The pandemic accelerated many businesses' efforts to adopt digital payment methods, and consumer attitudes indicate they will continue to prefer these payment options long after social distancing subsides. According to the team at Rectangle Health, dental practices should implement digital technology to increase operational efficiency and enhance the patient experience.
During an Oct. 19 webinar hosted by Becker's Hospital Review and sponsored by Rectangle Health, three industry leaders discussed how digital payment systems ensure convenience for both providers and patients.
The speakers were:
- Brian Doyle, Senior Director of Enterprise Sales at Rectangle Health
- Christian Drbal, Director of Enterprise Sales at Rectangle Health
- Michelle Dowling, Senior Director of Marketing at Rectangle Health
The speakers discussed five strategies that dental practices should adopt when implementing digital payment solutions:
- Unify all types of payment. Rectangle Health offers a centralized platform that consolidates everything having to do with patient payments into one place to ensure efficiency for dental staff who manage billing. This reduces friction and increases patient satisfaction by offering various ways for patients to pay.
- “Consumerize” your payment system. Patients consider and assess how easy it is to communicate with practices and pay their bills. Dental providers should look to accommodate patient' expectations and preferences, recognizing patients want to pay for care the same way they pay for retail goods, according to Mr. Drbal.
- Establish a seamless flow within existing patient billing or accounting systems. Ensuring a convenient administrative experience leads to a better provider-patient relationship. The less time a practice spends chasing payments, the more time providers can focus on providing quality care.
- Adopt scalable digital payment solution. Digital payment technology companies such as Rectangle Health allow a dental practice to build customized systems that fit the specific needs of its business and patients. Mr. Doyle said this means more patients will be able to start using seamless payment options, regardless of the size of the dental practice they visit.
- Engage patients. Ms. Dowling said 64 percent of consumers are more likely to view a business in a positive light if it has communicated with them via text. Patients who are satisfied with a dental practice's payment system are more likely to pay. They appreciate options that make payment easier, so tools like text to pay and self-service online capabilities are important ways for patients to interact with the practice safely, easily, and conveniently.
To learn more about Rectangle Health, click here.