Patient Experience

Outdated scheduling systems, endless phone calls and clunky user digital interfaces cause friction – for both patients and staff. The result? Frustrated patients, no-shows, unused appointment time slots and a hit to bottom lines. Patients want to see their provider quickly, and they don't want to jump through hoops to make an appointment. Online patient scheduling software may be the solution. In Experian Health's 2024 State of Patient Access survey, nearly 8 in 10 patients who reported being unhappy with their provider experience blamed waiting for an appointment as a top frustration. And 89% of patients said they want to schedule their appointments online or using a mobile device. Unsurprisingly, 61% of patients would consider switching to a healthcare provider that offers a patient portal or a digital front door. Now, 63% of providers report offering self-scheduling tools and another 16% plan to implement online patient scheduling in the next six months. But getting patients to use them is still a challenge. With online patient scheduling software, patients get the 24/7 access they crave, and healthcare organizations benefit from increased patient volume, improved staff efficiencies and revenue growth. Understanding online patient scheduling software To enable online patient self-scheduling, organizations need a platform that translates a provider's scheduling rules into an intuitive experience, guiding patients to the appropriate provider and appointment while keeping the provider in control of their calendar. This is achieved with Experian Health's Patient Schedule solution, through decision support and automated business rules that uphold best practices, regardless of how the appointment is booked. The platform then digitizes the scheduling workflow, handles various scheduling scenarios, and includes necessary pre-registration information for the right appointment. It streamlines the process, ensuring patients can easily communicate their needs and be routed to the correct provider. Providers can automate their scheduling protocols, ensuring patients only see available options. Online patient scheduling software puts patients in charge of managing appointments—on their own time. Tools like Patient Schedule integrate with practice systems, making it easy to coordinate care seamlessly. The software is customizable to an organization's scheduling rules, so patients only see the calendars and appointment types providers want them to see. New and returning patients can access systems in real time and find the appointment slots and providers they need easily. Patients can book, reschedule and cancel appointments, making no-shows less likely. Physician time is used wisely, schedule gaps are lessened and staff no longer has to waste valuable time confirming appointments. Instead, text messages, with their 98% open rate, facilitate fast and direct patient communication. Benefits of patient schedule software to hospitals More than 62% of healthcare workers consider patient scheduling to be one of the areas hit hardest by staff shortages. However, when patients have convenient, 24/7 access to patient scheduling software, it eases the burden on overburdened call center staff, administrative resources and operational costs. Patient scheduling software boosts retention of existing patients and makes it easier to acquire new patients. On average, providers using Experian Health's scheduling solution see 32% more patients per month, reduce scheduling time by 50% and enjoy an 89% patient show rate. Key features to look for in online patient scheduling software Patient scheduling software features should facilitate convenient and flexible patient scheduling while increasing care access, streamlining staff productivity and boosting operational efficiency. Here's a breakdown of key features to consider in online patient scheduling software. 1. User-friendly interface Old habits are hard to break. Experian Health data reports that more than half of providers (55%) find getting patients to use digital services to be one of their greatest challenges. Why? Some research indicates that 89% of patients are reluctant to use an online scheduler because they're either not aware of the service or feel they don’t have the computer skills to use it. Easy-to-use online scheduling is common for everyday tasks like booking dinner reservations. However, in healthcare, that's not always the case. Patients struggle to use slow systems and hard-to-navigate interfaces. To encourage widespread adoption, online patient scheduling software needs to be simple to set up, deploy, and use—for providers and patients. Tools like Patient Schedule easily automate scheduling workflows, allowing providers to define appointment criteria and sync with existing calendars. A platform with no login required, unique patient identification and mobile access makes it easy—and secure—for patients to find providers and schedule appointments. 2. Appointment reminders Relying on appointment reminder phone calls can drain your staff and the bottom line. Patients might miss calls, forget to return messages, lose reminder cards or forget about their appointments entirely. This leads to no-shows, time wasted on rescheduling and juggling physician calendars, decreased patient outcomes and reduced revenue. Automating appointment reminders by text or IVR with Patient Schedule makes it simple to send patients updates, confirm appointments, and maximize staff and physician time. Patients can book, reschedule, or cancel appointments in real time—even after business hours. When patients are in charge of their own schedule, no-shows decrease, and revenue goes up, not to mention improved patient outcomes and satisfaction. 3. Integration capabilities Seamless integration is key. Online patient scheduling software works best when it dovetails with practice management systems, electronic medical record (EMR) platforms and other operational technology. This ensures efficient scheduling, fewer gaps in physician schedules and the ability for providers and practice management to communicate effectively with patients throughout the entire patient journey. With the appropriate integration, patients are in control of their scheduling. Status updates are communicated in real time over text when a patient books, reschedules or cancels online – keeping everyone in the know. Patient Schedule's template rules allow providers to optimize their calendars to ensure patients schedule into the right time slots. Practice managers benefit from coordinated workflows and a holistic view of the entire schedule, making it easier to identify gaps. 4. Customization options There's no one-size-fits-all approach to online patient scheduling software. Whether integrating self-schedule into an existing online system or starting from scratch, the software solution should be tailored to every organization's requirements, goals and budget. When selecting a partner, it's important to consider the organization's needs carefully. What's the scope of use? Is it a small practice or a large hospital network? What existing systems will the online patient scheduling software need to integrate with? Is the online patient scheduling software replacing a large call center or a small support staff? For best results, look for flexible solutions that allow room to scale while accommodating changing healthcare environments and privacy needs. Factors to consider when choosing a solution To ensure a successful implementation of an online patient scheduling software solution, consider these additional factors: Accessibility features Staff training and onboarding requirements HIPAA compliance Privacy protection features Time to launch Cost to implement Ongoing technical support Case studies: Successful implementation stories Curious how Experian Health's Patient Schedule solution benefits healthcare organizations? Here's what two clients had to say: In practice: When Indiana University (IU) Health implemented Patient Schedule, they found that “the platform is very new patient-focused with new patients accounting for over 59% of Self Scheduling bookings.” Of those bookings, they saw an 87% show rate and found “around 64% of our patients self-scheduled during non-business hours.” Watch the webinar: See how IU Health used self-scheduling to manage increasing patient volumes with less staff – and gain insights on using digital scheduling to scale operations. In practice: CareMount Medical, a patient-centered organization, implemented online patient scheduling as part of a 24/7 access initiative, enabling real-time scheduling access across all of their providers and specialties. Read the case study: See how CareMount Medical used Patient Schedule to make it easier for patients to get in to see their provider, improve patient satisfaction and boost financial visibility. By adopting online patient scheduling, healthcare providers can streamline operations, improve patient satisfaction and deliver high-quality care. This solution speeds up staff training, streamlines scheduling time, improves patient no-show rates and increases patient volumes and retention. Ready to make the move to online patient scheduling? Contact Experian Health to get started. Learn more Contact us

