Nearshore Healthcare Outsourcing in Mexico: Why It’s a Smart Choice

Acquire third-party healthcare professionals and medical virtual assistants (VAs) in Mexico from service providers to focus more on patient care, treatment, and service. Many American businesses chase these skilled workers mainly for back-office clinical functions, including medical billing, encoding, data entry, and technical support.

Mexico’s edge over other outsourcing hubs is that it provides U.S.-based enterprises with nearshoring benefits such as geographical proximity and cultural compatibility.

Discover why nearshoring in Mexico can be a strategic choice for your healthcare outsourcing needs.

Let us dive in!

The Benefits of Nearshore Healthcare Outsourcing in Mexico

So, what is the business process outsourcing (BPO) provider’s role in the healthcare sector? 

The Mexican third-party provider offers healthcare BPO services staffed by competent virtual medical assistants, customer care specialists, and other professionals. It helps you enhance operational efficiency, reduce overall costs, and improve revenue. 

How? Keep reading to learn the details.

Efficient Communication With Hispanics to Assist Underserved Patients

Nearshore healthcare outsourcing companies provide bilingual agents who excel at serving the untapped, non-English-speaking Hispanic demographic. 

Pew Research reports that of the 63.6 million American Hispanics in the U.S., 42.3 million are proficient in English. This figure means that over 20 million people can barely speak the language. Also, the Hispanic population aged 65 and older will rise to 94.7 million in 2060. Senior citizens over 85 will almost triple to 19 million from 6.6 million during the same period.   

This sizable group is more comfortable speaking Spanish. As such, your medical practice must offer support in their native tongue if you want to overcome the language barrier and effectively interact with this demographic.

The following are the consequences of a language barrier on patient care:

• Limited communication. Many Spanish-speaking patients struggle with English, leading to frustration. However, bilingual agents can offer top-notch service, preventing your patients from switching to another healthcare provider. 
• Frequent misunderstandings. Miscommunications between agents and non-English-speaking Hispanic patients can harm service delivery and experience. Reduce such issues by hiring Spanish-speaking Mexican third-party professionals. 

Understanding the patient’s language promotes clear communication, minimizes misunderstandings, and enhances the patient care experience.

Cost-effective Virtual Workers for Better Profitability 

Nearshore healthcare outsourcing organizations in Mexico can provide you with qualified, efficient, and affordable work-from-home (WFH) professionals. These third-party personnel possess the requisite training, qualities, and expertise to deliver outsourced healthcare services for your clinical practice.

To illustrate the substantial cost reductions resulting from nearshore healthcare outsourcing, below are the approximate monthly wages of medical assistants, medical billers, and data entry clerks in Mexico and the U.S. (in U.S. dollars) 

Note: Salary Explorer provided Mexico data, while Indeed supplied U.S. figures. Figures from Salary Explorer are in Mexican currency and were converted to U.S. dollars ($) for consistent comparison.

Per the data above, outsourcing a certified medical assistant from Mexico can save you about $1,700 ($3,104 less $1,403.69) monthly. Note that the figures and computations above are approximations. For more accurate salary costs, contact a BPO provider.

Reduced Errors in Medical Coding and Billing for More Collections

Your clinical organization can hire a team of skilled and experienced medical coders and billers from a nearshore healthcare outsourcing provider. These professionals are regularly trained to manage time-consuming, complicated insurance claims and healthcare billings.

Third-party specialists can handle and forward claims to insurers quickly and accurately. They help reduce insurer claim denials, so you can collect them more efficiently.

Higher efficiency and collections due to nearshore healthcare outsourcing result in the following: 

• Better patient experience. Correct billing satisfies patients and encourages them to agree to service costs. Bilingual agents increase patient satisfaction because they can explain payment details in Spanish. Higher satisfaction lowers inefficiencies and payment defaults. 
• Stronger employee morale. Accelerated collections lead to more funds and staff bonuses. They also reduce workload, preventing turnover.
• Quicker growth. With greater cash flow, upgrading your medical facilities and improving patient care and service are more effortless.

Stringent Adherence to Legal Requirements to Avert Costly Fines

Healthcare institutions in the U.S. often undergo shifts in federal legislation and industry standards. Noncompliance with these regulations can expose you to penalties, legal action, and damage to your reputation.

One of the nearshore outsourcing advantages in healthcare is that Mexican BPO providers assist you in strictly following the rules while maintaining high data security.

Here are some industry standards and laws that nearshore healthcare outsourcing companies monitor for your practice:

• The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) is the world’s most rigorous data privacy regulation, originating in Europe. Even well-established corporations encounter substantial penalties in cases of GDPR breaches.
• The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) mandates the healthcare sector, including medical practitioners, to safeguard patient data against unauthorized access and use.
• The Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS) is a guideline for every organization to securely store credit card information. PCI DSS strives to enhance the management of cardholder information to decrease credit card fraud, scams, and theft. 
• The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) is an international nonprofit group that certifies whether an organization fulfills its quality assurance criteria. Its rigorous laws apply to all areas, including healthcare organizations.

Lower Operating Expenses for More Accessible Funds 

Decreased ongoing spending is one perk of nearshore healthcare outsourcing in Mexico for your healthcare company. Managing an internal backend unit can be both labor-intensive and costly.

