How healthcare outsourcing helps the BPO industry in the Philippines?

Monday, December 2, 2013


The business process outsourcing (BPO) industry in the Philippines opened its doors to healthcare information management (HIM) outsourcing a few years ago, welcoming it as it promises a lot of business opportunities.

In 2012, HIM generated about $277 million in revenue and has grown full-time employment to professionals by over 82%. This is according to the Department of Science and Technology’s Information and Communications Technology Office (DOST-ICTO). The department expects the numbers to double this 2013.

Penny Lauchango, former president of the Healthcare Information Management Outsourcing Association of the Philippines (HIMOAP), said in the past that the HIM industry is anticipated to grow 25% each year for the next four years until it already employs 100,000 full-time professionals and makes one billion dollars in profits. This was such great news for any BPO in the Philippines.

In a report by the Manila Bulletin last month, the current president of HIMOAP, Dr. Josefina Lauchangco, urged call centers in the country to prepare for the entry of this market: the US healthcare IT, owing to guidelines stated under Obamacare. It's estimated that 40 million Americans will be qualified for the healthcare coverage. However, proving eligibility can be difficult and this is when outsourcing opportunities can come in. Lauchangco added that four million citizens may be eligible in the coming three years. By 2016, this may grow from 35 to 40 million.

The government, on the other hand, highly appreciates HIM industry’s contributions to the country’s economy and people. It stays committed to doing everything to make the global position of the country stronger in the Information Technology-Business Process Management (IT-BPM) sector.

Early this year the government began providing certification programs and medical coding trainings to make the workforce well-equipped with proper skills. It coordinates all its efforts to the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) to perform skills assessment. BPO firms, on their part, provide continuous training to HIM workers and using latest technology to be able to promote excellence in service.

Healthcare cost and unemployment are two of the reasons healthcare providers are opting to outsource. Every BPO company in the Philippines has seen this trend: The healthcare IT services have been popular to large businesses but has also gotten the attention of medium-sized organizations. All of them have this aim: to continue and survive its operations with lower operational costs.

Open Access BPO is among the most trusted outsourcing companies in the Philippines. For more information about us and the services we offer, visit our website and join us on Google+.