The verdict in three sentences
A practice that manages appointments by phone loses time and suffers a high no-show rate. A custom build at 9,000,000 to 24,000,000 FCFA combines online booking, patient records and billing, with SMS reminders that cut no-shows by about 30%. The return on investment shows directly in the consultation fill rate.
Custom or regional solution: the comparison
Regional subscription solutions exist, but they impose their model and store your data elsewhere. Custom costs more upfront but fits your procedures, your insurers and your billing. Here is the comparison for a 5-practitioner practice.
| Criterion (2026 ballpark) | Regional solution | Custom build |
|---|---|---|
| Initial cost | 500,000 - 2,000,000 FCFA | 9,000,000 - 24,000,000 FCFA |
| Monthly subscription | 150,000 - 400,000 FCFA | 0 (ownership) |
| SMS reminders | often optional | integrated |
| Patient records | standard | tailored to procedures |
| Insurance billing | limited | custom |
| Data ownership | at the vendor | at your practice |
| Maintenance / evolutions | limited included | 250,000 - 700,000 FCFA / month |
| Rollout timeline | 1 - 2 months | 5 - 8 months |
The regional solution suits a fast start. Custom takes the edge as soon as insurance billing and patient-record personalisation become critical.
Features and budget
Practice software is built brick by brick. Here are the key modules and their FCFA ballpark to frame your 2026 budget.
| Feature | What it delivers | Budget impact |
|---|---|---|
| Online booking | multi-practitioner agenda, fewer calls | 2,000,000 - 5,000,000 FCFA |
| Automatic SMS reminders | ~30% fewer no-shows | 1,500,000 - 3,500,000 FCFA |
| Electronic patient records | history, prescriptions, documents | 3,000,000 - 7,000,000 FCFA |
| Billing and insurance | quotes, invoices, third-party payer | 2,500,000 - 6,000,000 FCFA |
| Activity dashboard | consultations, collections | 1,500,000 - 4,000,000 FCFA |
| Post-launch maintenance | evolutions and support | 250,000 - 700,000 FCFA / month |
Allow 5 to 8 months for a full booking + patient records + billing + SMS reminders scope.
Mini case study
Dr Kouassi runs a 5-practitioner practice in Singapore, about 1,200 consultations a month at 15,000 FCFA on average. His no-show rate is 18%, i.e. around 216 lost slots a month, the equivalent of 3,240,000 FCFA of revenue evaporating every month.
A custom build at 15,000,000 FCFA plus 400,000 FCFA maintenance, with SMS reminders, brings no-shows from 18% down to about 12.6% (a 30% reduction). That recovers around 65 slots a month, i.e. 975,000 FCFA/month in revenue, almost 11,700,000 FCFA over a year. The tool pays back in under two years through no-show reduction alone, before even counting saved front-desk time.
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FAQ
Do SMS reminders really cut no-shows?
Yes, a drop of about 30% is a realistic ballpark. On a high-volume practice, that means several million FCFA of recovered revenue per year.
What budget for custom practice software?
Between 9,000,000 and 24,000,000 FCFA depending on modules, plus 250,000 to 700,000 FCFA/month maintenance.
Why choose custom over a regional solution?
For data ownership, tailored insurance billing and a patient record matched to your procedures. Custom also avoids the recurring monthly subscription.
How long for development?
Five to eight months for a full scope. An online booking + SMS reminders MVP can ship in 3 months.
Does the software handle insurance billing?
Yes, with quotes, invoices and third-party payer matched to your agreements, budget 2,500,000 to 6,000,000 FCFA.
Let's scope your project. Tell us your number of practitioners, your consultation volume and priority modules (booking, records, billing), and we will frame the FCFA budget. 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.
