Seven ways to promote online bill pay in your medical practice
These days, convenience is king, and patients want the ease of paying their medical bills online. This fact became glaringly obvious during the COVID-19 pandemic when one in five healthcare consumers say they began to rely more on contactless debit/credit cards, mobile wallets, and online portals as well as Zelle®, Venmo®, PayPal®, and similar online money transfer services. This digital payment trend isn’t surprising considering the vast majority of industries already use contactless payments.
Digital payments aren’t only good for patients—they benefit medical practices, too. For example, electronic invoices, click-to-pay, auto-pay:
Reduces administrative costs
However, just like any convenience you offer to patients, they’ll only use it when they know it exists, and they understand how it benefits them directly. Consider these seven ways to promote online bill pay in your medical practice:
1. Include a message on your mail-, email-, or text-based bill. In big, bold letters, let patients know they can save time and money—even help the environment—by paying their bill online. Provide easy-to-understand instructions for healthcare bill pay using an online method and who to call if they have questions
2. Announce it on your website. The homepage of your website should include visible information about how patients can pay healthcare bills online and why digital payments are often much more secure than traditional transactions. An eye-catching graphic is also helpful. You can also devote an FAQ to this question: ‘How do I pay my bill?’ Spell out each step in the process so there’s no guesswork along the way.
3. Promote it on social media. If your medical practice has a presence on social media, be sure to let followers know they can access online methods for healthcare bill pay. Post periodic reminders about the option for digital payments so patients don’t forget. This is also a great place to post testimonials about how easy it is to pay healthcare bills online and what patients like about this feature. Another idea? A short video tutorial explaining how to make digital payments. You could post statistics about how many of your patients use online bill pay to generate interest around the topic.
4. Use signage in your office. Post signs in the waiting area and in exam rooms letting patients know about the option to pay healthcare bills online. You may even include a QR code they can scan for more information about the process and how digital payments benefit patients.
5. Use email marketing. If your medical practice has a newsletter, considering devoting a portion of it to all of the conveniences your medical practice offers (e.g., online bill pay, free Wi-Fi, bottled water, or device charging stations). It’s all part of an effort to raise awareness of your desire to improve the patient experience, including the patient financial experience.
6. Leverage front desk staff. Ask front desk staff to remind patients of the option to pay online after they receive their medical bill. This is also a good time to hand out postcards about online bill pay along with the cards for their next scheduled appointment. Staff should be prepared to explain how the practice uses encryption and other methods to keep payment information safe and secure. Also be prepared for some patients to express concern and hesitation. Although the majority of patients will be open to digital payments, not everyone will feel comfortable, and that’s ok.
7. Offer a ‘card-on-file’ service. By safely storing credit card information, you can encourage online payments and reduce outstanding receivables. Amazon and other online retailers have used this technique to boost sales and generate revenue, and many medical practices do it as well.
Conclusion
Digital payments are the way of the future, and many patients already want the option for online bill pay. By leveraging technology, medical practices can easily give patients what they want while simultaneously reducing costs and streamlining cashflow. Learn how edgeMED can help and be sure to check the Healthy Snacks blog for more expert insights, best practices and industry trends.
