Migration from .NET Framework to .NET Core for a Healthcare Technology Company

The client, a mid-sized Healthcare Technology Company, had developed a custom EHR software using the .NET Framework.

This software was offered to end customers, such as medical specialists and healthcare organizations, and frequently required customization to fit their unique workflows.

These adjustments were handled by their in-house team of developers. However, the company often found itself overwhelmed with work and, when tasked with larger projects, struggled with capacity.

The need for additional resources became particularly urgent when they decided to migrate their EHR software to .NET Core, which demanded a swift influx of skilled developers..

Outsourcing the migration from .NET Framework to .NET Core to Belitsoft

As a provider of customized EHR solutions to healthcare organizations worldwide, the company needed their software to meet the latest technological standards.

By migrating to .NET Core, their software would become more competitive for the business and more attractive for end customers due to its cross-platform compatibility.

Previously, the EHR system was built on the legacy .NET Framework, which is compatible with Windows OS only. This restriction limited the client's potential market, as they couldn't sell their software to medical organizations using macOS. This hurdle was obstructing the client's business development plans.

However, by migrating to .NET Core, the software would be available not only for users with Windows, but also for macOS, thereby attracting more customers and supporting the client's business growth.

Recognizing this, the business stakeholders decided to bring in a team that could supplement the in-house team's efforts.

They chose to collaborate with Belitsoft, capitalizing on their experienced .NET Core developers who could be scaled up or down, depending on project requirements.

Time & Material model as a guarantee of flexibility

The Agile approach and Time & Material cooperation model were chosen for the EHR development and migration project. This approach allowed us to meet the client's key requests:

• immediate start due to a quick understanding of the project requirements, allowing seamless integration with the in-house development team. Our .NET team was fully engaged by the second day;
• employment of experts in both .NET Framework and .NET Core ensuring a quick and efficient understanding of the project and deliverables;
• frequent iterative delivery, with the flexibility to change or add new client requirements during the process;
• rapid scalability of the team to address both planned and unplanned needs throughout the project.

Daily update calls were arranged between Belitsoft's developers and the in-house team, led by a Project Manager. This transparent communication and teamwork allowed the teams to work seamlessly together.

The teams used Azure DevOps and Git as tools for project management and coordinated development efforts.

The cooperation process timeline

Step 1. Assembling a NET development team

Upon signing an NDA and a Service Agreement, we proposed two highly experienced .NET developers to the client.

On the second day of communication, after validating the requirements, we introduced three potential candidates to the business stakeholders.

The client evaluated the developers through personal interviews, promptly selecting two to form the core of their future expanding team. This process was highly efficient and swift for the client.

Step 2. Migrating backend to .NET Core

2.1. Preparation for migration

The migration process began with a compatibility check of significant dependencies in .NET Framework against .NET Core requirements.

This step prevented post-migration issues such as inability to access certain files and libraries, and incompatibility with third-party apps, libraries, and tools.

Consequently, Belitsoft's team compiled a list of technologies, libraries, and files that were unsupported by .NET Core and needed an upgrade.

2.2. The migration process

Once incompatible dependencies were identified, the first task was to align them with .NET Core requirements.

Next, migration of platform-specific (native) and third-party libraries took place. Additionally, the team maintained consistent API support to prevent errors or missing APIs post-migration.

As a result, the .NET development team successfully migrated the EHR software's backend to .NET Core.

2.3. Post-migration improvements

To fully leverage .NET Core's performance capabilities, the decision was made to refactor the existing code. This involved Belitsoft’s team performing:

• query profiling and database optimization
• streamlining and reducing the usage of stored procedures in DB
• utilizing more efficient APIs for .NET Core to enhance performance

Step 3. Continued development, including migration to Angular 2+ and software customization

During the .NET migration process, the company assessed the risks of maintaining the software front-end on the soon-to-be obsolete AngularJS framework, whose support ended in December 2021.

Leveraging Belitsoft's expertise, the stakeholders opted to migrate AngularJS to Angular 2+. This transition was executed seamlessly via incremental updates.

In addition to these tasks, our developers assisted the Client in customizing their core software for a significant contractor, incorporating new features and APIs.

Development team

We initiated the project with two skilled developers who delivered high-quality work, living up to the standards of the healthcare software development company.

As the client's needs evolved, we dynamically expanded the team, which eventually grew to include:

4 x back-end developers

4 x front-end developers, and

3 x database developers, who were swiftly brought on board for a short-term engagement.

The client maintains full project management control, working directly with our developers. With proficiency in spoken and written English, our team ensures clear and effective communication, consistently delivering within time and budget constraints.

Tech stack

• Language: C#, TypeScript
• Frameworks: .NET Core, Angular 2+
• Technology: ASP.NET, EntityFramework
• Database: MS SQL
• Development tools: Visual Studio, Visual Studio Code, SSMS

We completed the migration from .NET Framework to .NET Core in less than 3 months.

Thanks to the cross-platform capabilities of the upgraded software, our client - a Healthcare Technology Company - can now cater to a broader customer base.

Impressed with Belitsoft’s extensive expertise in .NET, Angular, and custom web development, the client decided to expand our partnership following the successful completion of the .NET Core migration.

Currently, both Belitsoft and the client's in-house teams collaborate on all aspects of the product, including ongoing customization for individual customers.