Patients expect clear information about their insurance coverage when they visit their healthcare provider, but too many leave feeling confused and financially underprepared. Experian Health's State of Patient Access 2024 survey reveals that 56% of patients struggle to make sense of their insurance coverage without provider assistance, while 61% say improving coverage explanations is the most urgent challenge in patient access. For providers, the financial fallout from missed insurance eligibility checks is even more pressing, with 15% of providers citing eligibility issues as one of their top three reasons for denials. Accurate eligibility checks are crucial to keep the revenue cycle on track. This article highlights common challenges and current best practices for improving eligibility verification. Could automated insurance eligibility checks give patients and providers the financial clarity they're looking for? What are insurance eligibility checks? Insurance eligibility checks are carried out pre-service to confirm that a patient has active insurance that will cover their planned treatment and care. Verifying insurance status, coverage details and benefits in advance ensures that the proper claims and bills are sent to the right recipient. Patients and providers get early warnings of coverage limitations and potential out-of-pocket costs, which helps patients access care without any financial surprises. Without these checks, healthcare organizations may deliver services to patients without active coverage — and with no clear path to payment. Therefore, a reliable eligibility verification process is essential to minimize the claim denials, rework and billing errors that often stem from inaccurate insurance information. How do insurance eligibility checks impact revenue cycle management? In the healthcare revenue cycle—which revolves around who pays, when and how—insurance eligibility checks are a first line of defense against revenue leakage. They're a proactive step toward establishing smooth claims and collections processes so no dollar goes uncollected or is lost to avoidable admin overhead. Prioritizing robust eligibility verification systems, as patient survey respondents advocate, is not just an operational necessity; it's a strategic safeguard against slow payments, patient dissatisfaction and financial instability. The insurance eligibility check process The eligibility verification process typically begins by confirming the patient's contact information to match their insurance card and electronic health record details. Staff then initiate an eligibility request to confirm active coverage. Once confirmed, they check that the plan covers proposed services, including any pre-authorization requirements, and review coverage limits to ensure the patient hasn't exceeded annual or lifetime caps. If applicable, providers also cross-check for Medicare eligibility using the Medicare Beneficiary Identifier (MBI) to identify any additional coverage. Common challenges with insurance eligibility checks Findings from Experian Health's State of Patient Access and State of Claims surveys illustrate the extent of the eligibility challenge, pointing to three main areas for improvement: Outdated or incomplete insurance information Sometimes, the insurance details in the provider's system don't match the payer's record. Patients may change jobs, switch insurance plans, or have secondary coverage they didn't know about or forgot to mention. If these changes aren't caught up front, it can lead to claim rejections and billing delays. Besides the obvious problem of lost revenue, this challenge incurs extra work: 43% of providers report that incomplete checks add at least 10 minutes per eligibility check. Changing payer policies and pre-authorization requirements Keeping up with each insurance provider's prior authorization requirements is challenging, especially if the patient's treatment is urgent. Missing a necessary authorization can lead to a denial, delayed payment and extra work. More than three-quarters of providers say payer policy changes are increasing, but only 10% are using automated tracking as part of their denial management strategy. Is there an opportunity to automate prior authorizations and eligibility verification to tackle denials? Inadequate tools to verify eligibility More than 7 in 10 providers say their organization runs eligibility checks quickly and accurately, but significantly fewer think their revenue cycle management technology is as good as it could be. 59% of providers are using at least two different solutions to collect all the necessary patient info for a claim submission. Tool overload is a real problem, as staff must wrestle with different platforms, processes and logins to get the eligibility information they need. Best practices for effective insurance eligibility checks  To tackle these challenges, providers can use automation to streamline their verification workflows. Some key practices for more reliable and efficient insurance eligibility checks include: Automate real-time eligibility checks for faster, more precise verification: For example, Eligibility Verification automatically verifies insurance coverage and plan-specific benefits information before and at the time of service. This not only speeds up registration, but also catches any potential coverage gaps before services are provided. Automation also helps minimize manual work and reduces the risk of human errors that can lead to claim denials. Track payer policy changes automatically: Insurance verification software helps providers keep up with ever-changing payer requirements. Eligibility Verification connects to more than 900 payers with advanced search, to maximize the likelihood of matching patient information. This can be used alongside Experian Health's automated pre-authorization tool, which dynamically updates national payer prior authorization requirements and flags when something is missing. Give patients upfront, automated price estimates: More than 80% of patients say upfront pricing estimates help them prepare for costs. Automating eligibility checks and patient payment estimates help patients understand their coverage, co-pays and deductibles, so they know what to expect when their bill arrives. This improves transparency, boosts patient satisfaction and accelerates collections. Implementing these best practices helps ensure smooth claim submissions and reduces denials due to eligibility issues, ultimately supporting a healthier revenue cycle. Case study: How Providence Health found $30M in coverage and reduced denial rates with automated eligibility checks Within just five months of implementing Eligibility Verification, Providence Health had saved $18 million in potential denials. Read the case study to see how automated insurance eligibility checks reduced denials, increased staff productivity and boosted patient satisfaction. How Experian Health can help healthcare organizations improve eligibility checks While healthcare affordability remains a pressing concern for patients and providers, quickly and accurately verifying insurance eligibility will remain among the top priorities for both groups. Experian Health aims to simplify the process with automated Eligibility Verification. In addition to reducing payment delays and denials, its streamlined workflows support higher patient volumes, especially as patients have more complex insurance arrangements and take on greater financial responsibility. One significant advantage is the ability to provide extra support for the growing number of patients who may be eligible for Medicare. Medicare eligibility checks can be complicated, particularly if patients don't know which component they qualify for. Eligibility Verification includes an optional MBI lookup service to find and validate the patient's MBI number without requiring a manual search. Find out more about how automating insurance eligibility checks verifies coverage quickly and accurately — giving patients and providers early clarity about how the cost of care will be covered. Learn more Contact us

