It’s no hyperbole that healthcare is undergoing a sea change.
The impact of new CMS rules and reimbursement policies are not yet fully understood and represent only one aspect of the disruption we face. Consumers who assume 2025 will be a replay of 2024 are in for some eye-openers as they manage their healthcare.
All the changes in the pipeline will increase inbound call volume to the contact centers. Member interactions will be far more complex, requiring additional training to ensure accountability and compliance. Forward-thinking organizations are assessing, many for the first time, what they need to do in terms of proactive outreach to ensure contact centers maintain a quality experience and protect hard-earned CMS Star Ratings.
There’s never been a better time to consider partnering with a CX business process outsourcing expert to help manage the demands of 2025. Too often, healthcare payers, providers, pharmacy benefits managers (PBMs), and others in the health ecosystem hesitate to consider an outsourced model due to misconceptions about how such partnerships work. Technology-led CX outsourcers offer a cost-effective way to optimize financial resources and human talent while tapping into technological expertise and proven strategies you lack in-house.
Don’t let these five myths prevent you from taking your CX to the next level.
Myth #1: My employees will get replaced.
A global CX company opens the door to a global workforce of highly skilled, ready-to-ramp employees — licensed, as appropriate — but that doesn’t mean dismissing your existing workers.
An experienced partner that understands the unique challenges of healthcare will craft a strategy that works best for you, from labor to tools to training. Your partner’s outsourced talent can augment your in-house employees (not replace them) to create one cohesive contact center operational excellence unit. TTEC views employees as “healthcare advocates” working on behalf of your customers and members, whether it’s assisting with enrollment choices or demystifying the differences between traditional Medicare and Medicare Advantage.
Vet your CX partner and select the one that values the employee experience (EX) as much as the customer experience. Keeping employees engaged reduces attrition and boosts job satisfaction. Ask prospective CX partners about their training tools to upskill workers quickly and easily. The results? Employees are happier and motivated to take on new roles, customers are happier, and you meet your business goals.
Myth #2: CX augmentation is pricey, will I get the ROI?
Often, CX partners will conduct pilot tests of proposed solutions — at no cost — to enable clients to assess real-world performance and compatibility with existing systems before committing to full-scale implementation. While forging ahead on deployment and a wider commitment entails an upfront investment, it always delivers a solid ROI.
Leveraging data analytics, your partner can uncover sizable cost savings by identifying areas where automation, nearshoring, offshoring, back-office efficiencies, AI-enhanced tools, and other solutions can cut costs without sacrificing customer experience.
Healthcare organizations are well-advised to closely scrutinize the pricing. When negotiating contracts, make sure you clearly understand what’s built into the price. Look for hidden fees — like bonuses, penalties, and leaderships costs — and select the partner that can give you transparency around the cost structure.
Myth #3: CX will suffer with outsourced associates.
It can be unnerving to put contact center care in the hands of an outsider. Healthcare organizations work too hard to earn and maintain high quality scores and Star Ratings to risk a backslide. A company whose foundation is built on CX recognizes the weight of this responsibility and can fortify those metrics. Find the right partner to delegate hiring, onboarding, learning, and development and CX will improve.
A solid partner will have hiring and onboarding procedures in place to ensure their advocates are highly skilled, get familiarized quickly with your culture and member base, and hit the ground running.
Myth #4: An outside partner will disrupt my organization’s culture.
Collaborating with an outsourcing partner that understands and embraces your culture is key to a successful partnership. Your partner is an extension of your organization whose advocates mesh in with your own in-house team.
When managed well, outsourced healthcare advocates feel a close connection to the mission and values of the healthcare company and they will go miles to reassure members who have concerns and resolve their queries. Companies that put empathy and soft skills at the center of training reinforce an organization’s compassionate culture.
A good CX partner will take the time to explore your values and goals, understand what success looks like, and immerse itself in your customer journey and employee experience.
Myth #5: Working with outsiders is too much of a hassle.
Now that we’re in the throes of open and annual enrollment, bringing in an outsourcing partner may seem like the last thing on your list. But a partner can make your day-to-day operations run more smoothly in many ways.
A seasoned healthcare outsourcer is immersed in the issues and challenges of this sector all year, not just during the peak season of demand. They bring to bear thousands of human-years of learning and experience. They bring best practices from the large healthcare clients and ecosystem they service. They can also act as your adviser on the industry changes and how your peers are dealing with them.
The right partner behaves like a natural extension of your brand, not a disjointed add-on. A qualified partner will make sure systems integrate cleanly and employees are up to speed, whether they’re in-house or outsourced. It will also work with you to identify and eliminate roadblocks, silos, and inefficiencies — making your contact center a streamlined and cohesive unit.
A CX partner will stay on top of the latest technology and continually integrate it into your contact center operation where it makes sense; a partner will implement proven workforce optimization strategies and other efficiencies. When your CX partner keeps all these things top of mind, it means you don’t have to. Together, a partner and its client can achieve excellent outcomes that reflect on member acquisition, topline revenue growth, member retention, and increased NPS.
Working with a CX partner that specializes in healthcare provides access to the proven best practices, resources, and solutions. And with your CX in expert hands, you’ll be free to focus on innovating and designing the next gen products that can serve your members the best.
