What Is a Healthcare Service Marketplace and How to Build One?

Healthcare is one of those industries that everyone’s talking about — and for good reason. Changing the way it functions is harder than it looks on the surface. But technology keeps moving forward, and services like healthcare marketplaces are getting more and more popular.

So, what exactly is a healthcare marketplace? In this article, we’ll break it down, explain how to build one, share our experience, and give you the key information you need to understand how it works.

What Is a Healthcare Marketplace?

A healthcare marketplace is an online platform that connects patients with healthcare providers, allowing users to find doctors, book appointments, access telemedicine services, and more. These platforms make healthcare more accessible and efficient by improving how patients and providers connect. They also help organize appointments, billing, and follow-ups, reducing administrative work and enhancing the overall patient experience.

For healthcare providers, marketplaces open up new opportunities to reach more patients and offer modern, convenient services like telemedicine. It's a win-win that meets the growing demand for digital healthcare solutions while keeping things simple for both sides.

Why Are Healthcare Marketplaces Important?

• Rising Demand for Telemedicine: The global telemedicine market was worth $114.98 billion in 2023. It is expected to grow at a rate of 17.96% each year, reaching about $380.3 billion by 2030.
• Digital Health Growth: The digital health market was estimated at $288.55 billion in 2024 and is projected to grow at a CAGR of 22.2% from 2025 to 2030.
• Patient Preferences: More than 65% of patients prefer to book appointments online instead of calling.

These numbers clearly show how essential healthcare marketplaces are for today's healthcare systems. Even major players like Amazon are getting involved, investing heavily in digital healthcare solutions. With initiatives like Amazon Care and acquisitions of healthcare companies, Amazon is betting big on transforming the way patients access medical services. This just proves that digital healthcare isn’t just a trend — it’s the future.

Key Features for a Healthcare Marketplace

To make a healthcare marketplace work, it's got to be simple and user-friendly for both patients and healthcare providers. The goal is to make finding a doctor, booking an appointment, and getting care as easy as possible.

1. Easy Search and Filtering

No one enjoys endlessly scrolling through a long list of providers. It's important for the platform to offer easy search options based on specialty, location, availability, and patient reviews. The quicker users can filter their choices, the better their overall experience will be.

We've found that adding intelligent matching based on a quick questionnaire really speeds up the process. It's as if the platform does the hard work for you, suggesting the best options instead of leaving you to guess.

2. Quick and Simple Appointment Booking

Booking an appointment should be simple and convenient. Ideally, users should have access to real-time availability, allowing them to easily select a time slot that suits them, along with receiving instant confirmations. Plus, incorporating reminders and calendar integration can help reduce the chances of missed appointments.

3. Telemedicine and Online Consultations

An increasing number of people prefer to receive medical advice from the comfort of their homes. To meet this demand, it's essential to incorporate video calls into the platform. This feature would allow patients to easily book virtual visits and communicate directly with their doctors via the app or website. It's a convenient option, particularly for follow-up appointments or minor health concerns.

4. Secure and Flexible Payment Options

Nobody enjoys dealing with complicated payment processes. To make it easier for users, the platform should accept different payment options, including credit cards and digital wallets. Also, providing promo codes or gift certificates can improve the experience and make it feel more user-friendly.

We have implemented a platform wallet that allows users to add money in advance, making it easier for them to pay later. This method is significantly faster than having to enter payment details every time, and users really appreciate the added convenience.

5. Chat Feature

Having a built-in chat makes the platform more convenient for everyone. Patients can ask quick follow-up questions or clarify something before a session, and providers can respond without needing to schedule another appointment. It’s a simple feature, but it goes a long way in improving communication and building trust on both sides.

6. Ratings and Reviews

Building trust is crucial, and one of the most effective ways to achieve this is through honest ratings and reviews. When users can see authentic feedback right on the platform, it helps them make informed decisions. Additionally, knowing that their reputation is at stake encourages providers to maintain high-quality services.

7. User Profiles

Both patients and healthcare providers need profiles that are genuinely helpful. For patients, it's important to have access to their booking history, the ability to track payments, and an option to update their personal information. Healthcare providers, on the other hand, require profiles that showcase their qualifications, specialties, and availability. By keeping these profiles organized and informative, the platform can present a more professional and reliable image.

We also recommend adding a patient dashboard where all key information is stored in one place: past consultations, test results, prescriptions, and doctor's notes. It helps patients keep track of their health and gives providers the full context to make better, more informed decisions.

8. Notification Feature

People often forget appointments, which can lead to missed sessions. Automated notifications, such as booking confirmations and reminders, help keep everyone organized. Although it's a straightforward feature, it significantly reduces the chances of forgetting important commitments.

9. Reporting and Insights

Both providers and platform administrators need access to basic analytics. For doctors, this might include tracking appointments and revenue. For administrators, it's more about monitoring user activity and overall platform performance. Having these insights helps identify trends and makes it easier to implement improvements.

10. Data Security

Last but not least, data security is important. Let's be honest — healthcare data is highly sensitive, and mishandling it isn't an option. The platform needs to manage this information with the utmost care and comply with regulations like HIPAA and GDPR. Implementing measures like data encryption and secure login methods isn't just a good practice, it's essential.

Using AI in Healthcare Marketplaces

We also want to highlight the role of AI, a technology that's quickly becoming essential in this space. In the context of healthcare marketplaces, AI can be used to improve user experience, automate routine tasks, and support better decision-making for both patients and providers.

For example, AI can help match users with the right specialist based on their symptoms or preferences rather than relying on filters alone. It can also be used to analyze booking patterns or user behavior to suggest the best times for appointments, highlight gaps in availability, or flag incomplete patient info.

