Modernising a Healthcare Application for Better Performance and Scalability
Customer
The customer is a prominent hospital within the NHS network, specialising in cancer care in the city of Manchester.
Healthcare
Market insights
Business intelligence
Problem Statement
The hospital had been using a legacy application developed in Microsoft Access, hosted on a local desktop environment. This system was used to manage historical patient data, consultation and procedures, job cards and generate reports. Over time, the application faced several limitations:
- Incompatibility with newer hardware and operating systems
- Performance issues and lack of user management
- Limited scalability, maintainability, and accessibility
Modernisation Roadmap
The hospital sought to modernise the application using contemporary digital technologies to improve usability and accessibility, ultimately supporting better service delivery. Arrk initiated the engagement through its consultative RemArrk™ programme, which helped the client explore various modernisation options.
Continuous Operational Requirements
The hospital outlined several non-negotiable requirements:
- The legacy system had to remain operational until the new system was fully stable
- Data integrity and security were to be maintained throughout
- Migration activities had to avoid disruption to ongoing operations
- Compliance with data protection regulations was essential during parallel runs
- The project was to be delivered on a turnkey basis due to limited internal digital resources
Data Security
Reputation damage
Cost escalation
Need for agile development
Solution Development
Arrk applied its Agile@Arrk™ methodology, supported by AI-assisted development tools, to streamline delivery. This approach contributed to a reduction in project duration. AI-enabled development tools were used to:
- Generate React components and routing structures
- Create reusable UI elements
- Scaffold application architecture
The iterative delivery model enabled early feedback on UI/UX and ensured alignment with user expectations. Data migration (Structured export, transformation and relational integrity) processes were designed to support consistent performance across both legacy and modern systems during the transition phase.
Pioneering AI initiative
Streamlined development process
React UI and Python integration
Rapid iteration and delivery
Outcomes
The modernised application was delivered on time and within budget. AI tools helped to reduce project schedules and efforts significantly, circa by 35%. Besides it helped to navigate tech skill gaps and integration challenges effortlessly. It offers improved usability, accessibility, and maintainability. The hospital team reported a positive experience throughout the engagement.
