The verdict in three sentences
For a London private healthcare group in 2026, building a platform runs 60,000 to 140,000 GBP while licensing one costs 65 to 130 EUR per user per month. The decision hinges on headcount, workflow specificity and integration needs (records, clearing, insurers). Beyond roughly 15 users or with complex insurer logic, building typically wins over a 3-to-4-year horizon.
Integration costs in 2026
Whichever path you choose, integrations drive much of the cost and the value. Here are the 2026 orders of magnitude.
| Integration | 2026 estimate (GBP) | Timeline |
|---|---|---|
| Billing / clearing connector | 7,000-16,000 | 3-5 weeks |
| National record / patient ID interface | 5,000-11,000 | 3-4 weeks |
| Insurers / top-up gateway | 4,500-9,000 | 2-4 weeks |
| Testing and certification | 2,000-4,500 | 1-2 weeks |
| Full bundle | 17,000-36,000 | 6-10 weeks |
The 6-to-10-week overall timeline assumes parallel phases. A sequential rollout by priority is possible to smooth the budget.
Build vs buy: the 3-year comparison
The real comparison is total cost of ownership, not entry price. Here is a 2026 projection for a 20-user group.
| Item | Build | Buy (SaaS) |
|---|---|---|
| Entry cost | 90,000 GBP | 0-4,000 GBP |
| Monthly cost | hosting + maintenance ~2,500 GBP | 20 x 100 EUR = ~1,750 GBP |
| Customisation | total | limited |
| Code ownership | yes | no |
| 3-year total | ~180,000 GBP | ~67,000 GBP |
| Per-user price hikes | none | vendor-driven |
SaaS looks cheaper over 3 years, but the build becomes an owned asset immune to per-user hikes and fully tailored, which tips the balance past year 4 for larger groups.
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Mini case study
James, operations director of a 4-site private healthcare group in London. The group bills ~2.4M GBP/year with a 10% rejection rate, tying up ~240,000 GBP in recurring disputes. After a billing connector at 12,000 GBP + patient-ID interface at 8,000 GBP, the rejection rate falls to 7%, freeing ~72,000 GBP of cash flow and cutting reimbursement delay by 11 days. With ~5 hours/week of manual entry saved (~11,000 GBP/year), the 20,000 GBP integration pays back in under 10 months, independent of the build-vs-buy choice.
FAQ
When does building beat buying? Beyond roughly 15 users or with highly specific insurer workflows, stacked SaaS subscriptions catch up to a custom build within 3 to 4 years, after which the owned asset wins.
Which integration has the fastest ROI? The billing/clearing connector, because lower rejections and faster reimbursements free cash flow within the first months.
Can integrations be phased? Yes, each connector is priced separately. A sequential rollout by priority smooths the budget without blocking day-to-day operations.
How long for the full bundle? 6 to 10 weeks with parallel phases, testing and certification included. Plan a double-run period before the final switch.
How do I measure integration ROI? Track three metrics: billing rejection rate, reimbursement delay and manual entry hours saved. A 30% drop in rejections often repays the investment within a year.
Let's scope your project. Tell us your user count, current system and priority integrations (billing, patient ID, insurers), and we'll model build vs buy and quote the work. 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.