Is outsourcing of patient records really unsafe?
There have been serious doubts about data security while outsourcing medical transcription. The case of Lubna Baloch from Pakistan who threatened to expose confidential data over the Internet for non-payment for services rendered has been used as an argument against outsourcing.
It is understandable that situations like this are worrisome and very traumatic for all parties concerned. But can this be cited as a case against outsourcing? To answer that question one needs to look at the case in question in great detail.
Let us examine the chain of events that led to the event in question:
UCSF medical Center outsourced it medical transcription work to
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Sausalito’s Transcription Stat who outsourced it to
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15 contractors throughout the country
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One of the 15 contractors named Sonya Newburn further subcontracted the work to
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Tom Spires who subcontracted to
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Lubna Baloch
It can clearly be seen that the healthcare facility originally outsourcing its’ medical transcription needs had no idea as to who is actually doing their work. Even the medical transcription service provider who was under contract with them had no control over the end transcriber.
The lesson to be learnt from this situation is that while outsourcing the medical transcription needs of a healthcare facility, care should be taken to ensure to choose a medical transcription service provider that does not use sub contractors for executing the work. Due diligence on the working methods of the medical transcription service provider should be carried out; care should be taken at the time of drafting the contract to ensure that the “no sub contractor clause” is included.
TransDyne is one company, which believes it is their privilege to be serving their customers’ needs in the best way possible. So any work outsourced to TransDyne, is executed by their own team of trained Medical Transcriptionists, than by the use of subcontractors or home transcriptionists.
Apart from ensuring that the data never leaves the premises physically, TransDyne ensures security during the medical transcription process by incorporating security measures like 128-bit data encryption, multi-tiered application architecture, design level security, safeguards, firewall protected networks, sterilized e-mail servers, denial of access procedure and multi modal alerts.
Further security is ensured by manned security at entry and exit points, surveillance cameras, disallowance of any removable storage devices and limited access of systems and information on a need to know basis. The people working on the transcription have also been educated on the importance of being HIPAA and HITECH compliant. Undertakings have been taken from the personnel to further ensure confidentiality.
Choosing a professional and committed medical transcription service provider like TransDyne would ensure that the healthcare facility would enjoy not only the cost saving benefits of outsourcing and the knowledge that patient data confidentiality is maintained but also the other benefits of outsourcing like:
1. Reducing capital investment with regards to medical transcription
2. Managing fluctuating transcription report volumes and staffing issues for holidays and weekends.
3. Reducing management expenses towards medical transcription
4. Reduce human resources expenses connected to medical transcription
5. Reduce direct labor cost
6. Reduce It expenses
7. Reduce real estate cost pertaining to medical transcription
8. Improve information access
9. Improve turnaround time
10. Shorten the receivables cycle
11. Concentrate on core business
12. Take advantage of a single source solution.
TransDyne offers quality medical transcription at reasonable prices, executed by experienced and qualified medical transcriptionists with a very quick turnaround time executed through secure HIPAA and HITECH compliant channels, with very high levels of accuracy and all this with technology that is advanced but easy to use!
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