Healthcare knowledge process outsourcing, or healthcare KPO, is a type of outsourcing specializing in the field of healthcare. As with other types of KPO, the employees of healthcare KPO companies receive a great deal of education and training to successfully deliver knowledge to client businesses. The most common types of healthcare KPO are in medical billing and underwriting, the examination of medical tests, and research and development. Many healthcare KPO companies employ doctors or other healthcare professionals in order to ensure that the information they provide clients with is accurate.
In most cases, a healthcare KPO company is supported by a staff of highly trained and qualified professionals. There are often doctors associated with these companies that can provide advice or information to employees of the KPO that may not have extensive medical knowledge. Additionally, employees of healthcare KPOs often receive abundant training in the specific services offered because this type of outsourcing requires that the employees solve problems that may arise unexpectedly.
One of the primary services provided by healthcare KPO companies is billing. The KPO company can manage all of the healthcare provider’s bills, from coding and submitting them to insurance companies through the collecting of payment. Bills that are past due can also go to a healthcare KPO collections service or to a general KPO collections service. Companies that provide these types of services strive to provide a quick turn-around from the time of a patient’s visit to the time that the medical professional or organization receives payment, whether by the patient or by the patient’s insurance company. This type of KPO company requires a great deal of knowledge about the medical practices as well as the business practices of the country of the client company.
Companies that provide healthcare KPO services can also be indirectly involved in the care of patients. The results of certain tests or imaging services, such as X-rays and MRIs, can be sent to third-party organizations for evaluation. The technicians at these remote locations read the tests and then offer a recommendation to the attending physician in the patient’s home country. These types of healthcare KPO services are usually provided by doctors or technicians who have received extensive training in the field.
Another common use for healthcare KPO is in research and development. Laboratories at third-party companies can be utilized to administer tests on various medications or healthcare equipment. The results of these tests are sent back to the client which can then move forward with additional research and development based on the results received from the KPO company.