Flu season is rapidly approaching, which means healthcare providers must ramp up their preparedness efforts. What can they do to ensure they're ready to meet the seasonal surge in demand? Recent data from the southern hemisphere, often a forecast of what's to come in the US, suggests that this year's flu season will likely be similar to last year. The CDC warns that while “we cannot predict what will happen in the United States this upcoming season, we know that flu has the potential to cause significant illness, hospitalizations and deaths.” With hundreds of thousands of people hospitalized each year, providers must find ways to prepare for rising patient volumes and manage the risk of infection among patients and staff to keep services running smoothly. Making it as easy as possible for patients to book and attend vaccination appointments will be critical. Digital patient access will be the key to streamlining patient care. Using digital tools to prepare for flu season 2024-25 As services face increasing pressure, digital and automated tools can help healthcare providers prepare for flu season by easing staff burdens. More patients mean more appointments to schedule, more registration forms to fill out and more people in waiting rooms. Opening the digital front door helps manage high volumes by allowing patients to complete more access tasks online and prevent bottlenecks. Here are three strategies to implement to support staff and patients through a challenging season: 1. Manage infection risk with online self-scheduling An online patient scheduling platform has two clear benefits – it relieves pressure on staff during busy times and gives providers control over patient flow. Fewer calls need to be made by call center agents. No-shows are less likely because patients can book, reschedule and cancel appointments, and receive automated reminders, which makes the best use of physicians' time. Online scheduling also plays a part in infection control as providers can incorporate screening protocols to identify patients with symptoms of COVID-19 or flu, and manage their onward care pathway appropriately. Empowering consumers to take control of their healthcare with a patient scheduling system might encourage vaccine registrations, which could help reduce the burden on health services when staffing shortages remain stubbornly high. What's more, patients now expect the flexibility and convenience of scheduling appointments at a time and place that suits them. Experian Health's 2024 State of Patient Access survey found that six in ten patients want more digital tools to manage their healthcare. This indicates a growing demand for easy, simple and transparent processes. Watch the webinar: See how IU Health used self-scheduling to manage increasing patient volumes with less staff – and gain insights on using digital scheduling to scale operations beyond flu season. 2. Offer mobile registration to manage demand Should patient volumes increase, patient access staff will be under even more pressure than usual. Anything that can reduce the administrative burden will be a win. Experian Health's Registration Accelerator allows patients to complete intake forms and insurance checks through their mobile devices before stepping through the door. Their details can be pre-filled automatically, reducing the risk of error. This creates a quicker, more efficient patient registration experience that minimizes issues for staff to resolve. Mobile-enabled registration is also far more appealing for patients, who'd rather complete registration from the comfort of home than sit in a waiting room filling out lengthy forms. Plus, it reduces in-person interactions, thus minimizing exposure to infection among staff and patients. Given that 89% of patients say digital or paperless pre-registration is important to them, providers that offer online patient intake solutions will have a clear advantage in attracting potential new customers during times of high demand. In practice: See how West Tennessee Healthcare replaced clipboards with clicks with Registration Accelerator. 3. Reduce no-shows and increase engagement with automated patient outreach Providers must communicate proactively with patients to keep them in the loop as the situation evolves. With an open rate of 98%, text messages are a direct and convenient way to communicate quickly with patients. Automated patient outreach can increase vaccination rates by notifying patients about flu shot availability and offering a direct link to schedule an appointment. Automated reminders reduce no-show rates and help ensure no slot goes unused as patient volumes increase. Messages can also include tailored instructions for specific at-risk groups to emphasize the importance of timely vaccination and provide directions. This approach helps manage patient flow, increase patient satisfaction and ensure providers are prepared for the seasonal surge. Contact Experian Health today to learn how digital patient access solutions can help healthcare providers prepare for flu season in 2024. Learn more Contact us

According to a new report by the American Hospital Association, administrative costs now make up over 40% of total hospital expenses. Hospitals and health systems spend around $40 billion annually on billing and collections alone. For revenue cycle managers, the pressure is building as administrative tasks like insurance eligibility verification, claims management and payment processing overwhelm their teams and drain budgets. However, a sizeable chunk of these costs—perhaps as much as $18.3 billion—could remain in hospitals' hands if certain administrative tasks were automated. Automating key revenue cycle management (RCM) workflows improves efficiency, accuracy and cash flow, while easing staff stress and expediting patient care. Could it be the secret weapon to alleviating administrative burdens? This article looks at the issues in further detail, and explores 5 use cases that show how automation can reduce administrative costs in healthcare. Understanding administrative costs in healthcare Spending on healthcare administration in the U.S. has risen from $654 per person in 2013 to $925 in 2021. Administrative costs cover the resources needed to manage the non-clinical aspects of care. These resource requirements are immense in a complex system with multiple payers, fragmented data systems and growing regulatory demands. Add persistent staffing shortages and increasing patient volumes to the mix, and it's easy to see how costs spiral out of control – especially when relying on inefficient systems. The billions of dollars and hours of staff time consumed by administrative tasks make it clear that resources are not being used most effectively. This is where automation can make a difference. The role of automation in healthcare Automation reduces human errors, speeds up workflows and accelerates cash flow. It frees up time, money and headspace to optimize services and improve patient experiences. It's no wonder it's gaining traction in revenue cycle management. However, many providers are not fully capitalizing on automation's potential: Experian Health's latest State of Claims 2024 report shows that fewer healthcare administrators feel their organization's technology is sufficient to meet RCM demands compared to two years ago. How can they tap into the benefits of automation to reduce administrative costs? Benefits of automation and how it can reduce administrative costs in healthcare Automating healthcare administration is about doing more – and better – with less. Some of the benefits include: Fewer