Digital transformation for legacy health-tech

Leveraging the ETHOS Framework for Transformative Success in Health-Tech

By implementing the ETHOS framework, we worked hand-in-hand with our client to enhance development workflows, optimize system architecture, and refine team efficiency. Rather than merely providing external support, we became an integral part of their journey, reinforcing a culture of continuous improvement and forward-thinking development.
Client
Company specializing in Institutional Review Board (IRB) Intelligence
Industry
HealthTech
Timeline
2021 – present

Transforming Legacy Health-Tech: A Collaborative Approach to Innovation

In the dynamic world of health-tech, organizations continuously seek to enhance their platforms to meet the evolving demands of clinical research. Our client, a company specializing in Institutional Review Board (IRB) Intelligence, recognized the need to modernize their existing system to improve scalability, reduce maintenance efforts, and enhance user experience. They had already conceptualized and initiated the development of a new version of their platform using Vue.js and Ruby on Rails, but they sought additional expertise to optimize and accelerate their efforts.

Understanding the scale and significance of the project, we joined as a strategic partner to complement their existing team. Our role was to provide specialized development resources, project management oversight, and quality assurance expertise, ensuring that their transition to a modernized system was smooth, efficient, and aligned with their long-term vision. This collaboration was built on mutual trust and shared goals, focusing on continuous improvements in team workflows, architectural refinements, and development velocity.

Partnering for Success: Addressing Development Challenges Together

Like many organizations evolving from legacy systems, our client sought to enhance their platform’s capacity to handle increasing user demand. While their previous system was functional, the modernization effort aimed to improve scalability, boost performance, and enable the seamless introduction of new features. By working collaboratively, we identified and implemented optimizations that enhanced development efficiency while ensuring that their system remained robust and adaptable for future advancements.

Rather than stepping in to rebuild from scratch, our approach was centered on enhancing and supporting their ongoing efforts. Our team collaborated closely with their internal engineers to refine development workflows, introduce modular architectural improvements, and implement efficient sprint planning techniques. By streamlining processes and integrating structured development strategies, we helped ensure that their system could scale effectively while maintaining operational reliability.

Additionally, we facilitated cross-team collaboration by introducing more structured sprint planning and review sessions. These adjustments enabled all stakeholders to align expectations and milestones more effectively, ensuring that progress was tracked, feedback was incorporated efficiently, and improvements were implemented seamlessly. The introduction of automated testing frameworks further enhanced system reliability, reducing deployment risks and improving overall confidence in new feature releases.

Applying the ETHOS Framework: Enhancing Team Integration and Performance

To maximize the impact of our collaboration, we applied the ETHOS framework—Experience, Training, Harmony, Onboarding, and Success—creating a seamless integration between our team and theirs. By bringing in experienced Vue.js and Ruby on Rails developers alongside seasoned project managers and quality assurance specialists, we complemented the skills of the existing team, ensuring smooth knowledge transfer and efficient execution.

A key priority was accelerating onboarding and integration. Through structured training sessions and a knowledge-sharing framework, we reduced the onboarding time for new team members to just three weeks. This meant that within the first month, our engineers were not only aligned with the project vision but were actively contributing to development milestones. The collaboration between both teams fostered a sense of harmony, where ideas, best practices, and problem-solving strategies were openly shared to improve efficiency and innovation.

Beyond onboarding, ETHOS helped establish a structured workflow that promoted continuous learning and team synergy. By facilitating open discussions and feedback loops, we encouraged cross-team engagement, eliminating roadblocks that often slow down development. This holistic approach strengthened the foundation of the team, enabling them to move from reactive problem-solving to proactive innovation.

Another key aspect of ETHOS was enhancing development velocity. By refining deployment pipelines, introducing modular development structures, and prioritizing user experience in feature planning, we significantly improved the efficiency of the development cycle. This enabled faster iteration cycles, more seamless code integrations, and an overall improvement in time-to-market for critical platform updates.

The Impact: Strengthening a Long-Term Development Partnership

The success of this collaboration extended far beyond resolving immediate development challenges. By fostering a shared commitment to innovation and efficiency, we helped accelerate roadmap execution and ensured that the client’s platform was built with a scalable and future-proof foundation. Our involvement reduced developer onboarding times from months to weeks, allowing the client’s internal team to integrate new talent efficiently while maintaining momentum on key deliverables.

Another major achievement was improving development velocity. By refining sprint planning methodologies and promoting proactive problem-solving, we enabled the team to move faster while maintaining high-quality standards. These improvements resulted in tangible efficiency gains, allowing new features to be developed and deployed at a much more rapid pace.

Additionally, our collaboration contributed to greater cross-team engagement and knowledge sharing. By promoting structured review sessions, documentation improvements, and enhanced developer mentorship programs, we ensured that teams remained aligned and empowered to continue driving innovation beyond our direct involvement.

The value of our partnership was evident in the long-term collaboration that followed. Initially brought on board to provide additional resources and technical guidance, our engagement evolved into a lasting relationship based on mutual trust and shared success. Over a span of more than three years, we continued to contribute expertise in process optimization, architectural strategy, and development best practices, further solidifying the efficiency of the team and the success of the platform.

Institutional Review Boards (IRB) and Their Role in Clinical Trials

Institutional Review Boards (IRBs) are a fundamental component of clinical trials, ensuring that medical research is conducted ethically and that patient safety remains a top priority. Before any clinical study can proceed, an IRB must review and approve it, assessing factors such as risk management, informed consent, and compliance with regulatory standards. Given the complexity of these evaluations, having a reliable and efficient IRB intelligence platform is essential for maintaining compliance and facilitating timely decision-making.

By modernizing this platform, our client aimed to improve efficiency for research institutions, streamline administrative processes, and enhance data accessibility. Through our collaboration, we contributed to optimizing the system’s capabilities, ensuring that research organizations could rely on it for faster, more accurate, and seamless IRB approvals. This ultimately contributed to accelerating the timeline for new medical advancements, benefiting the broader healthcare landscape.

Conclusion: A Collaborative Blueprint for Success in Health-Tech

This case study highlights how collaborative innovation, structured onboarding, and strategic execution can transform the development process for health-tech organizations. By implementing the ETHOS framework, we worked hand-in-hand with our client to enhance development workflows, optimize system architecture, and refine team efficiency. Rather than merely providing external support, we became an integral part of their journey, reinforcing a culture of continuous improvement and forward-thinking development.

For health-tech companies navigating complex modernization initiatives, having the right expertise and frameworks in place is critical. Our structured approach ensures that technology supports long-term scalability, enabling organizations to focus on their core mission: advancing healthcare and medical research.

As we continue to support businesses in their digital transformation journeys, our commitment remains steadfast—to deliver not just functional solutions, but resilient, scalable, and people-driven innovations that drive lasting impact. By building on strong partnerships, fostering shared success, and championing innovation, we empower health-tech organizations to embrace the future with confidence and agility.

SERVICES PROVIDED
  • Software Development
  • Quality Assurance
  • Product Management
TECH STACK
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