How to Leverage Consumerism to Stand Out in Healthcare

Consumerism doesn’t have to be a pain point in medical revenue cycle management. Sure, the changes to the payment collection process impact collections strategies. But there’s a chance for nimble practices to adapt and end up in great shape. Last week we detailed how HDHPs could actually help some providers, and the same thought process applies to consumerism as a whole.

In an era of increased patient choice, it’s even more essential than ever before to stand out from the crowd. Fortunately, there are a number of strategies you can embrace that can set you apart and give you an edge over your competitors. These are some of the ways that can happen.

Personalize for your customers

Due to innovations in technology and data in healthcare, you’re able to offer a more tailored approach to healthcare than ever before. Giving consumers options with how to pay, or when to receive notifications and other correspondence, can curry favor and help you stand out from your competitors as an option of prime convenience.

Be more useful

To win at ease of use, you must choose a patient payment collections technology that’s intuitive, user-friendly and reliable. If the technology is easy enough to pick up for a first-time user, it’ll be a simpler path to patient buy-in for using the new technologies. We’ve seen practices with check-in kiosks get a consumer opt-in of 90+% of users, simply because it’s easier way to check in for a visit than pre-existing, manual methods.

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Integrate technology

Having a visible online presence, which may include an easy-to-use website that’s optimized for mobile, a blog, social media accounts that interact with consumers, and more, can help you be found and win consumer trust. At the point of service, consumers are wowed by (and willing to embrace) check-in technology that allows them to skip the face-to-face interaction of checking in. It also can free your staff from needing to verify insurance, issue an explanation of benefits, and other administrative time-sucks.

Build consumer loyalty

There’s a lot that goes into this, from even before someone walks through the door until a customer receives a bill. Your practice must think of the consumer as a shopper with options, and accommodate patient desires. In terms of collecting consumer payments, the three essentials to winning over patients are transparency, convenience and confidence. If you’re consistent, helpful, seamless and easier to use than other practices, you’ll be a preferred provider for the more experienced or savvier patient, and gain the trust of new patients as they become familiar with your simple protocol.

Let us know what you’re doing differently in the modern era of patient consumerism! Leave a comment below, or contact us to send a message or discuss how we could partner with you to increase your collections of the patient yield.