errors in billing, coding and claims management. Fewer mistakes mean fewer denials, which translates to faster payments and less rework. Reducing time to get paid, as automated processes speed up claim submissions, insurance verification and payment collections. Cash flow improves and staff spend less time chasing payments. Alleviating staffing shortages, as automation takes care of repetitive tasks like data entry, payment reminders and reporting. Management can reduce the burden on overworked staff and curb training costs, while teams can focus on “value-added” work. Improving efficiency in every corner of the revenue cycle. Automating routine tasks makes the entire billing and revenue cycle process more efficient, allowing teams to handle more work in less time without increasing headcount. Happier patients (and a better-looking bottom line). Automation makes it easier for patients to understand their bills, set up payment plans and pay their balances online. Satisfied patients are more likely to pay on time, reducing the cost of chasing overdue payments. Implementing automation in healthcare When it comes to reducing administrative costs, selecting the right parts of the workflow to automate is key. Here are five possible use cases to consider: 1. Streamline insurance eligibility checks “Checking if my insurance was accepted was a fast and friendly process. The staff even helped clarify which insurance was the right one for me since I had multiple cards.” This is what one patient at Providence Health said, after the health system switched to automated insurance eligibility verification. Insurance Eligibility Verification connects to over 900 payers and automatically checks patients' coverage and plan-specific benefits information in real-time. This reduces the manual effort required by staff and prevents the delays and denials that lead to additional administrative costs. As the patient notes, it means patients get early clarity about how their care will be funded, so there are no surprises later. Read the case study: How Providence Health found $30M in coverage and reduced denials with automated eligibility checks. 2. Automate claims submission More than half of healthcare administrators say that claims errors are increasing. A quick win would be to use automation to pre-fill patient data and avoid the inconsistencies and typos that occur with manual input. A more significant gain could come from combining multiple automations to populate, check and track claims submissions. Tools like ClaimSource® can automate the entire claims cycle in a single application. Indiana University Health (IU) utilized ClaimSource to process $632 million in claims transmissions in just one week, after a halt to their operations. Summit Medical Group paired Claim Scrubber with Enhanced Claims Status to improve claims submission. Claim Scrubber ensures all claims are complete and accurate before being sent to the payer, and generates alerts so staff can intervene quickly if an error pops up. Enhanced Claim Status automatically pings payers for status requests so staff can spend less time seeking updates and accelerate follow-up activities. With this approach, Summit boosted their first-time pass-through rate to 92% and reduced accounts receivable days by 15%. Experian Health was client-rated #1 by Black Book™ ’24 in Denial & Claims Management Outsourcing, Health Systems. Learn more 3. Improve denial management Denials remain one of the biggest pain points for providers. Payers are miles ahead in their use of automation and artificial intelligence (AI), using sophisticated machine learning tools to process and deny claims at scale. Experian Health's flagship AI-powered denial management solution, AI AdvantageTM, can help close the gap. This tool “learns” from an organization's historical claims data and trends in payer behavior to predict the probability of denial. It also identifies and segments denials so staff can prioritize those with the highest chance of being reimbursed, reducing the time and cost of manual appeals and rework. 4. Accelerate patient payments On the patient side, automation can be deployed to send patients reminders about outstanding balances, set up payment plans and process payments quickly and securely. Simplifying patient billing makes it easier for patients to pay, which increases collections rates while reducing the need for follow-up calls. Read more: 5 ways patient payment software improves patient satisfaction 5. Generate better financial reports Another smart use case for automation is generating real-time revenue cycle performance reports. With advanced data and analytics, staff no longer need to spend hours compiling information, while managers get faster, reliable information to inform strategic decisions. Experian Health's healthcare data analytics turns raw data into business-ready information to find potential sources of revenue leakage and boost financial performance. The future of healthcare automation Automation is already helping reduce administrative costs in healthcare by relieving staff of the tedious, time-consuming, repetitive tasks that drain time and money. However, many still rely on old data systems that don't work well together, leaving revenue opportunities slipping between the cracks. Choosing solutions that improve integration and interoperability will continue improving data-sharing between platforms and services, further reducing errors and delays. Looking ahead, automation and AI will play an increasingly major role in handling complex tasks in revenue cycle management. RCM leaders will find even more opportunities to minimize manual intervention and lower administrative overheads as these tools evolve. Learn more about how Experian Health's automated Revenue Cycle Management solutions help reduce administrative costs in healthcare and create more resilient revenue cycles. Learn more Contact us

Could healthcare organizations be doing more to open their digital front door? According to a 2024 study by HIMSS researchers, hospitals that embrace digital technology see stronger patient experience outcomes. This aligns with Experian Health's most recent State of Patient Access (SOPA) survey, in which patients and providers agreed that patient access had improved thanks to digital technology. Adoption of digital health technology accelerated in response to COVID-19, as healthcare organizations sought to manage demand and facilitate “contactless” access to care. Telehealth, mobile apps and patient portals gave patients more control over their health while allowing providers to deliver more personalized and efficient care. With over half of healthcare providers and nearly a third of patients acknowledging improvements in access since before the pandemic, it's clear that offering more digital options is a powerful strategy to improve patient engagement and streamline access. Progress is encouraging, but there are always opportunities to do more. What is healthcare's digital front door? Healthcare's “digital front door” includes all the digital channels through which patients access care, such as websites, patient portals, mobile registration and payment apps, telehealth platforms and online scheduling tools. The goals are to create convenient and user-friendly entry points for patients to engage with their providers, use online tools to expand access, improve patient satisfaction, and increase operational efficiency. Why a digital front door is crucial for healthcare providers When asked why they believe patient access has improved since before the pandemic, the top four reasons given by patients all relate to scheduling and registration processes: Being able to see a doctor quickly (72% agreed) Checking in and registration (61% agreed) Scheduling appointments (58% agreed) Finding appointments that work with their schedule (57% agreed). In other words, patient access improves when providers open the digital front door. Alex Harwitz, VP, Digital Front Door, at Experian Health, explains that for providers, this equates to two major benefits: 1. Improves patient engagement Harwitz says that putting access in the hands of patients gives patients more flexibility and choice about how and when they book appointments, fill out registration forms and pay for care. “There's a growing demand for easy, accessible healthcare, and opening the digital front door is how we meet it. Digital tools use automation and data analytics to create a more personalized and convenient patient experience, making it easier for patients to remember appointments, adhere to treatment plans and manage their financial obligations,” he says. “That's huge for busy households. The to-do list just got a lot shorter, so it's easier for them to engage.” 