How to market? 2

[alan232]

Hi All ;

No offense is intended here--but I don't know who else to ask for some honest suggestions.

Out of need, I wrote a medical package heavily dependent on vfp using my pda in realtime over wireless networking to comply with Blue Cross Blue Shield. A quick search shows that this is a novel approach. I will not have time to maintain the software for general use, so am looking to sell it. Any ideas?

Thanks in advance for any help,
Alan

 

[Mike Gagnon]

Is there a medical association in your area that you can approach and see if there is an interest from them for this type of software? Otherwise start with a medical building, or a hospital?


Mike Gagnon

If you want to get the best response to a question, please check out FAQ184-2483 first.
ReFox XI (www.mcrgsoftware.com)

 

[Mike Lewis]

Alan,

Can you clarify .... do you want to sell individual copies to customers on your own account? Or are you looking to get rid of the whole thing to someone who can do all the selling for you? Or what?

If the latter, and given that you don't want to handle the maintenance, it would make sense to try to find an exisiting VFP developer who has the experience and ability to bring a software package to a mass market. A tall order.

Your best bet would be to advertise for one -- but not on Tek Tips, which has a policy against that sort of thing. Maybe you should tour some of the other boards and forums to see if any carry similar advertisements.

Mike


__________________________________
Mike Lewis (Edinburgh, Scotland)

My sites:
Visual FoxPro (www.ml-consult.demon.co.uk)
Crystal Reports (www.ml-crystal.com)

 

[alan232]

Hi Mike G. and Mike L. ;

Your both right. My programming is out of need. My intent would be to let someone else have it all-or perhaps form some kind of group to market it, with me out of the picture. I believe it to be a very good solution, and works well for me, but I have no knowledge or time to market and/or maintain it.

Thanks again. I guess I could run it by Blue Cross and the hospital to see if there is any interest--but our administrator is generally not for making the staff's life any easier.

Thanks,
Alan

 

[TamarGranor]

I don't want to offend you, but it's been my experience that applications written to solve one particular need (especially by people who aren't professional software developers) tend to be hand to maintain in the long run. They also often assume that everyone does business the way the original client does.

Tamar

 

[alan232]

Hi Tamar ;

No offense taken. You're probably right. With all the coding and insurance changes frequently needed, it will require some maintence. However, since I don't like to enter these codes myself, I've written several interfaces, including medication lists, for my staff to add the necessary documentation on the fly--anything to make my life easier and faster. (The upside to not being a 'professional' developer, is that I know exactly what I what it to do, can make it do it, and use it daily--a test of fire so to speak).

The real question would be, for better or worse, getting it to others to try.

Thanks for your thoughts,
Alan

 

[TamarGranor]

<< However, since I don't like to enter these codes myself, I've written several interfaces, including medication lists, for my staff to add the necessary documentation on the fly--anything to make my life easier and faster. >>

This is a good example, actually. I'm sure what you've done simplifies the process, but what a professional developer would have done is set up the application to be data-driven in the first place and built in some kind of capability for easily updating what needs to be updated regularly.

Tamar

 

[alan232]

Hi Tamar ;

Yep..It is...I did...For the most part, it is data-driven . However, my staff is not computer literate beyond typing. The interfaces provide a dummy way of entering the specific data i need. The problem with the pre-made data services and codes is that they invariably end up costing significant amounts of money for almost uesless monthly updates with information i neither need or want. that would be great for research or lookups, but is totally useless for my patients, each with their own unique history, problems, and cicumstances. updates are done easily, but ultimately, the only meaningful update is the one that comes from their reason for being seen and what is to be done, in realtime--so no amount of generalized data is helpul or pertinent and any routine update is already to late to be useful.

Good discussion, nice try.
Thanks,
Alan