What was the scope of their involvement?
They’re doing all the design work for the app. Users are assigned a health coach and have daily tasks and goals to track. The system will eventually be compatible with different mobile devices, such as glucose meters, and have a series of surveys and questionnaires to measure symptoms. Our goal is for the auxiliary devices to upload the information directly to the system, but we currently rely on daily data submissions from the users.
Data is uploaded into our HIPAA [Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act] compliant artificial intelligence prognostic and diagnostic functionality. Ultimately, the system will populate the users’ medical history automatically, but that will appear in a later iteration. The app also checks for counterindications for user medications, and allows health coaches to interface them. Users have 24/7 access to the coaching network, and get regular reminders from the app and their coach. If something urgent, like a new symptom, manifests, they can submit a questionnaire, and the diagnostics will triage and recommend next steps.
What is the team dynamic?
Sergey [Managing Director & Co-Founder, bromin7] is our primary contact, and we have a lot of back and forth with him via phone and email. We occasionally work with his project lead, but Sergey provides the most hands-on input. He manages the schedule and deliveries on his side, as well as a large group of offshore software developers in Russia.
How did you come to work with bromin7?
My cofounder discovered them. We originally had another team who was going to develop the software, but things didn’t work out and we had to scramble to find someone else. We didn’t have high expectations, but we were thrilled in our first meeting with them.
How much have you invested with them?
We’ve invested $112,000 so far. Their costs are very reasonable.
What is the status of this engagement?
We started working together in April 2017. Sergey has been very accommodating, and we have split the project into four stages. This allows us to acquire new sources of funding and complete the design. We’ve just finished the second stage. Even after the development is finished, we hope they continue to process our updates and subsequent versions of the software.
Taking into account the complex nature of the project, bromin7 delivered a working first version of the app within nine months. Their communicative approach, transparency, flexibility with change requests, and quick bug fixes created an efficient and pleasant collaboration.