2. Streamlines patient access A second key benefit is reducing friction and bloat in patient access workflows. Harwitz says, “By expanding their online offerings, providers not only make it easier for patients to see their doctor sooner, but they also reduce demand on front office staff. Self-service options, performance reporting and data insights allow providers to allocate resources more effectively. It’s about making sure everyone gets the right support at the right time, whether that's online or in the office.” Getting the patient journey off on a strong footing also pays dividends throughout the rest of the revenue cycle: with fewer errors and faster throughput, collections and claims management improve, too. Read more: How patient access technology is transforming the healthcare revenue cycle Key components of a digital front door As more providers offer online patient access, competition for the digital front door is increasing. With 60% of patients looking for more digital and mobile options to meet with providers, schedule appointments, and manage bills and payments, these would be smart areas to prioritize for a competitive advantage. Here's what that might look like: 1. Cut paperwork and calls with self-service scheduling and mobile registration It should come as no surprise that a vast majority of patients say they do not like repetitive paperwork. Online and mobile-enabled scheduling and registration reduce form-filling and lengthy calls. For example, Patient Schedule gives patients a platform to book, cancel and reschedule appointments with ease, anytime and anywhere. Appointments are matched to patients' needs so no slots are wasted and patients see their doctor sooner. Mobile registration increases bookings further. With Registration Accelerator, patients receive a text that prompts them to scan their identity and insurance cards, so they don't need to wait in line to fill out forms. Validating their data from the start also improves billing accuracy and reduces the risk of downstream denials. 2. Make it easier to pay for care Simplifying the financial experience is a major component in opening the digital front door. Patients are worried about the cost of care and say that having accurate price estimates before treatment helps them plan for bills. With Patient Payment Estimates, providers can give patients accurate, upfront estimates of their out-of-pocket costs, while tools like Patient Financial Clearance can help direct them to appropriate payment plans. It's also important to make the actual payment process as straightforward as possible. Accepting payments 24/7 from any device allows patients to pay promptly and helps providers avoid bad debt. Checklist: 5 patient-friendly billing practices to accelerate collections 3. Communicate clearly for a great first impression At its core, opening the digital front door is about creating a welcoming first impression for patients. Patients don't want confusing instructions or radio silence when they have questions. They want proactive, helpful and clear communications. One of the benefits of digital tools is having the data and automation capabilities to send patients timely and personalized messages and reminders using their preferred channels. They can also drive targeted outreach campaigns using text messages and interactive voice responses to encourage patients to book appointments and make payments. The future of healthcare's digital front door These are just a few examples of how providers can expand their digital offerings to make it easier for patients to access care. But what will the digital welcome mat look like in the future? Advances in artificial intelligence, digital apps and wearable tech will transform the way patients interact with their providers. Hockey-stick growth in data generation will make data security and interoperability non-negotiable. It's a big ask of providers. Partnering with an expert third-party vendor will help digitally forward organizations remain responsive and adaptable. Find out more about how Experian Health helps providers open their digital front door with mobile scheduling, registration and payments.

Surprise tends to magnify human emotion. If the surprise is positive, a person's reaction to it will be intensely positive. If it's negative, it will be extremely negative. Such is the case with unexpected medical bills, and that's one reason why the No Surprises Act was passed in 2021. It aims to protect consumers from unexpected bills for out-of-network care in both emergency and non-emergency settings. Thanks to the Act, U.S. healthcare organizations must now provide transparent details of the estimated costs of their services – otherwise known as patient estimates. And, so far, it's working. One 2023 survey by Blue Cross Blue Shield and AHIP shows that "The No Surprises Act (NSA) prevented more than 10 million surprise bills in the first nine months of 2023 — continuing to protect millions of Americans from crippling medical bills each year." And as insurance deductibles and out-of-pocket expenses continue to rise, patient estimates are becoming even more critical. Experian Health's State of Patient Access Survey 2024 shows that both patients and providers would like to see improvement in the accuracy of patient estimates. Surveys show that 4 in 10 patients say they spent more on their healthcare than anticipated, and nearly one-quarter received surprise bills after treatment. Creating service transparency takes an effort, but there are also hidden benefits for providers. With medical debt skyrocketing past the $220 billion mark and the cost of care increasing, patient estimates apply much-needed rigor to healthcare billing and collections practices. Why are patient estimates important? Pricing estimates enhance the healthcare experience by making the financial responsibilities of treatment more transparent and more manageable. The benefits for patients include: Understanding potential treatment costs, allowing them to plan and avoid unexpected expenses Making informed decisions about their healthcare options by comparing the costs and benefits of different treatment plans Fostering transparency and trust between healthcare providers and patients Better coordination with insurance providers so they know what will be covered and what will be an out-of-pocket expense Reduced financial anxiety, allowing patients to focus more on their recovery and less on potential financial stress Increased cost awareness and acceptance, prompting them to comply more readily with treatment plans and not cancel appointments Providing a price quote empowers patients while creating a more efficient healthcare system of services rendered and payments received. Why are patient estimates useful prior to treatment? It's better for patients, and the healthcare system as a whole, if patients are more focused on healing and self-care than the stress and anxiety of an unexpected medical bill. If they know what's coming, patients can take control and make plans to alleviate any financial turbulence. In the case of planned care and procedures, pre-treatment cost estimates also allow patients to shop around for the best balance between service and price. In addition to helping patients make smarter treatment choices and financial decisions, patient estimates also help people understand, navigate and coordinate their insurance benefits. That also helps them avoid medical billing surprises that can later lead to collections and damage to their credit scores. How do patient estimates help providers? In today's healthcare landscape, where value and patient experience are key factors in reimbursement, transparency has become crucial in four ways: More satisfied patients: Estimates build trust and patient and provider relationships. This trust is essential for effective communication and patient satisfaction and can help reduce patient churn. Better