Healthcare BPO industry gets boost from fitness trackers
Thanks to Fitbit and other fitness trackers, the Philippines’s health-related business process outsourcing industry is thriving. Jeff Williams, chairman of the Healthcare Information Management Association of the Philippines (HIMAP), said the industry grew nearly 10-fold over six years. The industry is comprised of nurses and doctors who give medical and health advice over the phone to customers in North America. Over-the-phone health analyses and check-ups account for 10% of BPOs in the Philippines. Williams said this will not lead to a reduction of the number of healthcare workers in actual hospitals. According to Williams getting an on-the-call health expert to analyze data from health monitoring devices makes check-ups faster and more efficient. In 2017, the industry earned US$2.8 billion in revenues, six times higher than in 2012 when it made US$450 million. Williams stated the industry now has 133,000 direct employees, a 787% increase over six years.
