Focus on Healing, Leave the Rest to the Experts: Outsourcing Administrative Tasks in Medicine

Many organizations in the healthcare sector seek virtual assistants in Phoenix. These professionals work from their homes to tackle medical administrative duties. They can also report to the clinic in person if necessary. Their help is crucial to addressing growing clerical and related operations. 

Outsourcing administrative tasks in medicine reduces the dependency on local talent and drives growth despite the nationwide labor shortage. 

Keep reading to learn about the benefits of outsourcing and more.

Medical Administrative Tasks in Phoenix Healthcare to Grow

Two factors drive the Phoenix healthcare industry’s rising demand for professionals who can handle medical administrative functions. These include the region’s continued business growth and its aging population.

Considered the most populous city in Arizona, Phoenix has seen significant economic expansion over the years. Part of this growth was the establishment of major healthcare organizations and medical academic institutions. Among the highlights:

• The local government named Park Central and Midtown Phoenix the newest Bioscience Hub, the Phoenix Medical Quarter, and the Global Advancement of Health and Education.
• The Virginia G. Piper Creighton University Health Sciences Campus opened at Park Central, where over 900 people train to become doctors, nurses, and medical professionals each year.
• The Dignity Health St. Joseph’s Hospital and Medical Center facilities at Barrow Neurological Institute, one of the world’s top neuroscience hospitals, were renovated. 
• New bioscience, healthcare, and educational organizations joined Park Central. These include the DMG Children’s Rehabilitative Services, RadNet imaging clinic, WearTech Applied Research Center, WCUI Smith Chason, and Alliant School of Nursing. 

Meanwhile, the U.S. Census Bureau released data on the region’s population. It showed that Phoenix’s population increased from 4.2 million in 2010 to 4.8 million in 2020. The population has also grown older. The proportion of people under 18 decreased by almost three points to 23.5%, while the share of those 65 and over rose from 12.3% to 16.6%.

Compared to 10 years ago, the Bureau also found that 10,000 to 20,000 more individuals live in Phoenix for every age group between 55 and 78. These figures mean more locals need medical care and services from the city’s healthcare institutions.

The Importance of Medical Administrative Assistants in Healthcare

A sustainable medical practice in Phoenix must handle its daily administrative duties. However, these responsibilities can be challenging and time-consuming. Healthcare providers and clinics require extra hands to manage these tasks. 

Medical administrative assistants work at healthcare establishments (e.g., hospitals, physician facilities, and medical clinics) and perform clerical and office-related duties. Compared to clinical medical assistants, these support workers do not oversee patient care. They primarily work in a medical office, performing various administrative activities and functions. 

These professionals play an essential role in healthcare organizations. They ensure that back-office operations typically unseen by the public run smoothly to help doctors, clinical medical workers, and other patient-facing professionals accomplish their tasks. 

Daily Duties of Medical Administrative Assistants 

The tasks of medical administrative assistants involve the following:

• Keeping records current. They can revise medical records using patients’ documents or consultation records. The assistants can also ask questions about the patient’s background, daily habits, or medical history so they can update their database.
• Working with other medical personnel. They regularly interact with other staff members when sharing patient information and sending notifications for scheduled meetings.
• Arranging patient visits. They are responsible for scheduling, canceling, or rescheduling patient appointments via phone or other messaging systems. They also gather information from patients checking in at the physician’s office.
• Relaying information. The assistants notify staff of patient visits. They also send updated information to different departments and patients. This data includes diagnostic inquiries, doctor referrals, patient laboratory results, and medical billing details.
• Monitoring supplies. They regularly check office resources that the medical practice uses to maintain adequate, accessible inventory.
• Filing insurance claims. They ask for the patient’s insurance details to help them request claims to fully or partially pay for the medical services rendered. 
• Overseeing medical billing. Patients pay for the medical charges. The assistants can discuss payment options for high bills and process payments with them. 

Qualifications of Medical Administrative Assistants

Medical administrative professionals must possess the following skills:

• Interpersonal. They frequently contact patients to discuss various transactions, such as billing details, insurance policies, and appointment procedures. The assistants also discuss patient updates with other healthcare workers. As such, they must always use polite and easy-to-understand words.
• Administrative. They must perform business-related duties. Filing records, updating the workplace schedule, and restocking office supplies are examples. The assistant uses computer programs to input patient information, arrange appointments, handle payments, or check patient data.
• Organizational. Medical administrative employees must maintain order and be thorough. They establish organization by keeping precise and correct physician notes, maintaining proper patient records, and structuring medical files.
• Others. Teamwork, attention to detail, creativity, problem-solving, level-headedness, and multitasking are the extra skills needed for the medical administrative assistant role.

Outsource Administrative Tasks in Medicine for Higher Efficiency

Outsourcing administrative tasks in medicine to a healthcare business process outsourcing (BPO) company is a practical strategy when your financial and human resources are limited. 

