Updated on October 17, 2024
Receiving care as a patient is more accessible than ever, and 88% of healthcare patients today schedule their appointments by phone.
The COVID-19 pandemic transformed healthcare in many ways, with one significant change being the shift towards a patient-centric approach.
Patients look for safe, efficient, and personalized services, so providers now focus on enhancing their support services to address this demand.
Building an in-house patient support team remains an option, but healthcare providers also see the value in partnering with outsourcing providers. Outsourcing partners can provide more benefits to patient support.
If you’re interested in getting outsourced patient support but don’t know where to start, you’ve come to the right place.
This blog will explore customer support in healthcare and the advantages of adapting to healthcare industry shifts. We will also provide valuable insights on how outsourcing can be the secret to exceptional patient outcomes.
Traditional Customer Service vs. Healthcare Customer Support: What’s the Difference?
60% of healthcare consumers expect a digital experience similar to retail. They want their patient journeys to be as convenient and meaningful.
Traditional customer support deals with general inquiries and other consumer-related issues. Meanwhile, patient support needs specific skills, including knowledge of medical terms and the healthcare industry and empathetic communication.
Healthcare support requirements all boil down to the patient.
Patients face different situations and challenges compared to regular customers. Due to their medical condition, they often experience severe stress and other difficulties. Thus, support teams need tremendous accuracy and compassion when dealing with patients.
What Are Healthcare Customer Support Services?
Patient support teams help ease a patient’s burden by serving the following needs:
Appointment Management
Patient support teams help organize patient schedules by setting their medical appointments, consultations, and treatment. They can also handle readjustments and cancellations.
Patient Communication
Patient support teams serve as the bridge between patients and healthcare providers, with agents responsible for ensuring clear communication for all parties involved.
Working in healthcare support means addressing patient concerns through various communication channels.
Billing and Insurance Assistance
One of the most essential responsibilities of support agents in healthcare is to become effective patient advocates. This role includes assisting them with medical bills and insurance policies.
Patient advocates ensure accurate insurance details and resolve any disputes or related concerns. They help patients better understand their financial commitments.
Patient Data Management
Business process outsourcing (BPO) companies train healthcare support teams to manage sensitive patient information, ensuring healthcare providers receive accurate and timely patient data.
Healthcare customer support teams also have safety measures to prevent breaches and ensure compliance.
4 Ways Outsourcing Can Maximize Your Healthcare Customer Support
Building an exceptional customer support team is one thing, but doing it with an outsourcing partner is another.
Here are four ways outsourcing patient support is the best option for you as a healthcare provider:
1. Improved Patient Satisfaction
Healthcare outsourcing partners employ expert professionals to hire and train your support teams. These experts often have years of knowledge and experience in patient-centered support that leads to increased satisfaction.
2. Cost-Effective Solutions
Outsourcing is a cost-efficient option for building your customer support.
BPO partners help you reduce the costs of hiring, training, and managing an in-house team. They also eliminate the need to spend on operations, infrastructure, and technology.
3. 24/7 Support Capabilities
Medical emergencies are unpredictable and can happen beyond standard business hours, so your team must remain accessible to patients at all times. Outsourcing solves this problem by giving you access to a round-the-clock support team.
4. High Standards in Data Privacy and Regulatory Compliance
A reputable outsourcing partner values compliance and security in healthcare. Choosing the right outsourcing partner will ensure your business remains compliant and secure through their robust protocols.
The Advantages of Having an Exceptional Customer Support in Healthcare
Building a solid healthcare customer support framework gives your business a competitive edge. A competent customer support team helps you remain competent in the ever-changing healthcare space.
Here are the significant advantages of outsourced healthcare support:
It Drives Customer Loyalty and Retention.
82% of patients say quality customer service is their top consideration when choosing care.
Customer support is often the first touchpoint of the patient experience. You must deliver a seamless experience because it also impacts the bottom line. Patients who see you as the ideal healthcare provider are more likely to remain a loyal customer.
It Improves Patient Outcomes.
50% of US patients need to adhere to their treatment plan.
Improving your customer support services will help close this gap in healthcare.
Exceptional customer support helps foster patients’ trust and confidence. Earning a patient’s trust leads to better communication and cooperation, and building solid relationships with patients ensures better patient results.
It Ensures Your Business’ Continued Success.
Positive customer support experiences can drive revenue, increase conversions, and improve your institution’s public perception. All these factors are beneficial for long-term success.
Additionally, exceptional customer support involves fostering a culture of improvement. By encouraging continuous feedback, you enable your business to remain innovative.
Industry Trends Shaping Healthcare Customer Support
These industry shifts continue to influence healthcare customer support today:
Digital Experience
Patients value convenience. They don’t want to deal with long wait times or travel considerable distances to receive care. This demand presents a challenge for businesses to adopt more accessible digital approaches.
Data Security
Patient data is sensitive, and healthcare is often a prime target for cybercrime.
Now that healthcare technologies are more integrated than ever, the threat of security breaches grows with it. Customer support teams must always be diligent and remain one step ahead.
Personalization
Data-driven personalization is the key to understanding patient needs for better service delivery. As a healthcare provider, you can leverage patient data to understand their health history, risks, and preferences.
Evolving Customer Service Solutions for Healthcare Providers
ClearSource has been the top outsourcing partner for some of the country’s most prominent healthcare providers. We credit our success to the core values we live and work by.
Today’s industries constantly change, so we design our services and processes to evolve. We know the importance of continuous improvement and quickly adapt to our clients’ needs.
Set up a call with one of our experts today to see how we can help you kickstart your path to success!
