million FCFA (EUR 38,000 to 91,500), focused on the session record, chair scheduling and billing, usually pays back in under a year.
What paper costs a dialysis centre
At 3 sessions per patient per week, a 140-patient centre runs about 420 sessions weekly across 2 or 3 shifts a day. Paper records multiply risks: outdated prescriptions, late lab work, untracked dialysers, sessions missed in billing. The same pattern shows up in small private units in the UK and the Middle East.
| Indicator (2026 estimate) | Paper records | Integrated software |
|---|---|---|
| Sessions per year (140 patients, 3 a week) | 21,840 | 21,840 |
| Sessions unbilled or rejected | 3 to 6% | under 1% |
| Insurer claim submission time | 20 to 45 days | 5 to 10 days |
| Nurse data entry per session | 15 to 20 min | 5 to 7 min |
| Overdue lab tests detected | Case by case | Automatic alert |
| Consumable stock-outs per quarter | 2 to 4 | 0 to 1 |
At 120,000 FCFA per session on average, losing 4% of sessions means over 104 million FCFA (EUR 159,000) a year.
Imported package or custom build: the numbers
| Criterion | Imported dialysis package | Custom software |
|---|---|---|
| Upfront cost | 30 to 80 million FCFA in licences and setup | 25 to 60 million FCFA |
| Recurring cost | 8 to 20% of licence per year, often in euros | 400,000 to 1,200,000 FCFA a month |
| Local insurer and mutual billing | Paid custom development | Native, per session and per payer |
| Chair and shift scheduling | Complete | Matched to your 2 or 3 shifts |
| Dialyser and batch tracking | Complete | Complete, with barcode scanning |
| Machine connectivity | Brand-dependent | Parameter import where the API allows |
| Support and updates | Vendor abroad, time difference | Team reachable on WhatsApp |
| Go-live time | 6 to 12 months | 4 to 7 months |
The imported package keeps the edge on direct machine connectivity. Custom software wins on local billing, total cost and responsiveness.
Priority modules
- Dialysis patient record: prescription (duration, flow, dialysate, anticoagulation), vascular access, dry weight, history.
- Digital session sheet: pre and post weight, blood pressure, incidents, nurse signature, on a tablet at the chair.
- Chair scheduling: patient, machine and shift assignment, including transit patients.
- Traceability: dialysers, lines, concentrate batches, machine disinfection.
- Lab alerts: monthly and quarterly tests, serologies, out-of-range values flagged to the nephrologist.
- Billing: sessions valued at 90,000 to 150,000 FCFA depending on the payer, claim batches, follow-ups.
On health data, the software must comply with local data protection law (in Gabon, the CNPDCP rules; in the UK, UK GDPR and NHS data standards): secure hosting, encryption, role-based access, an access log. Plan redundant hosting and a daily off-site backup.
Mini case study
Dr Mba, medical director of a private centre in Libreville, follows 140 patients on 24 machines. The centre runs 21,840 sessions a year at 120,000 FCFA on average, i.e. 2.62 billion FCFA. About 4% of sessions are missed or rejected, i.e. 104.8 million FCFA.
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He invests in custom software at 42 million FCFA (EUR 64,000), plus 800,000 FCFA a month for maintenance and hosting. The loss rate drops to 1%, i.e. 26.2 million FCFA. The centre recovers 78.6 million FCFA (EUR 120,000) a year, plus about 6 million FCFA of better-managed consumables. After 9.6 million FCFA of annual running costs, the project pays back in about 7 months.
FAQ
How much does dialysis centre software cost?
Budget 25 million FCFA (EUR 38,000) for records, sessions and billing, and up to 60 million FCFA (EUR 91,500) with machine connectivity, a physician portal and multi-site. Maintenance runs 400,000 to 1,200,000 FCFA a month.
Does the software handle insurer billing?
Yes, each session is valued per payer, with claim batches and rejection tracking. Submission time falls from 20 to 45 days to 5 to 10 days on average.
Can nurses work on tablets at the chair?
Yes, the session sheet is filled in on a tablet, including offline during network outages, then synced. Budget about 250,000 FCFA (EUR 380) per rugged tablet.
Where is health data hosted?
On a secure, encrypted server backed up daily, in-country or with a certified host of your choice. Access is named and every record view is logged.
How long until go-live?
From 4 to 7 months, including a 4-week pilot on one shift. Migrating the active records of 140 patients takes about 3 weeks.
Let's scope your project. Send us your number of chairs, patients and payers, and we will price a scope, an indicative budget and a rollout plan. 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.
