HIPAA & PCI Compliance in Nearshore BPO: What Healthcare and Financial Clients Must Ask

Outsourcing sensitive customer programs to nearshore BPO providers can deliver massive cost savings
and performance gains — but only if data security and compliance are rock-solid.

For healthcare and financial services clients, HIPAA and PCI DSS aren’t optional checkboxes.
A single breach can mean millions in fines, lost trust, and irreparable brand damage.

Yet many U.S. brands still treat compliance as an afterthought when evaluating nearshore partners.
In 2026, that’s a risk you can’t afford.

Here’s your no-nonsense guide to the critical questions you must ask — and the red flags to watch for —
when outsourcing regulated programs to LATAM nearshore providers.

The Stakes Are Higher Than Ever

Regulatory enforcement is intensifying:

• HIPAA fines reached $12.4 million in 2025 alone, with third-party vendors increasingly targeted
• PCI DSS v4.0.1 (effective 2025) introduced stricter rules for encryption, MFA, and quarterly testing
• Average healthcare data breach cost hit $10.93 million in 2025 (IBM Cost of a Data Breach Report)

Nearshore providers operate under the same U.S. regulatory expectations —
but not all treat compliance with equal rigor.

10 Must-Ask Questions for Nearshore BPO Compliance

Before signing any contract, demand clear, documented answers to these questions:

1. Are you fully certified — and can you prove it?

   Request current attestation letters: HIPAA BAA readiness, PCI DSS ROC or AOC,
   SOC 2 Type II, and ISO 27001.

2. Who is handling PHI or cardholder data?

   Confirm that all agents — including surge hires — complete mandatory HIPAA/PCI
   training and background checks before accessing sensitive systems.

3. How is data encrypted in transit and at rest?

   Require TLS 1.3+, AES-256 encryption, and tokenization for payment data.
   Ask for network diagrams and third-party penetration test results.

4. What physical and logical access controls are enforced?

   Biometric entry, role-based access, screen-lock policies, and full audit trails
   are non-negotiable.

5. How often are compliance audits performed — and by whom?

   Annual independent audits are the minimum standard; quarterly internal reviews
   represent best practice.

6. What is your incident response plan — and has it been tested?

   Request evidence of tabletop exercises and real-world breach simulations.

7. Do you carry adequate cyber liability insurance?

   Coverage should include client indemnification for breaches caused by vendor negligence.

8. How do you scale during peak periods without compromising compliance?

   Temporary and surge agents must receive the same training, certifications,
   and access restrictions as permanent staff.

9. Can you provide references from regulated clients?

   Speak directly with healthcare or financial services clients about their
   compliance experience.

10. What happens if a breach or non-compliance event occurs?

    Review BAAs and contracts for liability allocation, notification timelines,
    and remediation responsibilities.

Why Nearshore Often Outperforms Offshore on Compliance

LATAM nearshore providers benefit from structural advantages:

• Easier oversight with short flights for on-site audits
• Real-time collaboration and immediate escalation
• Cultural familiarity with U.S. regulatory expectations
• Stable legal environments aligned with U.S. standards in El Salvador and Colombia

SkyCom’s Approach: Compliance as Core, Not a Checkbox

At SkyCom, HIPAA and PCI compliance are foundational:

• 100% of agents complete annual certification training
• Quarterly third-party penetration testing and vulnerability scans
• End-to-end encryption and tokenization for sensitive data
• Dedicated compliance officers at every facility
• Proven surge scaling from 10 to 230+ agents with zero compliance incidents

Healthcare and financial services clients consistently tell us:
“SkyCom’s compliance rigor gives us peace of mind we never had offshore.”

Your Compliance Checklist

Don’t leave security to chance. Download our free HIPAA & PCI due diligence checklist
for nearshore BPO vendors — or schedule a no-obligation compliance review with our team.

Ready to outsource with confidence? Get your free quote →

SkyCom operates HIPAA- and PCI-compliant bilingual facilities in El Salvador, Colombia,
Belize, and Jamaica — trusted by leading U.S. healthcare providers and financial institutions.