Specialty Healthcare Call Center Outsourcing to the Philippines: 10 Non-Clinical Roles That Help Improve Patient Experience

Today’s healthcare providers are rightfully concerned about patient experience, seeking to provide the best possible care for those who turn to them for medical assistance. 

To address this growing concern, medical providers must consider investing in specialty healthcare call center outsourcing; a specialized outsourcing solution focused on handling non-clinical support functions for clients in the healthcare sector.

Medical Transcription

Medical transcription is a standard healthcare call center outsourcing solution that may seem simple but can do wonders for creating a seamless and hassle-free patient experience.

To provide quality care, medical providers must document and have access to a patient’s health records and personal data. However, with doctors’ busy schedules, typing notes and organizing patient information can take up too much valuable time – hours that could be better spent preparing for treatments and procedures.

As such, many physicians find it easier to create quick voice recordings of their observations and recommendations for a patient. Medical transcription specialists then convert these voice reports into text format and submit them to the facility’s Electronic Health Record (EHR) system, ensuring all records are accurately logged and organized.

Medical Coding and Billing

Every part of a patient’s visit, from consultation and testing to diagnosis and prescription, is documented by a doctor (or their assistant). The medical coder’s job is to translate all medical procedures, diagnoses, and treatments into their corresponding alphanumeric codes, which can then be used for the billing process.

After this healthcare call center step is completed, a medical biller will use the information to create an accurate billing statement and send the invoice to the patient or their insurance company.

Healthcare Virtual Assistant Services

Beyond medical transcription, coding, and billing, virtual assistant services are another non-clinical support role that healthcare outsourcing companies can fill. These outsourced professionals handle various tasks, such as answering patient inquiries, scheduling appointments, verifying insurance claims, and handling prescription refills.

Medical Call Center Services

Many patients may need assistance navigating different medical consultation and treatment steps, from getting referred to the correct physician to billing and post-procedure care. Ideally, hospitals, clinics, and other healthcare providers will invest in medical call center services so patients can receive the quality guidance and support they require.

This healthcare BPO outsourcing solution includes answering incoming calls, providing physician referrals for first-time patients, resolving patient complaints and feedback, retrieving and transferring medical records, and performing patient satisfaction surveys.

Insurance Claims Processing

Health insurance is critical for patients, allowing them to access quality medical care at affordable rates. It is also vital for providers of healthcare services to verify whether or not a patient’s needed procedures are covered by their insurance company.

Through outsourcing, hospitals, and medical facilities can ensure proper insurance claims processing, enabling patients to receive compensation for healthcare costs while lightening the workload for medical staff.

DME Billing and Collections Ticket Reviewers

After a patient’s insurance claims are investigated and verified, the next step is for a DME billing and collections specialist to create a comprehensive invoice and submit it to the insurance company. The goal is to ensure that medical providers receive timely reimbursement for their services and help patients enjoy seamless medical customer experiences with little-to-no wait times.

Patient Care Coordinator

Another healthcare business process you should not neglect is patient care coordination. This outsourcing solution involves listening to the concerns of patients and their families, educating them about their medical procedures, and helping them receive the best care available in their healthcare insurance plan.

The patient coordinator is a liaison between the patient and their chosen medical provider. In addition to advocating for patients, these specialists are responsible for keeping records up-to-date, scheduling outpatient appointments, assisting patients in securing funding for special procedures, and handling various data entry tasks.

IT and Help Desk Support

As emerging tech trends shape the future of the healthcare industry, hospitals and providers must invest not only in the proper infrastructure, software, equipment, and networks. They must also hire qualified information technology (IT) professionals to keep their tech systems running smoothly.

Additionally, having a dedicated technical support and help desk team can help patients navigate your healthcare facility’s website, apps, and other technologies, enabling them to easily book appointments or give them access to the resources they need to make informed decisions about their healthcare.

Data Analysis and Reporting

Data analysis is another service provided by business process outsourcing (BPO) companies for clients in the healthcare sector. Outsourced data science specialists collect and analyze data from multiple sources, identifying patterns and trends from the raw information that can be used to improve health outcomes for patients and providers.

