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Written by Andrew Neal on May 22, 2023

How Healthcare Providers Can Adapt to Changing Patient Communication Preferences

With rising expectations for seamless, convenient, and personalized interactions, healthcare providers need to consider adapting to the changing needs of their patients. Let’s examine the key findings from the 2023 Trends in Patient Payment Communications Report and explore how providers can evolve their services to enhance the patient financial experience.

The report highlights several important patient preferences that healthcare providers should consider:

  • Growing demand for digital billing communications: 63% of patients prefer to receive digital notifications when it comes to statement delivery and balance reminders.

  • Popularity of various digital payment options: Digital payment options like PayPal, Venmo, Text-to-Pay, and digital wallets continue to rise in popularity, particularly among younger generations.

  • Importance of a provider’s billing and communication efforts: 52% of patients would recommend their provider based on their billing communication efforts.

Adapting to Changing Patient Needs

Providers looking to stay ahead of the curve must adapt to the shifting preferences of their patients. By understanding and addressing the unique needs and expectations of the modern patient, providers can create a more personalized experience.

To meet patients where their expectations and preferences intersect, healthcare providers should focus on implementing the following strategies:

  • Implement patient-centric online bill pay platforms: By offering custom-branded online bill pay solutions, providers can enable patients to make one-time payments or set up recurring payment plans on outstanding balances. This not only supports self-service payments, but also allows patients to manage their financial communication preferences with their provider.

  • Customize digital notifications and communication channels: As 51% of patients say receiving a payment reminder via text message would cause them to pay their bill more quickly, providers should ensure they offer a range of digital communication options to cater to individual patient preferences.

  • Offer multiple payment options to cater to diverse patient preferences: By providing a variety of different payment options, including third-party financing from healthcare-specific lenders, providers can engage patients with the payment types they prefer.

Enhancing Patient Engagement and Satisfaction

A positive patient financial experience goes hand in hand with high levels of patient engagement and satisfaction. By actively engaging patients in their healthcare journey and providing them with convenient, user-friendly tools, providers can foster a stronger connection and build long-lasting relationships.

Healthcare providers can use the following tools and strategies to improve patient engagement and satisfaction:

  • Leverage advanced patient engagement tools: Providers can utilize text alerts for new balances, payment reminders, and even offer the ability to make payments directly through a text message with a saved card on file.

  • Utilize data analytics to optimize the payment process: By analyzing patient payment collection performance, providers can gain insights to optimize their billing processes and improve overall patient satisfaction.

  • Ensure a seamless and secure payment experience: By integrating with EHRs, Patient Accounting Systems, or workflow tools, providers can streamline the payment process and ensure a frictionless experience for patients.

How Salucro Transforms the Patient Experience

Salucro’s innovative payment solutions are designed to address the changing preferences of patients and improve the patient experience. From patient-centric online bill pay platforms to advanced patient engagement tools, Salucro offers a comprehensive payment solution that caters to the evolving needs of healthcare providers and their patients.

Adapting to the evolving needs of patients is crucial for healthcare providers looking to thrive in today’s competitive market. By embracing digital innovations and focusing on patient preferences, providers can not only enhance the patient experience but also improve patient satisfaction and loyalty.

Download our 2023 Trends in Patient Payment Communications Report today to stay ahead of the competition.

Looking for a partner to help your practice enable a new, integrated digital payment experience?

Reach out to our team today to make 2024 your most effective year yet.

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