On the provider side, AI tools can support clinical decision-making by offering symptom checks, early risk assessments, or suggestions based on medical history. These tools don't replace doctors, they simply help save time and make care more accurate.

Even small things like smart reminders, auto-filled forms, or flagging when a follow-up might be needed can quietly improve the experience.

Monetization Strategies

Once your healthcare marketplace is up and running, the next important question is: How will it generate revenue? Monetizing a healthcare platform involves striking a balance between generating income and maintaining a user-friendly experience for both patients and healthcare providers. Here are some strategies that can work well:

Subscription Plans

Offer healthcare providers different subscription tiers. A basic plan could include core features like profile listings and booking management, while premium plans might unlock advanced features like telemedicine integration, analytics, or priority placement in search results. This way, providers can choose the plan that best suits their needs and budget.

Commission on Bookings

Charge a small percentage on every successful booking made through the platform. This model makes sense because the platform earns only when a transaction takes place, keeping it fair and results-driven. It's a good option when your marketplace directly facilitates patient-provider interactions and payments.

Paid Listings and Ads

Give healthcare providers the option to boost their visibility by paying for featured spots or top placements in search results. You can also offer advertising space for healthcare-related services or products. It's a win-win: providers get more exposure, and the platform gets a steady revenue stream.

Telemedicine Fees

If your marketplace includes telemedicine features, it's reasonable to charge a small fee for each virtual consultation. This could be a flat fee per session or a percentage of the consultation cost. Since virtual care is growing rapidly, users are generally willing to pay for the convenience.

Corporate Packages

Many companies are looking to support employee wellness, so offering corporate packages can be a smart move. This could include a bundle of healthcare services or discounted rates for businesses that sign up their employees. It's a way to secure long-term, recurring revenue while adding value for organizations.

Gift Certificates and Wallet Top-Ups

Allow users to purchase gift certificates or add money to a platform wallet. This makes paying for healthcare services faster and smoother. Plus, having a pre-loaded balance encourages users to keep coming back since they've already invested in the platform.

Payment Processing Fees

Since payments are a core part of most healthcare marketplaces, adding a small processing fee can help cover transaction costs while generating a bit of revenue. Just make sure users know about it upfront to avoid any surprises.

The best monetization strategy is one that doesn't feel forced or overly commercial. Users should see the value in what they're paying for — better visibility, convenience, or access to advanced features. Balancing revenue generation with a great user experience is key to building a sustainable healthcare marketplace.

So, How Much Does It Cost to Develop a Healthcare Marketplace?

Building a healthcare marketplace from scratch isn't a quick or cheap process. The cost depends on how many features you want, how complex the platform is, and how polished the final product needs to be. Based on our experience and the projects we've worked on, here's what the numbers typically look like.

If you're building an MVP with just the basics, like registration, listings, booking, and payments, the cost can start at around $20,000. Realistically, to get something stable and ready to launch, you should expect closer to $40,000.

A mid-size platform with more advanced features like telemedicine, smart matching, internal wallets, and a better user experience usually starts at $50,000, but in most cases, it's closer to $100,000.

If you're aiming for an enterprise-level product with complex logic, AI features, third-party integrations, and multi-region support, the cost can reach several hundred thousand dollars.

We're basing this on our own experience using the MERN stack (MongoDB, Express.js, React, Node.js), which has proven to be a reliable choice for building scalable, modern web platforms.

Our Experience in Developing Healthcare Marketplaces

We've been building marketplaces for a while, and healthcare is one of the most challenging yet rewarding areas to work in. One project that really stands out is Mentoly — a platform that connects users with professional psychologists for online therapy. Here's how we approached it and made it work.

Competitor Analysis

When we began developing Mentoly, we thoroughly examined the existing platforms available. We found that many didn't meet the user experience that people expect today. We investigated how these platforms managed therapist matching, online consultations, and secure data handling. This analysis provided us with a clear understanding of what functions well and what doesn't, allowing us to identify areas for improvement.

Choosing the Right Tech Stack

We went with the MERN stack (MongoDB, Express.js, React, Node.js) because it's fast, scalable, and reliable — exactly what you need for a healthcare platform. We also made sure to integrate secure video calls and set up a payment system that was quick and easy to use.

Design and Development

Our main focus was making the platform feel intuitive and welcoming. We designed a clean, modern interface that made it easy for users to find the right therapist, book a session, and make payments without any hassle. To streamline the process, we added features like therapist matching based on a quick questionnaire and wallet top-ups for faster payments.

Keeping It Up to Date

Building the platform was just the beginning. After the launch, we kept working on it to make it even better. We regularly gathered user feedback and implemented changes to improve the workflow and add new features. Some of the key improvements included:

• Corporate Packages: We added features to support businesses that wanted to offer mental health services to their employees.
• Wallet and Gift Certificates: To make payments easier, we implemented a wallet feature that lets users add funds and pay without constantly entering payment details.
• Optimized Registration Flow: We adjusted the onboarding process to make it quicker and more straightforward, which helped boost sign-ups.
• Detailed Profiles: We revamped therapist profiles to include more relevant information, helping users make better choices.

By focusing on what users actually need and staying flexible with updates, we turned Mentoly into a reliable platform that's both easy to use and packed with the right features. You can read the full case study here.

Conclusion

Healthcare marketplaces are a solid investment right now. As more people turn to digital health solutions, platforms that make it easy to find care and book appointments are only getting more popular. Plus, they open up new ways to make money, like telemedicine fees and subscription plans.

If you’re planning to build your own healthcare marketplace, feel free to reach out. We’re happy to share our insights and help you make it a success.