Everyone agrees that hospitals run best when they focus on patient care. But it can be difficult for hospitals to do that when budgets are tied up in unpaid medical bills. Poor credit control can damage a hospital’s efficiency and ultimately, it’s the patients who suffer.
So, how to keep hospitals solvent? It requires co-operation from patients who haven’t paid their bills, to plan together how the money will be paid. And the best way of gaining co-operation is to make your patients happy to pay. We’re going to tell you how to do that!
Working Together for a Financial Solution
Everyone’s circumstances are different, and a good health finance management company will understand that. Working together with the patient is vital, to understand their particular financial situation and developing a payment plan that meets everyone’s needs. Also vital is ensuring the patient understands the plan and what the next steps are – uncertainty causes anxiety and so clear, jargon-free plans can make all the difference.
Personal Contact, All the Time
Nothing works quite like the personal touch – if a patient is frustrated or worried, they don’t want to talk to an automated system, they want a real person who will understand what they’re saying and be able to help. That’s why the best finance companies have staffed helplines that are open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year – so there is always someone there to reach out to people in need.
Using Experts in the Field
Patients need to have the assurance that they’re dealing with someone who knows what they’re doing, someone who understands the healthcare revenue cycle. Again, the fear that the person they’re talking to doesn’t know the field can cause patients to become anxious and distrustful. Using people with years of experience in finance can help to reassure patients that their account is being dealt with efficiently and professionally.
Continuation of Care
Care doesn’t end when a patient leaves the hospital – they need to be treated with the same respect and patience that they would expect from a doctor. It’s important to remember that patients have been through life-changing experiences and need time to adjust after hospital spells. The most effective healthcare finance companies are the ones that understand how to treat patients and know how to reassure them that they are in good hands.
Putting Patients First
And the most effective way of doing all this? Simply putting the patient first. Creating business models that revolve around the patient and their needs. Looking at them as a whole person rather than just an account that needs to be dealt with. And making customer service a top priority so that the patient feels listened to and understood, as well as just managed. All these tips are great, but if you just make the patient the number one priority, then everything else will fall into place. And patients will be more than happy to work with you for a great solution!