Most of the healthcare providers in the United States of America are of the opinion that it is very important that the patients have a complete understanding of their medical bills and the services that they will receive against their health insurance. This ensures their retention as well as they have complete knowledge about what they are paying for and the relevant medical services that they are receiving in return.
In fact, about 45% of patients were of the opinion that the medical credentialing services used by the health providers matter a lot. According to the majority of the adult population of the United States of America, if the health provider is not able to provide them with a medical bill that is easy to understand and they do not know what their insurance is actually paying for then they will not be going back to the same health provider for further treatment.
One of the reasons behind this disconnect between patients and medical health providers because of the medical credentialing services was largely because of the conditions that were followed after the Covid-19.
The pandemic made a lot of people lose their jobs and come under financial crunch because of losing their health insurance- this made it next to impossible for the majority of people to pay their medical bills hence the trust issues.
It is very important for the medical health provider to assist the patients in understanding the medical bills and also help them in conceiving how to use the latest technology. These technologies have made life easier no doubt but patients do take time to understand the statements and the details of the insurances that cover their respective medical services.
Here are some ways by which patients can understand the medical credentialing services better and can also pay their respective bills easily. Let’s have a look:
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Text messaging:
Text messages are an easy and affordable way of communication between patients and medical health providers. The text messages can function with the help of EHR and can communicate with the patients regarding the cost of their medical bills.
Staff members are required which are fully aware of how the process works and they can assist the patients regarding their bill, and its procedures and process. The clinically trained staff also discusses the bill with the patients in an effective way.
For instance, if staff wants to know which labs test are still left to be conducted, they can send a reminder via text message, or if a certain screening or test is not going to be covered by the medical insurance then the patient should know beforehand so that they know their budget is going to get affected – all these things can easily be conveyed through text messages.
Interestingly, a recent healthcare news survey showed that about 20% of patients rely on the information they receive from their health providers in the form of text messages when the phone calls or personal visits are not possible.
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Reminders:
Appointment reminders work like magic especially if the medical health provider is using an EHR system. The appointment reminders help in communicating with the patient to inform them beforehand about their net appointment, their due payment, or any other necessary lab appointment.
This reminder gesture also improves the chances of health providers getting paid by the patient on time and being satisfied with the service.
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Upgradation of the patient statement:
It is a patient’s right to know which medical service is going to cost them how much and what part will be paid by the insurance. a patient must know the due date of their payment therefore clear and transparent medical billing statements are always beneficial which are supported by software systems. This leads to a lifelong relationship between the patient and the medical health provider.
A perfect and upgraded patient statement is the one which :
- Should be easy to be read and shall have a complete explanation of the medical bill at the first glance
- Should clearly show the amount which is covered by the insurance and which is still unpaid
- Should offer the patient several ways to make payments like online payments, credit card or debit cards, or any other kind of plan for payment
- Should provide contact details of the medical health practice such as the phone number etc.
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Multiple payment options:
One of the best ways to make payment practice more efficient is by giving multiple options of payment to the patient.
It is best to display all these options on the patient portal or at the front desk. They can also be published in newsletters, or sent to the patients through text messages or through statements.
Allow the patient to take their time to decide which method is most suitable for them to make payment.
Final Thought:
It is very important for a medical practice to have efficient communication with their patients in order to retain them for a long period of time. It always benefits the revenue cycle if the communication is up to the mark and patients have a clear understanding of the medical credentialing services used by the medical health provider. It helps the patient in having a better understanding of the medical bill that is being covered by the medical insurance and what will be paid by the patient himself.