Service providers employ competent virtual healthcare professionals and assistants to help you with different activities. They can perform assigned healthcare BPO services by one of the following methods: 

• Offshoring. The third-party provider operates in a country far from your healthcare company’s office in Phoenix. For instance, your oncology clinic outsources to a service provider in the Philippines.
• Nearshoring. The BPO firm runs your assigned processes in a country nearer to your headquarters. Third-party outsourcing vendors in Mexico can efficiently manage administrative tasks for medical organizations in the U.S. 

Consider the benefits of outsourcing administrative tasks for your Phoenix-based medical organizations.

Reduced Operating Costs for Improved Budget Control 

One main benefit of outsourcing administrative tasks in medicine is minimizing operating expenses for your Phoenix healthcare practice. Running an in-house administrative team can be time-consuming and costly. 

See how outsourcing can cut your operating expenses.

• Workspace, office supplies, and equipment. Building an internal back-end team requires purchasing new computer systems, equipment, and office materials. You must also expand your premises to accommodate new hires. Maintenance and upgrade expenses are also unavoidable.
• Hiring. Tapping into BPO services for healthcare decreases payroll costs. Outsourcing administrative tasks in medicine means your service provider shoulders tedious and expensive recruitment processes. These activities involve launching job ads, vetting and assessing applicants, and onboarding and training new hires.
• Monetary and non-monetary payments. Full-time medical professionals receive fixed salaries irrespective of your business’s situation. Adding to these are overtime and tax payments. State laws also mandate that you cover non-monetary incentives, including sick or holiday leaves, retirement benefits, and unemployment compensation.
• Retraining. When outsourcing administrative tasks in medicine, your BPO partner pays for upskilling and talent development programs. Providing these resources for in-house staff might cost you significantly.

Adjustable Processes for Cost Optimization 

Outsourcing administrative tasks in medicine enables you to quickly expand or contract healthcare operations and the number of third-party workers employed to match your needs.

With healthcare process outsourcing, the BPO provider can scale the third-party team size and administrative assignments without disrupting your current operations. It supports you in managing growth, income, and expenses by distributing financial resources properly. 

Check out the advantages of scalability when outsourcing administrative tasks in medicine: 

• Cost-effectiveness. Being scalable lets you hire the ideal number of healthcare virtual assistants to maximize your budget. The BPO provider can also recommend the most appropriate third-party team size for particular tasks to maximize output and efficiency while controlling operating costs.
• Flexibility. Scalability enables your medical practice to respond quickly to shifting patient demands and requirements. It allows business procedures to promptly change to the needed levels to optimize their chances of thriving.
• Allocation. Outsourcing enables the distribution of administrative tasks between your in-house medical team and the BPO provider. For instance, the offshore team in the Philippines can deal with non-patient-facing tasks while your internal staff is off duty. You can provide round-the-clock patient care and service.

Cost-effective, Reliable Remote Workers for Enhanced Bottom Line 

Offshore providers from the Philippines and nearshore vendors from Mexico offer an attainable and competent work-from-home (WFH) labor force. Acquiring efficient, productive, and affordable third-party professionals is one of the main advantages of outsourcing administrative tasks in medicine.

These remote workers have the education, personality attributes, and technical credentials to render outsourced administrative tasks in medicine for your Phoenix healthcare organization. 

Below is a comparison of the salaries for administrative assistants in the Philippines, Mexico, and Phoenix (Arizona, U.S.) to help you understand outsourcing’s substantial cost reductions.

Indeed.com provided statistics for the Philippines and Phoenix, Arizona (U.S.). Meanwhile, Salary.com supplied figures for Mexico. 

Note: Salaries for the Philippines and Mexico are in local currencies and were changed from Philippine pesos (PHP) and Mexican pesos (MXN) to U.S. dollars ($). As of March 10, 2024, the exchange rate was PHP55.58 to $1 and MXN16.80 to $1. Also, the salary for Mexico was converted monthly from 125,000 MXN/year (125,000/12 = 10,416.67 MXN/month)

Compare the Philippine and Phoenix figures. Per the statistics above, outsourcing a healthcare virtual assistant from the Philippines for administrative tasks in medicine can save you $3,435.87 ($3,753 less $317.13) monthly. Remember that the compensation and computations above are only approximations. For specific prices and other details, contact a BPO provider.

More Attention to Patient Care and Service to Increase Patronage

Outsourcing administrative tasks means you can focus more on patients and medical services. Meanwhile, the third-party contractor works on your non-core processes. Your worries only involve patient well-being, enabling you to enhance healthcare services and clinical procedures. 

Shifting more of your time and effort to core competencies is achievable when partnering with skilled healthcare virtual assistants. They can blend smoothly into your clinical routine, allowing you to hone quality care, diversify your services, and thrive in your practice.

