Having seen the strategic advantages of outsourcing medical transcription, a healthcare facility needs to adopt a strategy for outsourcing that enables them to avail all the advantages.
The process for outsourcing should include the following: Selection of appropriate vendor for medical transcription, based on:
The process for outsourcing should include the following: Selection of appropriate vendor for medical transcription, based on:
- Long-term experience: While outsourcing services as vital as medical transcription it pays to be cautious while picking out the provider.
History of the provider is providing similar services are vital.
This shows that the service provider is prepared in every way to deliver the right solution. - Availability of skilled people with the vendor: The quality/ accuracy and the timeliness of the records transcribed are vital for providing quality healthcare and have other uses like the forming the basis of coding & billing and as evidence in case of litigation.
The accuracy of the transcripts and the turnaround time are dependent on the skill level of the transcriptionists.
Therefore it is important that the service provider has a team of expert transcriptionists.
- Technical infrastructure available: The technological capabilities affects the turnaround time, security of data and the ease of use.
Factors like flexible modes of dictation, automatic upload of audio files and download of transcribed records, archiving facilities and HL7 integration are important factors to be analyzed. - Pricing: Pricing in medical transcription can be as easy or as complex as the billing method used by the service provider.
Often prices are discussed without properly qualifying the billable units or the billing method.
This leaves room for manipulation and ambiguities.
The billing method needs to be verifiable, measurable, definable, consistent and fair& honest. - Integration capabilities: The systems/technology used by the service provider needs to easily integrate with the systems of the healthcare facilities.
This ensures access to information in an easy and workable manner. - Security measures taken by the service provider: Patient data is confidential and needs to be protected at every stage.
Because the process involves the transmission of data through electronic channels and is exposed to transcriptionists during the process of transcription, it is highly vulnerable to misuse.
Security measures taken by the service provider needs to cover technology, process and people to ensure total confidentiality. - Investment required for availing the services: One of the main reasons for outsourcing transcription is to curb capital investment towards non-healthcare related areas in a healthcare facility.
While outsourcing, the healthcare facility needs to ensure that no further capital investment is required. - Adaptability of service provider to varying demands: The demands of healthcare professionals may vary according to many factors like their specialty, influx of patients and other factors.
While choosing a service provider it is important to choose one that has experience servicing varied requirements. - Customer service channels: Transition from in-house services to outsourced services requires a certain period of hand holding to make the process smooth.
Even after the transition process is complete, there may be numerous instances where instant turnaround on queries is required.
An open channel of communication is essential while outsourcing. - Verifying testimonials: Success stories of clients who have availed of similar services need to be checked before finalizing the outsourced provider.
- Free trial period: Availing a free trial period will ensure that the service provider is capable of delivering services as per the promised criteria.
- The contact: The actual contract needs to be studied and all the requisite parameters required should be included, in a clear and unambiguous manner.