For instance, data analysts may seek ways to streamline healthcare processes, boost patient outcomes, and create better medical experiences. They then organize and compile their extracted insights into easy-to-read reports so healthcare industry leaders have enough information to make better decisions.

Logistics

Beyond directly dealing with patient care, healthcare BPO companies can help medical providers address supply chain and logistics issues. Through outsourced back-office transport services, healthcare facilities can more effectively coordinate the procurement of medical equipment and supplies, assist in transporting patients to and from the hospital, and adequately distribute medication and other pharmaceutical products.

Which Sectors of the Medical Industry Benefit From Healthcare Call Center Outsourcing?

Now that you’re familiar with the non-clinical healthcare BPO services you can utilize to improve patient experience, let’s discuss which areas of healthcare benefit from outsourcing.

Hospitals

Hospitals face various challenges today, from rising patient demand to skyrocketing clinical costs. Thankfully, outsourcing has emerged as a strategic solution to help these medical facilities maximize cost-efficiency without sacrificing patient care.

According to Black Book Market Research, which surveyed over 500 hospital leaders, 90% say they plan to work with a BPO vendor to cut costs while optimizing healthcare performance.

Primary Care Physicians

A Commonwealth Fund survey discovered that over half of primary care physicians in the U.S. (65%) are experiencing severe burnout due to increased workloads. As patient volumes increase but staffing levels remain stagnant, physicians are left to take on additional work, leading to stress, fatigue, and, ultimately, less focus on patient care.

Outsourcing in the healthcare industry can be incredibly beneficial for physicians. Back-office professionals can reduce their workload by taking on repetitive and time-consuming tasks, letting them focus on doing what they do best.

Nurses

Much like physicians, nurses are also reeling from the effects of global healthcare worker shortages. A recent study found that 9 out of 10 nurses (90%) agreed that the labor crisis affects their ability to provide quality patient care.

While most feel burned out and stressed from having too much on their plate (56%), many also feel guilty for taking quick breaks (55%), believing they must always be on call to care for patients. 

Healthcare facilities can help lighten nurses’ burdens through outsourcing services, which delegate administrative and support tasks to back-office specialists while nurses prioritize patient care and other client-facing functions.

Specialized Medicine Doctors

Unlike primary care physicians and nurses, who treat patients with various ailments, most medical professionals have specializations. Focusing on a specific branch of medicine enables them to garner more in-depth knowledge and experience in their particular specialty.

Examples of specialized medicine doctors include optometrists, nutritionists, cardiologists, dermatologists, psychiatrists, surgeons, and dentists. Like physicians and nurses, these doctors are also affected by widespread healthcare worker shortages, which back-office outsourcing can help address.

Health Insurance Providers

The health insurance industry faces constantly evolving regulations, rising costs, and increasing client demand. In these trying times, utilizing non-clinical healthcare outsourcing services can help insurance companies position themselves for continued growth and profitability without breaking the bank.

Some of this sector’s most commonly outsourced functions include insurance claims processing, eligibility verification, policy issuance and management, underwriting, and data entry.

Pharmaceuticals

Following the ripple effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and the global supply chain crisis, the pharmaceutical industry is caught in an era of uncertainty. To stay afloat (and thrive) amid a constantly evolving landscape, pharma companies must create and execute a long-term operational strategy that is strong yet flexible enough to account for environmental changes.

By outsourcing pharma non-clinical functions to a call center in the Philippines, firms can future-proof their processes and quickly scale their operations depending on consumer demand.

Biotechnology

Like pharmaceuticals, which focus on drug production and manufacturing, biotech companies study biological systems to create valuable products to improve human health. Examples include advancements in medical diagnostics, vaccines, biofuels, GMO foods, and more.

Working with a BPO provider can allow biotechnology companies to focus on their core competencies and delegate non-core functions to reliable professionals. For instance, as your in-house team prioritizes research and development, you can rest assured that data entry, inventory management, accounting, human resources, and other tasks are handled.