Outsourcing administrative tasks in medicine leads to better income and faster growth for your practice. As you grow, you can consider one or more of these options: 

1. Spend money on advanced equipment to enhance operations and workflow.
2. Expand your practice and establish a new branch to generate extra revenue sources and reduce dependency on an existing market.
3. Refine the service quality to attract more patients. 
4. Raise incentives for regular staff and third-party workers to increase morale and decrease resignations.
5. Encourage employee training and skill acquisition for better productivity.
6. Improve patient relations to achieve greater satisfaction and earn their loyalty.

Various Communication Channels for Seamless Patient Interaction

Outsourcing administrative tasks in medicine lets you harness multichannel or omnichannel communication platforms to improve patients’ experiences. Your patients can contact your third-party professionals anytime through text, video, or audio with concerns regarding insurance, medical billing, and appointment procedures.

The following omnichannel or multichannel communication modes are available when subcontracting to a third party: 

• Standard phones are landlines you and the patients use to contact third-party professionals. This traditional approach remains popular due to its known durability and simplicity.
• Email is an electronic message that current and potential patients send to your clinic. They can securely include photographs and other files to explain their needs and concerns. This mode works best for complex, non-urgent questions and requests.

• Short Message Services (SMS) is an excellent way to complement emergency phone calls. To alert the hospital of a medical emergency, you can use a mobile phone to send quick and brief text messages.

• Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) telephony has better call quality than standard phones. You can call with a VoIP phone unit and a high-speed internet connection.
• Social media platforms (e.g., Facebook and Twitter) are fitting alternatives to reach medical facilities. Patients can post comments, questions, and opinions on your social media pages.
• Self-service portals are pages on your website that contain patient-friendly information, including the FAQs page. 
• Live chat lets patients communicate with a third-party worker in real time. They type their inquiries into a window on your website, where representatives can reply promptly. 
• Chatbots are intelligent computer systems that patients can interact with through text or voice instructions. The program assists with straightforward patient requests. 

Competent Remote Workers for Greater Output 

Guaranteed high productivity is one advantage of outsourcing administrative tasks in medicine. Many third-party professionals work remotely at their preferred time and location, enabling them to provide first-rate support and accurate services. 

Outsourcing administrative tasks benefits your medical practice since WFH professionals focus more on their assignments. They are no longer burdened with commuting to and from the office and other tedious pre-work activities.

Here are the factors that result in higher productivity when third-party professionals work remotely:

• Regular online huddles. Third-party professionals use secure communication technologies to discuss team members’ work status, performance, and well-being. 
• Organized virtual setup. The BPO provider implements detailed and balanced remote work policies to keep worker collaboration, performance, and productivity within expectations.
• Robust data security. Outsourcing strongly secures delegated administrative tasks in medicine from hackers. WFH professionals from established BPO providers use the latest virtual private networks (VPNs) and antivirus programs.
• Well-equipped remote team. The service provider supplies the necessary hardware and software solutions for the healthcare virtual assistants, allowing them to complete tasks reliably and quickly.

Helpful Tips on Outsourcing Administrative Tasks in Medicine

One main factor to consider to ensure effective outsourcing is the service provider. Do you know how to find the ideal BPO partner to handle your administrative tasks in medicine?

Follow these pointers to identify the right one: 

• Examine your prospect’s services. Aside from outsourced administrative services, ask for your BPO prospect’s other medical outsourcing services. These include healthcare analytics and reporting solutions, claims handling, and accounts receivable management. Check if the provider’s system and practices are the same as yours. 
• Avoid lower-than-the-market service fees. Be wary if a service provider charges much lower than the industry average. Low costs can indicate poor service. While competition in the healthcare BPO business is fierce, market rivals avoid charging inappropriately low prices. They might face predatory pricing charges.
• Verify if the candidate is government compliant. Check that your potential partner abides by government requirements, including the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA). It must also be familiar with medical systems such as the Healthcare Common Procedure Coding System (HCPCS).
• Examine the prospect’s technology solutions. Pick a third-party vendor with the latest applications that suit your operational requirements. The solutions must help enhance administrative, clerical, and billing processes for patients. Find a BPO partner with cloud-based applications for higher data security and more accessible data. 
• Select a partner with a specialized team. Choose a BPO provider with a team that works exclusively on your tasks. Hire a dedicated team rather than a shared service if you have a sufficient budget. A specialized team is costly but worth the expense; it will likely provide higher output and efficiency. 
• Prefer an established provider. Opt for a partner known in the industry with numerous accomplishments. A strong reputation indicates dependability.

The Bottom Line

Outsourcing healthcare processes to a BPO company enables you to streamline non-core functions, including administrative tasks in medicine. This approach helps you reduce operating costs, focus on core competencies, and improve revenue. 

Recruiting third-party healthcare professionals from an offshore provider, such as one in the Philippines, is advisable to maximize cost reduction due to reasonable service fees. The country is also known for its efficient and cordial virtual assistants and call center workers.

Let’s connect if you want to learn more about outsourcing administrative tasks in medicine for your Phoenix healthcare organization!