Mostly, patients want to make their healthcare payments on time. However, these payments often arrive later than their due date. Often patients may not make their payments until they have moved on to collections, leading to additional fees for the practice. However, what must be the reason behind this struggle? Let us take a closer look.

Practices are often weighed down and held back by outdated billing and collection practices. For providers looking to get more patients paying their bills on time, it might be time to update those practices. It’s about time we brought them in line with the patients’ expectations. Not upgrading your billing practices may lead to overdue bills, lagging revenue cycles and a fickle cash flow.

When attempting to figure out how to improve collections, here are 3 things all providers should reconsider.

      1. Sending Invoices by Mail

The term “snail mail” exists for a reason. Paper invoices sent over traditional mail via the postal service is not the best or most efficient way to remind patients to make their payments. For providers still using this method, late payments can be blamed on a variety of factors, such as delivery delays, misplaced bills or something as simple as being unable to find the right stamp.

Most of us have come to rely on our smart devices like phones, tablets and computers as well as tools such as automated invoice processing for the purpose of optimizing and accessing important information and bill payments.  This expectation extends to what clients expect from their healthcare services. Receiving reminders for bill payments via text or email is a far more reliable option. Furthermore, consider easier, online payment options over the traditional avenues. This way you can facilitate your clients to make, secure payments over the internet and quickly receive digital invoice without worrying about any paperwork.

2. Sending Payment Reminders

Reminding patients to make their payments, while it may seem obvious, is often the best way to go about things. Scheduling these appointments over digital channels is the best way to do so, though it would set the expectation that payment options are also offered on digital channels. Which would make even more sense over the long run, as these routes are more efficient than older methods.

These reminders need to be sent in a timely fashion, to ensure patients receive them on time. These reminders, combined with digital payment options will only improve days in A/R while increasing the chances of your practice getting paid on time.

3. The Convenience of Payment Options

Often the best way to get paid promptly is to offer patients convenience. The greater the convenience of these payment options, the higher the chance that patients will make their payments on time.

Payment processes that take longer or involve more steps will greatly reduce the chances of receiving payments on time. Online payments are far more convenient than traditional payment methods. With just a few clicks, patients can make their payments easily and on time.