Is there an industry standard ROI for software?
Short answer: No single standard. But enterprise buyers generally expect clear payback within a year and a multiple above 2×. Use ranges, not a single number.
General SaaS benchmarks (what CFOs expect)
- Typical ROI range: ~2×–5×.
- Payback target: < 12 months (many orgs require ≥150% ROI within 24 months).
- Top-quartile programs can exceed 5× when they directly reduce hard costs.
Healthcare software norms (more conservative buyers, bigger upside on risk/compliance)
- EHR add-ons & workflow automation: ~2×–4×, usually under a year.
- Patient/family communication & engagement: ~3×–5×.
- Compliance / e-signature / arbitration documentation: ~3×–6×.
- Risk-management / claim-prevention tooling: ~4×–8× (depends on loss-ratio impact).
Practical buyer thresholds
- Minimum viability: ~1.5× within 12–24 months (unlocks budget).
- Attractive approval: 2.5×–3× with sub-12-month payback.
- Strategic adoption: 4×+ with visible margin impact and defensibility.
Where Informed Medical usually lands
- Combined value from risk reduction + paperless/defense efficiencies (Signables): ~3×–6×.
- Typical payback: 3–6 months.
- Portfolio effects (standardized arbitration + documentation) push larger operators toward the higher end.