Healthcare Technology

From the rise of telehealth and telemedicine to the use of AI for diagnosis, technological breakthroughs are forever changing the healthcare sector as we know it. Healthcare technology, or “health tech,” focuses on developing devices, equipment, software, applications, and other innovations to improve any aspect of the medical system.

With help from healthcare BPO companies, these tech businesses can improve operational efficiency, helping accelerate project development and boost healthcare outcomes for millions of people across the globe.

Medical Device and Equipment Manufacturers

Much like the pharmaceutical industry, medical device and equipment manufacturing is also affected by today’s volatile supply chain environment. 

Through BPO manufacturing solutions, these businesses strengthen their supply chains, support logistics functions, and improve overall efficiency and productivity. This sector’s most commonly outsourced services include data entry, inventory management, order fulfillment, dispatching, and accounting.

Ambulatory Services

Ambulatory services refer to the medical care provided in outpatient settings, including consultation, diagnosis, vaccinations, treatments, and more. Since most patients are treated in ambulatory care, having a dedicated back-office outsourcing team can be highly beneficial. 

Your outsourced team can handle data entry, patient coordination, scheduling, and other crucial yet repetitive administrative tasks as patient volumes rise. Meanwhile, you and your in-house medical staff can focus on providing the best possible patient care.

Medical Laboratories

Medical laboratories conduct tests to glean information about a patient’s health, typically needed to provide an accurate diagnosis and recommend necessary treatments and procedures. This branch of healthcare handles blood work, microbiology, X-rays, urinalysis, and other commonly performed clinical tests.

Through healthcare call center outsourcing, medical laboratories can answer patient inquiries about the status of their tests, inform them when the results are ready, and guide them through booking follow-up appointments with their medical provider.

Nursing Homes

Outsourcing in healthcare services is not limited to hospitals, clinics, and outpatient facilities. Assisted living facilities like nursing homes also benefit from back-office solutions.

Nursing homes cater to senior citizens, people with disabilities, and other patients needing long-term residential care. These facilities handle administrative work, from finance and billing processes to documentation and data entry for residents. 

By delegating these tasks to outsourced specialists, nursing home staff can focus on caring for their patients, assisting them with medications and physical treatments, and helping them achieve a better quality of life.

Home Care

Home care services allow individuals who are aging, recovering from surgeries, or have disabilities, chronic illnesses, and other special needs to live relatively independently while still receiving assistance from trained medical professionals. Unlike nursing home staff, home care professionals will care for patients in their own family homes.

The biggest challenge facing many home care staff is handling scheduling and transportation while juggling multiple patients from different locations. Thankfully, the right BPO company can address this problem through back-office logistics support, helping you properly plan your route from home to home without missing a beat.

Community Healthcare

Accessing quality healthcare should be something everyone can do, even individuals and families from underprivileged backgrounds. As such, community healthcare professionals work hard to address income disparities by providing accessible, discounted, or more affordable medical services for low-income neighborhoods.

Partnering with a provider in the BPO industry can enable these healthcare workers to scale their operations and expand their reach to more communities. Back-office professionals can assist them in researching neighborhoods, performing data analysis to learn how best to help, scouting donors for funding, and creating patient profiles for everyone who receives treatment.

Healthcare Consultants

As experts in their field, healthcare consultants provide specialized advice and guidance to various medical organizations. They work closely with healthcare facilities, reviewing their policies and guidelines to provide recommendations for improving processes and enhancing patient experience.

For these experienced professionals, the main advantage of working with a BPO provider is cost reduction and improved focus. Instead of handling client calls, scheduling meetings, and making appointments independently, healthcare consultants can rely on an outsourced virtual assistant to get the job done.

Reap the Benefits of Healthcare Call Center Outsourcing Through Our Specialized BPO Services

Are you ready to begin your healthcare call center outsourcing journey? Streamline processes, reduce costs, and, most of all, enhance patient experience by getting in touch with the BPO professionals at SuperStaff.

Our flexible and scalable specialty healthcare BPO solutions can empower you to future-proof your operations in an era of uncertainty. Contact us today to learn more about our services.