Final answer:
An external customer in the context of healthcare is an entity that is not part of the internal operations of a healthcare facility. The third-party payer, such as an insurance company, fits this definition as they handle financial transactions for patient services and are not part of the hospital's staff or management.
Step-by-step explanation:
An external customer refers to an individual or entity that uses or is directly affected by the products and services of a business but is not part of the organization itself. In the context of healthcare, the options provided refer to various stakeholders within the healthcare ecosystem. To identify an external customer, we should look for an option that is not part of the internal operations or management of a healthcare facility. Among the options given:
a) A cath lab manager is typically part of the internal staff.
b) A hospital laboratory would be considered an internal department.
c) A third-party payer, such as an insurance company, pays for services on behalf of a beneficiary and is not part of the hospital's internal operations.
d) A risk management department is generally an internal department focused on minimizing risks within the organization.
Therefore, the correct answer is c) Third-party payers, as they represent an entity outside of the healthcare facility that interacts with the hospital in a business capacity, typically when dealing with financial transactions for patient services.