adherence to treatment plans: Patients aware of the financial implications are more likely to stick to their treatment plans and follow through with necessary procedures and lifestyle changes. Adherence leads to better health outcomes and a more efficient treatment process. Better resource management: Knowing each patient's expected costs and required resources allows providers to allocate and schedule resources more effectively. Improved revenue flow: Pricing estimates at the front end of the medical journey establish upfront financial accountability, which can lead to providers being paid more quickly. As healthcare costs rise, improving price transparency is a win-win for both patients and providers. Patients want clear, upfront information about treatment costs, insurance coverage and payment options so they can plan ahead with confidence. When providers make this process smoother, it benefits everyone—saving time, reducing stress, and making things more efficient. Plus, it can help avoid those tough conversations when patients are caught off guard by unexpected bills. Providing the right information from the start creates a more positive experience for everyone involved. Technology can help create accurate patient estimates Experian Health's Patient Estimates tool makes price transparency and providing accurate estimates easier. This solution leverages real-time data, including insurance coverage, payer contract terms and provider pricing, so that everyone knows exactly where they stand before the service is rendered. Patients can focus on getting well while providers create the accountability they need to get paid promptly. With the right technology, patients and providers can come together in a mutually beneficial and less stressful encounter that leads to better relationships and better health. Contact us to learn how Experian Health can help your healthcare organization empower patients with clear, accurate cost estimates to enhance transparency, build trust and improve overall care satisfaction. Patient Estimates Contact us

Convenience, speed, and control are the triad of better patient experiences. Experian Health's 2024 State of Patient Access survey showed that 89% of patients want to schedule their appointments online or on a mobile device. Today, patients expect provider scheduling, registration, and other administrative tasks to match the convenience of their typical online shopping experience. However, too many patients face obstacles when booking appointments and accessing care. With more than 6 out of 10 patients saying they would switch to a provider that offers a patient portal, making digital channels available is now a baseline requirement for providers seeking to improve care delivery. Patients want a digital front door that circumvents the inconvenience of traditional call center booking systems. Self-service patient scheduling software helps providers keep pace with patients' digital demands. But the case for scheduling software goes beyond these expectations, offering real benefits for patients and their doctors. Here are 8 reasons to use online scheduling to benefit both patients and providers: The benefits for patients 1. Patients enjoy the convenience and accessibility of online scheduling Online appointment scheduling provides unparalleled convenience and accessibility for patients. These solutions allow them to schedule their appointments anytime, without being constrained by office hours. This flexibility benefits individuals with demanding work schedules, family responsibilities, or other commitments. The user-friendly interface of online scheduling platforms enables patients to quickly navigate the system, select their desired service, and book an appointment without any hassle. Additionally, remote access means that patients can schedule their appointments from any device with internet connectivity, whether at home, work, or on the go, eliminating the need for physical visits or phone calls. 2. Patients can experience reduced wait times and greater access to care Nearly 8 in 10 patients who say they're unhappy with their provider experience cite the speed at which they see their doctor as a big frustration. By using online appointment scheduling, patients can significantly reduce their wait times. They have immediate access to the real-time availability of appointment slots, allowing them to choose the most convenient times without waiting for a receptionist to check the calendar. The streamlined booking process minimizes the back-and-forth communication typically required when scheduling via phone, leading to quicker confirmation and less time spent coordinating. Patients who need to reschedule can easily do so online, viewing available slots and selecting a new time without delays. 3. Patients can schedule anytime and from anywhere One of the most significant advantages of online appointment scheduling is its 24/7 availability. Patients can book appointments anytime, including evenings, weekends, and holidays. This flexibility primarily benefits those who find making calls during standard office hours challenging. With the ability to address their scheduling needs instantly, patients can book or change appointments whenever it is most convenient for them. Additionally, for practices serving patients in multiple time zones, online scheduling ensures everyone can book appointments at a time that suits them best. 4. Online scheduling provides immediate confirmation, reducing uncertainty and the need for follow-up Online scheduling provides patients with instant confirmation of their appointments, offering real-time updates that reduce uncertainty. Once an appointment is booked, patients receive immediate confirmation, often via email or SMS, which helps to alleviate anxiety and ensure they know their appointment is secured. Many online scheduling systems also offer automated reminders via email, SMS, or app notifications to help patients remember their appointments and reduce the likelihood of missed visits. This instant confirmation and reminder system also reduces the need for administrative staff to follow up with patients to confirm appointments, freeing up their time for other tasks. The benefits for providers 5. 24/7 self-scheduling increases appointment bookings and reduces no-shows One of the major challenges healthcare providers face is the issue of patient no-shows. According to the Medical Group Management Association (MGMA), the average provider no-show rate is 5% to 7%. The cost to healthcare providers is around $150 billion annually. Yet there is growing evidence that allowing patients to conveniently and quickly schedule, cancel and reschedule appointments decreases no-shows, which is money in the bank for providers. Studies at the Mayo Clinic and Johns Hopkins showed that the percentage of appointments kept increased when patients scheduled their visits online. Automated reminders and confirmations are integral features of online scheduling systems that help mitigate this problem. By sending reminders via email, SMS or app notifications, these systems ensure that patients know about their upcoming appointments. These reminders reduce the likelihood of patients forgetting their scheduled visits, decreasing missed appointments. Fewer no-shows translate to more consistent patient flow and better utilization of the provider's time and resources. 6. Digital scheduling reduces pressure on staff The convenience factor extends beyond patients. Self-scheduling platforms also improve efficiency and ease the burden on call center staff. Experian Health's “Short-staffed for the long term” report showed that 73% of providers say finding staff is challenging. As the chronic staffing crisis continues, providers should look to automated solutions to remove bottlenecks, increase capacity and improve the experience for call center staff. After partnering with Experian Health, Indiana University (IU) Health found that automated self-scheduling helped them do more with fewer staff while engaging patients. They stated, “Self-scheduling does the work of two full-time schedulers.” Of the patients who used the online scheduling tool, 87% arrived for their visit. Patient appointment scheduling software offloads call volumes and cuts call times in half. It also gives providers control over their calendars while integrating seamlessly with electronic medical records and practice management systems. Providers can also use these solutions in parallel to patient intake software to help accelerate registration, saving even more valuable time and resources. 