Hospitals are increasingly looking at potential outsourcing opportunities as they work to reduce costs, according to a Black Book Market Research survey.
The second-quarter 2018 outsourcing user survey polled C-suite, hospital boards and senior managers from 709 hospitals and inpatient organizations.
It found nearly all hospital leaders (98 percent) are considering outsourcing with third-party vendors to gain cost efficiency in clinical and nonclinical functions so they can increase focus on value-based care delivery, according to Black Book Research. Only 2 percent of respondents are not considering outsourcing due to the anticipated reaction from inside and outside the organization.
"Hundreds of outsourcing firms are creating a niche by specifically focusing on healthcare clients only," said Doug Brown, president of Black Book Research and the author of the 2009 global bestseller "The Black Book of Outsourcing." "Some leading vendors have recognized the need to bundle services that are only relevant to hospitals and inpatient groups such as IT, cybersecurity, clinical services, analytics and health facilities management."
Black Book Research said areas in the diagnostic imaging service lines (teleradiology and medical imaging equipment) are among the most popular outsourcing areas being vetted and considered by hospitals because many of them don't have the financial means to invest in replacement, new and advanced imaging centers. Eighty percent of respondents said they were considering or vetting full revenue cycle management outsourcing.
In addition to the outsourcing user survey, Black Book Research in April conducted a supplemental poll of 105 vendor executives. Black Book Research said that survey showed requests for outsourcing proposals increased sixfold since the fourth quarter of 2016 among select clinical functions.
Based on responses from 4,595 client users of hospital outsourcing, Black Book Research provided the following list of top-ranked outsourcing vendors. The list combines Black Book Research's 2017 survey on IT and finance outsourcing with the second-quarter 2018 user outsourcing survey, which includes clinical and more core-type functions.
Credentialing and Privileging – Newport Credentialing
Biomedical and Clinical Engineering – Trimedx
Emergency Department – ESS
ERP Support – Atos
Anesthesia Department – North American Partners in Anesthesia
Human Resources Department Services - PeopleStrategy
Facilities Management – Aramark
Hospitalists – IPC
Laboratory Support and RCM – Xifin
Pharmacy Department – Comprehensive Pharmacy Services
Marketing Services – Influence Health
Medical Imaging Systems – Philips Healthcare
Teleradiology – Argus Teleradiology
Physical Therapy and Rehab Services – Agility Health
Recruitment Process Outsourcing – AMN Healthcare
Supply Chain and Distribution – Owens and Minor
To see the list of other RCM and IT managed services vendors that also received recognition for outsourcing excellence from the Black Book surveys conducted last year, click here.
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