Osteoarthritis (OA) is one of the most common causes of pain and disability in dogs. Working with Stuart Carmichael, one of the leading experts in OA, we turned his fantastic vision of AIM.OA Sys into a reality. Pharma tech is a hot startup space right now and this project is one of many web app development start-up projects we’ve had the pleasure of completing. Stuart and his team came to us with a prototype of the management system and the underlying algorithm on Excel spreadsheets. They had taken a further step by initially developing this into a Windows 32 program; the only downside was that ran on outmoded technology which would require customers to install a server in each veterinary practice they wished to use the software in. Our recommendation was to move the system into a cloud-based, software as a service (SAAS) offering.The challenge
A pharma tech revelation
Working with Stuart and his team, we helped translate his idea into a cloud-based software solution built on Ruby on Rails. What started as a simple survey system, has grown into a fully-fledged membership site, with payment plans and plan based features. Payment features were added using Stripe.com with communications and transactional emails all being handled through SendGrid. SendGrid allows us to get a better understanding of whether signup emails and other communications are being delivered properly, this was key to understanding the onboarding process for new customers and growing the platform membership. The system we have now delivered is a revolutionary medical technology system that veterinary professionals use to record the level of disease in their patients, and for keeping online medical notes updated for analysis. They can also use it to translate patient symptoms into effective personalised treatment and management plans. In short, it’s a state of the art electronic decision-making tool. It provides practises and professionals with the one common system they need for managing their patients, and pet-owners can have access to.The solution
Translating ideas to technology
Along with our technological skills and agility, Ruby on Rails provides us with the flexibility for adapting to new requirements of the client; and it’s allowed us to quickly develop this very powerful product. We knew that the 3rd party payments and communication systems we wanted to use would integrate seamlessly with Rails. Alongside the app, we used WordPress to market the app and provide a knowledge base site which supports the community of customers and vets. The platform has been rolled out with professional branding and an ongoing marketing strategy developed by us to ensure the service and product continues to flourish.Ruby on Rails
WordPress
Since AIM.OA Sys has been designed for professional and pet-owner use, it has revolutionised their methods of communication. Veterinary professionals who work on on the same patient have shared access to notes, and pet owners can input their personal information and contribute their observations too. It lets owners follow the treatment, care and prognosis of their pet’s condition whilst also helping veterinary professionals effectively work in collaboration with one another. As a result of our hard work, AIM.OA Sys is extremely efficient service and has improved extended care for OA patients. It’s a medical technology that has helped veterinary professionals go paperless and it continues to record and retain patient information very well. It’s been a successful project and there’s more for us to look forward to… The team at AIM.OA Sys continue to seek ways they can further advance their service to meet the needs of professionals and patients. One way would be to introduce smart devices that would allow for real-time medical tracking of patients’ activity at home. This information could then be fed back into the patient’s online notes. This would give owners incentive to follow through on patient action plans and advice for frequent home exercise, and further inform the medical decisions of professionals.The results
Uniting pet lovers and vet professionals
The future
I wanted to thank you all at Lightflows for the tremendous work you have done on building our platform for us. Your knowledge and wisdom in the pharmatech and startup space has added so much value to our business.
Are you a startup looking for help building your next big idea? From branding, software development to a full digital launch strategy, we can help, contact us to find out how.