Examine how nearshore healthcare outsourcing can lower daily operating costs:

• Office area, equipment, and supplies. Establishing and maintaining your in-house back-office department requires additional investments in office rentals, hardware, software systems, equipment, and maintenance and upgrades. You are free from these expenses when outsourcing.
• Recruitment. The healthcare process in BPO enables you to reduce hiring expenses. The service provider covers the costs associated with time-consuming and costly recruitment tasks, including job advertisements, candidate assessments, and onboarding and training programs.
• Monetary and non-financial expenses. Full-time in-house medical staff receive fixed salaries, overtime pay, and tax incentives, irrespective of business conditions. You also deal with mandated non-monetary benefits, such as sick and holiday leaves.
• Upskilling. With nearshore healthcare outsourcing, your BPO partner shoulders retraining and skill enhancement initiatives. Third-party professionals must upgrade their expertise to stay ahead of the latest developments, including healthcare outsourcing trends.

Exceptional Solution to Address the U.S. Talent Shortage 

In 2022, the U.S. healthcare sector experienced a significant monthly attrition rate exceeding 500,000 employees, as the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported. This has resulted in widespread dissatisfaction among the remaining workforce. A 2021 survey also found that nearly 75% of healthcare employees reported decreased morale during the prior year.

In light of this, nearshore healthcare outsourcing in Mexico presents a viable alternative to mitigate the impact of the U.S. labor shortage.

The following are the primary reasons American employees resigned:

• Global health crisis. The COVID-19 pandemic triggered a significant shift as nations, including the U.S., imposed lockdowns and social distancing measures. This led many American workers to prioritize life over career, opting for remote work to sustain their income.
• Inadequate salaries. American workers face stagnant fixed payments to cover essential needs. The cost of living near their workplaces surged due to the rising prices of necessities despite the salary increases.

The tight domestic labor market is one reason to consider nearshore healthcare outsourcing in Mexico. Many American industries have experienced sudden spikes in attrition rates, negatively affecting staff morale, performance, and productivity. You might be one of the healthcare organizations that finds recruiting and retaining personnel challenging.

Scalable Workforce and Operations for Better Cost Control 

Nearshore healthcare outsourcing in Mexico can potentially augment business value while optimizing costs. It allows the service provider to adjust the scope of your delegated medical tasks based on current business needs and conditions.

The BPO provider can seamlessly adjust the number of outsourced contractors or procedures, ensuring minimal disruption to your business processes. For instance, you can quickly get extra workers to manage your hotline during periods of high patient volume, such as the pandemic. This scalability empowers you to optimize enterprise value while paying reasonable service costs. 

Explore additional advantages of scalable processes:

• Agility. The service provider helps you navigate unexpected situations while running administrative, help desk, and customer support functions smoothly. This ability enhances your resilience and responsiveness during challenging times.
• Flexibility. The service provider can quickly and effectively modify your back-office operations, enhancing your adaptability and making you more competitive.
• Cost efficiency. Another reason to use nearshore healthcare outsourcing through Mexican service providers is that you can diminish operating expenses by obtaining the exact number of third-party medical professionals needed. The BPO provider also assists in identifying the precise tasks required to enhance productivity and efficiency.

Advanced Cybersecurity Measures and Tools for Tighter Data Protection

While you might have invested in cutting-edge information technology (IT) systems to enhance patient care and service, cybersecurity is likely not your medical practice’s strong suit.

One motivation to be involved in nearshore healthcare outsourcing is that the BPO provider can safeguard crucial medical information from unauthorized access and data breaches by implementing the following strategies:

• Round-the-clock data security monitoring. Cyberattacks are unpredictable and can happen at any time. To protect your network against these threats, the service provider deploys 24/7 cybersecurity measures.
• Better expertise than the internal IT unit. Third-party cybersecurity experts regularly address data theft and breaches. Collaboratively, the in-house technical support team can synergize with these specialists to acquire and execute more effective data security strategies.
• Encrypted data to prevent illegal access. The BPO provider utilizes data encryption to fortify your healthcare organization’s cybersecurity defenses. This security measure transforms plain-text data into an unreadable format, accessible only to individuals possessing the correct decryption key.
• Heightened security awareness. The third-party Mexican provider offers training to educate all medical staff and shareholders about potential threats and effective mitigation strategies. Enhancing security awareness helps minimize human errors and lapses in diligence.

Various Communication Channels for Seamless Patient Interaction

A seasoned nearshore healthcare outsourcing company will offer your patients different ways to contact your facility. Patients can interact with your office however they prefer, and the BPO partner can quickly meet them on their chosen platform.

Below are the communication channels available:

• Standard phone calls. Patients depend on landlines to contact your office. Many still favor this conventional technology due to its convenience.
• Short Message Service (SMS). Short text messages are sent to your practice through smartphones or mobile devices. This method is convenient and can notify you immediately.
• Email. Patients transmit inquiries and messages regarding their concerns. They can securely send large files, images, and documents.
• Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) telephony. Unlike a standard phone, VoIP lets patients contact your practice with high-speed internet and a VoIP phone.
• Live chat. A small panel on your website lets patients write messages and communicate with a live agent.
• Social media. Patients receive your answers or help through social networks. They can also post comments, images, and videos. 
• Self-service portals. Patients check your online resources to try to resolve their concerns themselves. Your website provides easy-to-understand information, including a frequently asked questions (FAQ) section.

The Bottom Line

Harnessing the full potential of nearshore outsourcing in Mexico provides multiple rewards. 

Along with the benefits listed above, the committed third-party Mexican staff is prepared to effortlessly adjust their working hours to match your requirements. Agile teams can provide world-class support to patients everywhere on holidays, weekends, or across time zones.

Mexico’s nearshore outsourcing advantages are enhanced when you follow a nearshore business process outsourcing guide and partner with the right BPO company.

Let’s connect if you want to collaborate with an ideal service provider and learn why nearshore healthcare outsourcing in Mexico is a smart choice!