This guide is intended to assist healthcare institutions in creating appropriate requests for proposals to be issued for medical transcription services.

This guide provides recommended guidelines for the essential elements to be included in requests for proposals issued to medical transcription services. The purpose of these requests is contracting for the production and delivery of transcribed patient care documentation for a healthcare institution.

This guide recognizes the necessity of a HIPAA Business Associate Agreement.

This guide recognizes the necessity of researching local, state, and federal requirements that may apply.

1.1 This guide covers recommended guidelines to healthcare institutions for the development and issuance of requests for proposals (RFPs), as well as guidelines for medical transcription service organizations (MTSOs) responding to requests for proposals. It does not purport to address all of the legal aspects of the RFP, if any, associated with its use. It is the responsibility of the user of this guide to establish appropriate legal guidelines prior to use.

1.2 It is appropriate for healthcare institutions to issue RFPs from time to time or at regular contractual intervals for the purpose of facilitating the process of contracting for medical transcription services.

1.3 It is anticipated that both a commercial contract for services and a HIPAA Business Associate Agreement will be based upon the responding proposals submitted to the RFP.