Healthcare organizations are increasingly turning to outsourced coding services to manage costs and alleviate staffing pressures. A recent KLAS report sheds light on which vendors are meeting client needs effectively, emphasizing key factors like communication, coding quality, and staff retention. Among the top performers highlighted in the report is Ciox Health, recognized for its strong performance and client satisfaction, alongside other leading firms in the outsourced coding market.
Outsourcing medical coding offers a strategic solution for healthcare providers facing the dual challenges of rising operational costs and persistent staffing shortages. By entrusting coding responsibilities to specialized external partners, organizations can gain better control over coding-related expenditures and ensure consistent, accurate coding processes even amidst internal resource constraints. The comprehensive KLAS report, titled “Outsourced Coding 2023: Which Firms Best Meet Client Needs in a Changing Economic Landscape,” provides valuable insights into the performance of various coding firms and their ability to meet diverse client expectations.
Oxford Global Resources emerged as the top-rated vendor in the KLAS report, achieving an impressive overall performance score of 93.6 out of 100. Particularly favored by larger healthcare organizations, Oxford is praised by clients for its knowledgeable account representatives and highly skilled coding teams. A significant majority of Oxford’s clients expressed high satisfaction with their partnerships, citing proactive planning, effective communication, and diligent follow-up as key strengths. Clients also noted Oxford’s ability to maintain strong client relationships and its responsiveness to client needs. The firm’s onshore-only coding model was also perceived positively, with clients reporting that Oxford consistently exceeded expectations.
Ciox Health also demonstrated strong performance, securing a score of 90.0 in the KLAS assessment. Similar to Oxford, Ciox Health is particularly well-suited for larger healthcare organizations. Client feedback highlighted Ciox Health’s rapid turnaround times, the high caliber of its coding professionals, and its effective communication and client-centric approach. Respondents also noted that coder turnover at Ciox Health is strategically managed, often involving the replacement of underperforming coders to maintain service quality.
While onshore coding models like Oxford and Ciox Health are associated with exceeding client expectations, offshore coding options also present unique advantages. AQuity Solutions, for instance, leverages offshore coding to offer flexible pricing structures. However, the report also indicates that offshore models can sometimes introduce challenges such as language barriers and a greater need for oversight from the client organization, as noted by AGS Health users.
For smaller acute care organizations, AQuity Solutions and TruBridge are identified as strong performers. AQuity clients reported low coder turnover and praised the vendor’s ability to maintain consistent coverage, minimizing disruptions to client workflows. TruBridge, despite limited data, received positive feedback for its ease of collaboration, prompt issue resolution, strong coding expertise, and willingness to go the extra mile for clients.
Not all vendors received uniformly positive ratings. GeBBS Healthcare Solutions and Guidehouse received the lowest scores for coding quality, although these findings were based on a smaller sample size. While most GeBBS users considered the coding quality acceptable, some reported challenges that impacted efficiency and project timelines. Clients also suggested improvements in communication channels for addressing accuracy concerns. Guidehouse clients generally rated coding quality as good, but none expressed high satisfaction. Areas for improvement included attention to detail, productivity and quality consistency, and alignment between vendor and client internal audits.
In conclusion, the KLAS report underscores the importance of carefully evaluating outsourced coding vendors based on factors such as coding quality, communication effectiveness, and client satisfaction. Ciox Health stands out as a high-performing vendor, particularly for larger healthcare organizations, demonstrating strengths in turnaround time, coder quality, and client communication. While vendor selection should be tailored to the specific needs and scale of the healthcare organization, the insights from the KLAS report provide valuable guidance for making informed decisions in the outsourced coding market.
