To outsource, or not to outsource? For some clinics, practices, and hospitals, outsourcing can be either a boon or a legal complication waiting to happen. Some are worried about the implications of having third parties be responsible for individual components within a medical event – billing companies, for example, or in our case, transcription services.

But the argument for outsourcing things such as transcription is compelling – very compelling in the face of the facts. The fact is, hospitals and clinics are in need of updated practices. Many are also in need of better budgets and money-saving opportunities. Money is a big problem among hospitals, and outsourcing is an excellent solution – but that’s not all.

Hospitals Are Understaffed As It Is

Take a respiratory clinic, for example. Pulmonary transcription requires people to be there and do the writing, the cataloging, and the systemization of reports and data in a way that makes them accessible in the future. Eyered Transcription puts an emphasis on quality and precision, but in the hectic environment of a clinic or hospital, nurses and staff tasked with transcription work could make better use of their time elsewhere in the building, increasing staff efficiency and cutting down on some of the overtime medical professionals are constantly subjected to.

Understaffing isn’t an old problem – it’s present, it’s troublesome, and it carries strong statistical risks. As the Scientific American points out, studies show that higher nurse-to-patient ratios correlate to lower patient deaths – and the reverse is true as well. The New York Times reported that a study by the Center for Health Outcomes and Policy Research showed that if the working conditions of every hospital in the country were raised to the top quarter of the nation’s healthcare centers, then over 40,000 lives would be saved annually.

Understaffing is a serious issue, and delegating some of a clinic or hospital’s responsibility to professional, quality third-party services would alleviate some serious pressure from hospitals that suffer under the current shortage in nurses and other staff.

THE EQUIPMENT IS EXPENSIVE AND UNNECESSARY

It isn’t just a question of manpower, however. There’s more to the dilemma than a lack of hands-on-deck – there’s a serious budgetary issue, as well. Many hospitals are not aging very gracefully, being instead stuck in the past with fax machines and inefficient paper-based filing systems – and, of course, printers and old computers used for transcription services and billing. By eliminating the need to finance and regulate these services in-house through expensive equipment and staff, hospitals save money and get a greater return on investment through their contract with a professional transcription service.

Money saved from selling old equipment may also be used to invest in newer infrastructure, which could help decrease readmission rates, save more lives, and bring in a better revenue in hospitals that are desperate for a slight loosening of the purse strings. A huge tech overhaul would greatly benefit hospitals looking to make their work more efficient and safe – but despite the diagnosis being written on the wall, it’s taking some time for the patient to be sent into the OR.

THE TRANSCRIPTION GAME HAS CHANGED

Another reason why outsourcing a transcription service is hugely beneficial is the fact that transcription isn’t what it used to be. Today, voice recognition software can essentially do the bulk of the average work – that is, turn what’s being said into printed words. So transcription services have had to innovate, find ways to create a better service and compete with the rapid technology evolving around them.

Good transcription services are relying on quality to outperform automation. Great transcription services are working with technological advances to produce better data, better organization, easier and simpler transcription methods, and a focus on system efficiency and safer data practices. A qualitative third-party service can ensure reliability in the sector of transcription, saving hospitals a lot of grief and money.

IN THE END, ALL THIS TRANSLATES TO WHAT?

Hospitals are understaffed, faced with enormous pressure, and surrounded by a world that’s rapidly evolving with technology, in contrast to the 90s infrastructure still used by many lower-budget facilities.

Making the jump to outsourcing can help a clinic with a tightened belt let loose a little, and spend time and money on an updated infrastructure to better serve patients and save lives. Equipment used to perform tasks that can be reliably outsourced to local or international third-party companies can be sold off or auctioned off for an extra influx of revenue.

And finally, third-party services are competitive enough to ensure ease-of-use – Eyered Transcription, for example, allows seamless transcription services over the phone or internet, at an accurate rate with guaranteed quality control and access to the file securely over encryption, to ensure patient confidentiality and medical discretion.