Which practices often use a specialized external agency for skip traces?

• A. Large practices that perform a large number of skip traces
• B. Small practices
• C. Practices with high patient turnover
• D. Practices without internet access

Answer: (A)

Skip tracing is locating a patient when current contact information has changed or is unavailable, so you can pursue payment. Specialized external agencies are used by large practices because the high volume of skip traces makes outsourcing cost-effective and efficient. These agencies bring broader data sources, experienced investigators, and proven processes, delivering faster and more consistent results while helping ensure privacy and compliance. Smaller practices often handle skip tracing in-house when the volume doesn’t justify outsourcing. The reason for outsourcing isn’t tied to patient turnover or internet access—the key factor is the workload: large practices benefit from the efficiency and scale of a specialized agency.