A successful patient engagement strategy requires effective implementation of patient account resolution tools and services that address the entire self-pay obligation pool. While digital tools have advanced self-service patient payment resolution, there continues to be a need for modernized call center services with compassionate human touches.
Running an efficient call center for patient payments is getting increasingly difficult. Labor shortages combined with multiple vendors to complete various stages of the patient payment process have led to lost revenue, workflow roadblocks and unsatisfactory patient experiences.
Labor shortages and achieving desired service levels
Currently, more than 9 in 10 revenue cycle leaders say they are experiencing a labor shortage in their RCM/billing department. That’s one reason health systems are facing major hurdles when it comes to managing call center staff in a cost-effective way while providing desirable levels of service.
Training and retaining staff, especially on disjointed systems, requires not only a large monetary investment, but also an investment of your time. The higher the staff turnover, the greater the loss of institutional knowledge, the larger the cost to train new or inexperienced staff members and the greater the erosion of a positive patient financial experience.
Service levels also suffer, leading to low patient satisfaction. Working with a single vendor that combines patient-payment technology with call center services can alleviate these pain points — all while cutting costs, unifying the patient payment approach and ultimately optimizing patient payments and net promoter scores (NPS). Here’s how.
Call centers are facing technology and process challenges
Many call centers today involve both in-house and outsourced vendors managing the patient financial journey, leading to a fragmented patient experience. Call center agents are often faced with data and system limitations and workforce challenges. Most concerning is that agents often lack the right tools to assess and provide guidance on compassionate payment options that make the most sense for the patient. These agents may even have conflicting financial incentives and motivations that distort outcomes for the health system and the patient.
With one unified patient payment partner, all agents and tools have the same available patient information early and upfront to help resolve issues faster, ultimately improving the patient experience. Plus, utilizing a partner helps reduce the technological burden of running an efficient call center.
Improve patient satisfaction and lower your cost to collect
It’s important now more than ever to meet patients where they are with flexible payment options. Cost to collect remains high as there are numerous steps and vendors involved in the collection process — from paper statement partners to staff handling over-the-phone collections, bad debt and early out partners, the list goes on. Partnering with a trusted, single vendor who provides a fixed payment model not only lowers overall cost but can also mitigate unanticipated rises in fees that ultimately diminish margins.
Moreover, a single vendor can provide consistent and effective servicing and patient education. By informing patients of their financial responsibility and offering them personalized, flexible payment options, health systems can increase the likelihood of payment and improve patient satisfaction and loyalty.
Overall, a single patient payment approach means a higher chance that the health system collects, higher satisfaction for the patient to pay the way they like and a decrease in bad debt.
A one-size-fits-all approach to patient engagement only decreases satisfaction, retention and collections. Consider various patient demographics and the way they may prefer to communicate and pay. When the same complex issue arises, two different patients may need and want a different way to resolve the situation.
A one-size-fits-all approach to patient engagement only decreases satisfaction, retention and collections. Consider various patient demographics and the way they may prefer to communicate and pay. When the same complex issue arises, two different patients may need and want a different way to resolve the situation.
The benefits of using a holistic patient payment partner
R1 Patient Resolution helps drive better outcomes as a single partner who can integrate both intuitive, self-service payment tools with compassionate and personalized early out services. We can help drive meaningful impact to your patient experience, financial outcomes, cost structure and digital engagement strategy. An integrated approach to the patient payment experience ensures patients understand and trust the consumer billing process, further cementing loyalty and increasing overall satisfaction.
Our call center managed services are comprised of 100% R1 employees, including both US and global teams that are highly interoperable, using the same technology, analytics and meeting cadences for a consistent operational approach. These managed services include pre-, middle- and post-service coverage.
We offer consistent training and QA processes for our call center services to continually drive quality service levels. Our agents utilize upgraded technology to deliver the best possible outcomes for the patient, including Interactive Voice Response, automated dialing technology and integrated systems that provide the same information for agents and on self-service platforms.
Whether digitally interacting with your health system via easy-to-use technology or compassionate managed services, your patients can expect the same optimal results with R1 Patient Resolution, helping to boost patient retention and net-new cash.
Learn more about using a single partner to integrate digital payments and call center services to drive better outcomes.
