As the healthcare and pharmaceutical industries continue to grow globally, many companies are increasingly leaning into offshoring medical information services. Medical information teams play a crucial role in providing accurate, evidence-based responses to healthcare professionals, patients, and internal stakeholders. Offshoring has emerged as a strategic solution that allows organizations to expand support capabilities while maintaining efficiency and accessibility.
According to Leanne Shaw, Senior Director of Medical Information APAC, companies lean towards the offshore model for strategic operational growth.
"I think they're looking more to an offshoring model, utilizing the Philippines, India and other countries, because these countries are well established in the industry as core contact center hubs. Clients feel more confident utilizing them, given they can see tangible evidence of success, proven record of quality and compliance, and customer excellence. Cost of course plays a factor in this too; however, it's never this alone that influences the client to switch to an offshoring model – they now understand offshoring can really assist with greater flexibility to your services, allowing for strategic operational growth where really needed, offering better business continuity plan options and 24/7 support," Shaw stated.
One of the main reasons companies offer offshore medical information services is to improve availability and operational flexibility. By establishing teams in different regions of the world, organizations can provide round-the-clock support. This 24/7 coverage ensures that healthcare professionals and patients can receive timely answers to their inquiries regardless of time zone, which is particularly valuable for global pharmaceutical companies serving multiple markets.
Offshoring also allows companies to scale their medical information operations more effectively. With teams distributed across various locations, organizations can manage higher inquiry volumes while maintaining service quality. Additionally, offshore hubs often provide access to a diverse pool of skilled healthcare professionals such as pharmacists, nurses, and life science graduates who are trained to handle complex medical inquiries.
"Offshoring can allow you to build a true 24/7 "follow-the-sun" model. You can supplement your onshore teams, such as US based teams, with staff based from offshore teams (Philippines, India) to ensure you have 24/7 coverage with live answer, trained specialists. The staff can be a true extension of your onshore teams, trained the same way, following the same process and governance, just situated in a different location," Shaw stated.
However, running offshore medical information teams is not without challenges. Communication across time zones, maintaining consistent quality standards, and ensuring alignment with regulatory requirements can be complex. Cultural differences, varying healthcare systems, and evolving compliance guidelines may also create additional layers of coordination for global teams.
"I would say the biggest challenge is ensuring you take into consideration the general corporate needs of the country you are working in. An example of this is ensuring you understand the HR or payroll requirements for Philippines staff, including differences in legislation and holiday entitlements, which need to be thoroughly considered. My personal experience is that local governance in the form of operational management can be very helpful. It is also imperative that you invest the time to learn cultural differences or nuances to establish connected, collaborative professional relationships," Shaw stated.
To address these challenges, technology plays a vital role. Digital platforms, shared knowledge databases, and case management systems allow teams to access the same information and respond consistently. Communication tools and collaboration platforms enable seamless interaction between headquarters and offshore teams, helping maintain clarity and efficiency in daily operations.
Sam Li, Manager of Medical Information Americas, had firsthand experience of handling offshore agents when his department decided to hire services from the Philippines for US support back in 2023. He has spearheaded the handling of several communication platforms for the department.
"Effective communication is essential for ensuring smooth collaboration across different time zones. Maintaining an updated calendar for scheduled shifts sets clear expectations and keeps everyone aligned. For teams providing 24/7 support, we've established overlapping hours to enable real-time collaboration and adopted a "follow‑the‑sun" workflow to maintain continuous coverage and efficiency. Our phone system and database are globally harmonized to seamlessly route callers to the appropriate teams without delay. Management also has direct access to monitor operations and support whenever needed, ensuring consistent service quality across regions," Li stated.
Training is another essential component for successful offshore medical information services. Specialists typically require strong scientific knowledge, familiarity with therapeutic areas, and training in medical writing, pharmacovigilance awareness, and regulatory guidelines. Continuous education programs ensure that offshore teams remain updated with the latest clinical data and compliance standards.
Stephanie Pruett, Director of Medical Information Americas, emphasized the need for agents to complete onboarding programs to ensure quality across teams.
"Offshore medical information specialists complete comprehensive global onboarding programs that cover regulatory requirements, pharmacovigilance reporting, documentation standards, and product knowledge. In addition, they receive region-specific training to ensure they understand the regulatory expectations, healthcare systems, and customer needs of the markets they support," Pruett stated.
Maintaining alignment with global regulations and company expectations requires structured processes. Standard operating procedures, quality checks, and regular audits help ensure that responses remain compliant, and consistent across regions. Frequent cross-regional meetings and performance reviews also support alignment and continuous improvement.
"Offshore medical information teams stay aligned with global standards through robust quality monitoring, continuous collaboration with onshore teams, and the use of centralized management systems. By accessing the same approved response documents and scientific resources as their onshore counterparts, specialists can deliver information that is consistent, accurate, and compliant with local regulatory expectations. Regular quality reviews, case audits, and ongoing communication with global Medical Affairs teams further reinforce alignment. These practices ensure offshore specialists remain up to date on product information, regulatory requirements, and evolving clinical data, enabling them to operate as a seamless extension of global medical information teams," Pruett stated.
Looking ahead, the future of offshored medical information services will likely be shaped by greater integration of digital tools, artificial intelligence, and advanced knowledge management systems. As global healthcare continues to evolve, offshore medical information teams are expected to play an increasingly important role in delivering reliable and timely support worldwide.