The verdict in three sentences
A patient portal for a diagnostic imaging centre in Dublin costs between 40,000 and 100,000 EUR excluding VAT in 2026, with a timeline of 5 to 8 months. The most sensitive item is RIS and PACS integration, alone 10,000 to 30,000 EUR, followed by health-grade hosting in the EU with ISO 27001 controls for patient data. Well designed, the portal cuts calls to reception, no-shows and exams cancelled for lack of preparation, while meeting GDPR and Irish health data rules.
What the portal must cover
In Dublin, a multi-site private radiology group commonly performs 300 to 600 exams a day, with MRI waits of several weeks. The phone line becomes the bottleneck.
| Function | Benefit | Range EUR (2026 order of magnitude) |
|---|---|---|
| Online booking by exam type | Fewer calls, better slot fill | 8,000 to 18,000 |
| Screening questionnaire and prep instructions | Fewer postponed exams (fasting, MRI safety) | 4,000 to 10,000 |
| Upload of GP referral and insurance details | Faster check-in | 3,000 to 7,000 |
| Access to reports and images (web viewer) | No more CDs, fewer reprints | 8,000 to 20,000 |
| Secure sharing with the referring doctor | Continuity of care | 3,000 to 8,000 |
| SMS and email reminders | Fewer no-shows | 2,000 to 5,000 |
| Multi-site and multilingual area | Coverage of every centre | 2,000 to 6,000 |
The functional core alone comes to 30,000 to 70,000 EUR, with RIS and PACS integration on top.
Integration, hosting and compliance
| Item | 2026 range | Watch point |
|---|---|---|
| RIS integration (bookings, records) | 5,000 to 15,000 EUR | HL7 feed or vendor API, vendor agreement |
| PACS integration and web DICOM viewer | 5,000 to 15,000 EUR | Image volume, display speed |
| Health-grade EU hosting (ISO 27001) | 400 to 1,500 EUR per month | Data residency, processor contracts |
| Strong authentication (patient two-factor, clinician SSO) | 3,000 to 8,000 EUR | Required to access results |
| Healthlink and insurer connections | 2,000 to 6,000 EUR | Depends on RIS capabilities |
| Data protection impact assessment (DPIA) and DPO | 2,000 to 5,000 EUR | Mandatory for large-scale health data |
| Penetration testing | 3,000 to 8,000 EUR | Before go-live |
Compliant hosting is not optional: storing reports or images with a provider lacking proper safeguards exposes the centre to Data Protection Commission fines of up to 4% of turnover.
Typical schedule
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| Phase | Duration |
|---|---|
| Scoping, DPIA and hosting choice | 4 to 6 weeks |
| UX design and patient journeys | 3 to 4 weeks |
| Portal development | 8 to 14 weeks |
| RIS and PACS integration, vendor testing | 6 to 10 weeks, in parallel |
| QA, penetration tests, training | 3 to 4 weeks |
| Phased opening per site | 2 to 4 weeks |
Mini case study
Dr Murphy, managing partner of a 3-centre radiology group in Dublin (illustrative persona), handles 450 exams a day, 250 days a year. Reception takes 900 calls a day, 40% about bookings and results. With a 75,000 EUR portal and 1,000 EUR a month of hosting, he targets 35% fewer calls, 315 calls a day at 3 minutes, or about 3,940 hours a year. At 30 EUR an hour fully loaded, that saves 118,000 EUR. If reminders and preparation cut no-shows from 6% to 3.5%, about 2,800 slots a year are freed. Even valuing only half of that, the portal pays back in under a year.
FAQ
Can we use an existing booking platform? Yes, booking tools or RIS vendor modules cover scheduling for 150 to 400 EUR per clinician per month. A custom portal is justified when the centre also wants exam prep and image access in one journey.
Can patients download their images? Yes, through a web DICOM viewer and export, with a secure link valid for 30 to 90 days. It removes 1 to 3 EUR of CD cost per exam.
Is specialised hosting really required? GDPR treats health data as a special category, and the Data Protection Act 2018 requires suitable safeguards. Expect a 30 to 60% premium over standard cloud for hardened, audited EU hosting.
How long to connect the RIS? Plan 6 to 10 weeks depending on vendor availability and whether an API exists. Some vendors charge 3,000 to 10,000 EUR themselves to open the feed.
Does the portal help with national eHealth plans? It complements a compliant RIS by easing secure sharing with GPs via Healthlink and future national shared care records. Public funding usually targets the vendor, not the portal itself.
Let's scope your project. Tell us your sites, RIS, PACS and exam volume: we price a 40,000 to 100,000 EUR portal with compliant hosting and a 5 to 8 month schedule. 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.
