Why Doctors Prefer Foreign Providers for Medical Transcriptions

A study commissioned by a US-based company that provides administrative services such as medical transcriptions and medical billing to healthcare providers in the United States reveals that doctors are more inclined to hire foreign providers now than ever before.

Cost seems to be the main criteria as overseas providers charge 9¢ to 10¢ for a 65 character line, by comparison, local US based companies charge 15¢ to 16¢ for a line. line of 45 characters, which doubles its cost. Many health care providers based in the states of California, New York, Washington, Florida, Texas, and Idaho had ties to providers in India and seemed to be quite satisfied with not only the price, but also the overall services.

When company executives were asked if foreign providers were HIPAA compliant, most were of the opinion that compliance was as good as any US-based company. Many healthcare providers also said that Because they operate on a secure, web-based transcription platform, data sharing is minimal, patient records are secure and confidential, and there is no question of HIPAA violations.

Offshore providers have been assigned a login ID and password, allowing them to access dictation or process billing documents. Web-based transcription platforms gave US healthcare providers the advantage of zonal time difference that made it possible for internal staff and external providers to document dictation around the clock. This allowed them to streamline the documentation process and maintain zero delays.

The summary of findings mentioned that despite legislation aimed at reducing outsourcing, it has not made a difference with more and more healthcare providers in the United States choosing to contract with offshore companies for medical transcriptions or medical billing. . It’s more of a do or die situation for US based providers, whether they cut costs or perish, outsourcing is here to stay.