7. Embracing digital scheduling gives providers a competitive edge Getting patient scheduling right is crucial to patient acquisition and retention strategies and is increasingly vital as patient volumes fluctuate. Making a strong first impression with easy self-scheduling is more likely to attract new patients and gives providers a competitive edge. Online appointment scheduling systems allow healthcare providers to manage their schedules more effectively. Providers can easily view and optimize appointment slots, ensuring effective time utilization. These features improve workflows and productivity as providers can balance their schedules to avoid overbooking or underutilization. Additionally, the ability to analyze scheduling data can help providers identify peak times and adjust their staffing and resources accordingly, further enhancing operational efficiency. In a competitive healthcare market, staying ahead of the curve with advanced technology solutions like online scheduling is crucial. Providers who embrace digital scheduling not only improve their operational efficiency and patient satisfaction but also position themselves as leaders in the industry, attracting tech-savvy patients who seek modern and convenient healthcare services. 8. Patient scheduling software can protect against the unexpected A final reason to embrace patient scheduling software is to future-proof scheduling capacity against unforeseen events. During the COVID-19 pandemic, flexible self-scheduling tools helped providers maintain operational stability as patient numbers surged with each new wave of infections. In a climate of chronic staff shortages, augmenting employee numbers is challenging and can be impractical to manage during periods when patient volumes subside. Patient self-service software is a DIY solution patients want, and providers need to stretch staff efficiency and work smarter. Today, these tools continue to improve, and providers increasingly rely on them to meet patient needs. A 2024 survey showed that 60% of patients want more digital tools to manage their health. Patient scheduling software gives patients the self-service experience they're accustomed to with 24/7/365 online appointment scheduling. New uncertainties will always be on the horizon, but with the right digital patient scheduling software, providers will be well-positioned to face whatever's next. Learn how Experian Health's patient scheduling software can help healthcare organizations meet patient expectations, improve operational efficiency and prepare for future patient scheduling demands.

“For too many, coverage is either unavailable or insufficient.” This is the harsh reality the American Hospital Association highlighted in a recent statement to the US Senate, urging action to address growing medical debt. Despite efforts to expand insurance coverage, hospitals continue to lose billions of dollars through unpaid bills. The statement notes that hospitals provided over $42 billion in uncompensated care in 2020 alone. Guiding low-income patients to appropriate charity care programs can mitigate a significant portion of this uncompensated care. Unfortunately, many eligible patients are either unaware of these options or choose not to apply, causing hospitals to waste time and money chasing bills from people who cannot afford to pay. Helping those patients find and apply for financial support is critical to reducing bad debt. But that's a challenging prospect without automation. Presumptive screening with Patient Financial Clearance offers a faster route to reliable charity care classifications and a reduction in uncompensated care. What is charity care? Charity care programs provide free or discounted healthcare to patients who can't afford to pay their bills, covering medically necessary inpatient and emergency room services. Typically, programs offer full or partial discounts to uninsured patients, but those with insurance may be entitled to assistance if their plan doesn't cover their care. Eligibility depends on the hospital's financial assistance policies and relevant state regulations. Hospitals do not expect to be reimbursed for charity care, though tax exemptions and government funding may offset some of the cost. In this way, charity care is distinct from “bad debt,” which refers to unpaid patient bills that hospitals expect to collect. Frustratingly, too many accounts that could have been eligible for charity care are written off to bad debt—perhaps because patients don't realize they're eligible, don't know how to fill out the application, or feel embarrassed to seek help. The problem is further exacerbated by the growth in high-deductible and “skinny” health plans, as patients without sufficient coverage assume support is only for the uninsured. Several states are tackling medical debt by bolstering charity care programs. For example, North Carolina plans to boost federal payouts to hospitals that agree to waive medical debt for low-and middle-income patients. In Milwaukee, County Supervisors are taking a preventive approach, using income data to automatically enroll at-risk patients into charity care programs to stave off bad debt before it takes root, in a process known as presumptive charity. What is presumptive charity? Checking eligibility and helping patients apply for charity care is predictably form-heavy. Patients must provide tax returns, pay stubs, and bank statements to confirm their household income and financial status. Manual reviews are time-consuming for providers, while the overall experience can feel intrusive or confusing to patients. Presumptive charity screening expedites charity care checks by automatically screening patients for financial assistance eligibility. It uses automation and data analytics to quickly evaluate the patient's credit information, financial data and demographic details to make a 'presumptive' determination of eligibility for charity care, regardless of coverage status. Better charity care classifications reduce bad debt Automated charity care checks mean more patients will be classified correctly so hospitals can confidently seek reimbursement from the appropriate source. This offers several advantages, such as: Reducing bad debt: Presumptive charity screening results in fewer eligible patients missing out on financial support, so they're less likely to be sent bills they can't pay. Increasing efficiency: More accurate screening allows staff to cut time spent on administrative tasks and stop chasing collections from patients who are unlikely to be able to pay. Expediting classification decisions: Automation means eligible patients don't have to wait for long periods to find out if they'll get financial support, which is especially important in urgent and high-volume services, such as emergency departments and large hospital systems. Improving the patient experience: Speedy systems with fewer forms reduce the patient's involvement to a minimum, contributing to a more convenient and compassionate financial journey. Maintaining compliance: Hospitals comply and maintain their non-profit status by providing charity care to their community. Supporting patients: Providing accessible healthcare to those who are low-income and are most vulnerable. How can Patient Financial Clearance help providers improve charity care classifications? Patient Financial Clearance (PFC) is a presumptive screening tool designed to help providers quickly determine which patients may be eligible for financial assistance. It then connects those patients with relevant charity care programs and automatically enrolls them, or establishes tailored payment plans for the amount they owe based on their financial situation. First, Patient Financial Clearance triggers automatic checks before or at the point of service to rapidly assess whether the patient qualifies for Medicaid, charity care or other financial assistance programs. It uses Experian Health's superior data and analytics to accurately estimate the patient's income, household size and Federal Poverty Line (FPL) percentage, and it