It would be wonderful if all the patients at your Ambulatory Surgery Center paid their bills on time, but that’s not the reality. Each year, the need to send out payment reminders increases and more patients expect them as a part of the services your ASC provides. Facilities that aren’t gently reminding their patients about upcoming payments neglect a valuable tool in maintaining their ASC’s cash flow. They may also be letting their patients down, as more people every year rely on electronic reminders to keep them on track financially.
The Personal Touch
Today’s patients expect more from an ASC, including more personalized correspondence. Hectic lives mean patients may forget about a due date or put it off if a reminder isn’t in front of them. Many patients who receive a statement or invoice think to themselves, “This isn’t due for a few weeks. I’ll take care of it then.” Unfortunately, without a reminder, life gets in the way, and the payment is unintentionally forgotten. Periodic reminders nudge them to act and make the payment before the bill has to go to collections.
Patients who receive these reminders appreciate that the ASC lets them know about payments before they become a problem. Personalized payment reminders are an exceptional tool that assures patients they haven’t been forgotten. Sending ASC payment reminders in advance of their surgery gives patients the option to pay upfront, so they don’t have to stress about making payments during their recovery. With customizable software solutions, your ASC can make sure every patient is fully informed and gently reminded every step of the way.
It’s a Digital World
Paper billing is quickly becoming a thing of the past. Everything is digital, including invoicing, statements, and payments. Patients can schedule appointments online, fill out pre-admissions paperwork, and access customized educational materials online from many ASCs. Adding payment reminders is a natural progression.
Receiving a paper statement doesn’t cut it in a digital world. It is quickly lost, tossed in the trash, or forgotten. A paper statement also requires reading through the text, writing a check, and mailing it. The payment processing takes time and costs money. If there is a website address for payment, the patient still must remember to log in to their computer and find the payment site when they have time.
Quicker Response Time
A digital invoice with a link to online payments is more likely to be paid on the spot. Once someone opens a digital payment reminder, they can click on a link and take care of the payment in just a few seconds. It also gives patients more time to plan ahead because they receive their invoice or reminder in real-time. No more waiting for a paper invoice or statement that takes time to process, time to receive, and time to pay. With digital payment reminders, there’s never a worry about something getting lost in the mail.
How many times have you let the snail mail pile up on a desk or table, thinking, “I’ll take a look at those this weekend.” There is a greater sense of urgency with digital communications. Text messages have an open rate of over 95%, and most text messages are read within three minutes of receipt. For patients, a text message or email payment reminder will be in front of them and read within minutes of receipt.
The Next Generation of ASC Patients
Ambulatory Surgery Centers are increasingly popular with younger patients because they are more efficient and less expensive than a hospital stay. These patients also perceive ASCs as more modern, using the latest technologies. Electronic payment reminders confirm that an ASC is leading the way in offering improved service and proactive payment options. Knowing what they owe ahead of time and having the time to pay in advance or budget properly for payments are powerful driving forces for patients considering ASCs.
The younger generation is both active and aging. They increasingly turn to ASCs for outpatient procedures for sports injuries as well as arthritis and other issues. Paper payment reminders are seen as archaic to these potential patients, who overwhelmingly pay their bills online and opt for electronic statements. By providing electronic notifications and periodic payment reminders, your ASC provides the service the next generation has come to expect.
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