The patient experience starts long before they enter the exam room. Front-office staff who handle scheduling, registration and payment discussions set the tone for general information needs, satisfaction and ultimately, loyalty toward your practice.
When staff shortages or inexperienced staff cause rushed interactions or incomplete registrations, patients feel overlooked. Worse, lack of communication about what the patient will owe out-of-pocket could cause back-end collections to fall short. Studies show that patients are 20% to 30% less likely to pay after the visit compared to patients who pay their copay or some amount at point-of-service collections.
Transparent financial conversations at the front desk reduce patient anxiety, build trust and improve collections. Practices that prioritize this stage of the revenue cycle see higher satisfaction and fewer billing headaches.
Read the full article to learn more about improving the patient’s experience and other considerations that can affect your revenue cycle and the success of your practice.