calculates a Healthcare Payment Risk Score to predict their propensity to pay. Unlike alternative models which are built to estimate incomes for consumers with higher incomes, PFC's income estimates are optimized to predict incomes below 400% of the FPL. Then, if patients are likely to be eligible for charity care, the tool pre-populates application forms and initiates auto-enrollment to reduce staff manual input and the risk of errors. There needs to be a prompt process to help patients who do not qualify for charity care manage their bills. For patients who do not qualify for charity care, there also needs to be a prompt process to help. Patient Financial Clearance recommends optimal payment plan amounts per the organization's terms and policies. Staff can pull up summarized and detailed views of the patient's credit history and custom scripts to guide financial counseling discussions. Alex Liao, Product Manager for Patient Financial Clearance at Experian Health, explains how better charity classifications help reduce bad debt and increase collections: “The obvious benefit is that clients can accelerate the charity care application process and ensure eligible patients get assistance quickly. However, having a more accurate picture of patients' financial needs offers wider benefits across the revenue cycle: it ensures each patient account is handled appropriately to increase upfront collections and reduce bad debt. Those with a low ability to pay receive a payment plan they can afford, while those with a greater capacity to pay are not just paying the minimums.” Patient Financial Clearance in practice See how UCHealth used PFC to create a more streamlined approach to charity care classifications, resulting in: $26 million in disbursed charity care. More than 1,700 patients covered. 600 charity cases closed in one month alone (August 2023). To hear more about how automating charity care classifications with Patient Financial Clearance could help your organization reduce bad debt, contact us today for a demo. Patient Financial Clearance Contact us

Maintaining a healthy cash flow is the only way to deliver quality patient care, invest in state-of-the-art technologies and keep daily operations running smoothly. But that's easier said than done: data errors, delayed payments, denials and staffing disruptions leave providers vulnerable to escalating admin costs and revenue leakage, with little left over to reinvest. By adopting a few key revenue cycle management (RCM) strategies, providers can sidestep these challenges and bring in more dollars. This guide summarizes five revenue cycle management best practices healthcare leaders should follow to optimize RCM workflows and promote financial stability. Key challenges in revenue cycle management Common issues that can get in the way of a healthy revenue flow include: Inaccurate patient data leading to coding errors, claim denials and billing delays Increasing numbers of denied claims generate costly rework and wasted time Payer compliance issues that are constantly changing and time-consuming to monitor Growing numbers of self-pay patients struggling to pay their bills Labor shortages increase pressure on staff and leave the door open to sub-par performance Inadequate data insights hindering management's ability to spot opportunities for improvement Rapid technological changes leave providers on the back foot if they fail to keep pace with new developments. The dream scenario would be to avoid all these potential obstacles before they do too much damage. In reality, providers will need to choose a few priority areas to troubleshoot. Check out this guide to choosing the right key performance indicators for your revenue cycle dashboard to ensure the effective implementation of RCM strategies. Revenue cycle management best practices What does a successful revenue cycle look like? For busy RCM leaders, deciding what to tackle first can be overwhelming. While there's no one-size-fits-all RCM strategy, there are a few key issues that all organizations must pay attention to. Here are five areas of best practice to factor in: 1. Streamline patient registration and insurance verification Accurate patient data is the number one factor in building a robust revenue cycle. It doesn't matter how efficient claims management and collections processes are if the data they use is flawed. Automated registration and verification tools reduce the chances of manual errors entering the system to ensure correct billing, reduce denials, and speed up reimbursement. One pitfall to watch out for is the fact that some digital tools still require staff to check multiple payer websites and data repositories to verify insurance eligibility. Experian Health's latest patient access solution, Patient Access Curator, avoids this by using AI-driven technology to collect and verify patient information with a single click. 2. Automate claims submission and management According to Experian Health's State of Claims 2022 report, 62% of providers feel they lack the necessary data and analytics to identify issues in claims submission processes. A similar number believe the absence of automation prevents improvement. The CAQH Index backs this up, with the latest estimates suggesting the healthcare industry could save $18.3 billion by switching to electronic transactions. As with patient intake, there's an opportunity to leverage automation in claims management to prevent errors and delays so the organization gets paid faster. Experian Health's claims management products—ranked #1 in 2024 surveys by both KLAS and Black Book—automate each step of the claims workflow so providers can submit clean claims quickly and cut the need for time-consuming manual work. 3. Optimize denials management and appeals with AI Despite best efforts, claims denials remain a burden for many RCM teams. However, proactively understanding and addressing the root causes can help keep denials under control. There's an opportunity to go a step beyond automation and see how artificial intelligence and machine learning can help combat the denials challenge. AI AdvantageTM evaluates individual claims in real time to flag those with a high likelihood of denials based on historical payment data, so staff can intervene quickly before submission. Denials are then triaged using advanced algorithms so staff can focus on reworking denials with the greatest chance of payment, rather than wasting time on those that are never going to be approved. Eric Eckhart, Director of Patient Financial Services at Community Medical Centers in California, says that since implementing AI Advantage, “Now I have almost a whole week a month of staff time back, and I can put that on other things. I can pull that back from outsourcing to other follow-up vendors and bring that in-house and save money. The savings have snowballed. That's really been the biggest financial impact.” Watch the webinar: Hear how Community Medical Centers and Schneck Medical Center are using AI AdvantageTM to prevent and triage denials. 4. Choose the right technology and tools for enhanced RCM The three previous revenue cycle management best practices emphasize the importance of selecting the right tools for the task. Two things to look out for when adopting a new RCM product are how well it integrates with existing tools and systems, and whether it offers meaningful insights to drive ongoing improvements. Experian Health's integrated RCM solutions are designed to fit together seamlessly, often allowing staff to view information from multiple workflows within the same dashboard. By bringing together metrics such as financial performance, billing efficiency and collections rates into one place, these tools help staff make strategic decisions about resource allocation and operational improvements. 5. Keep up with regulatory compliance Finally, ensuring compliance with regulatory requirements cannot be overlooked. The reputational and financial risks are too great. Regular training for staff on compliance issues and maintaining up-to-date knowledge of government and payer requirements will minimize the risk of penalties. Choosing RCM tools that automatically check for relevant updates can help providers stay current. Price transparency is a topical example. While the Hospital Price Transparency Rule is designed to help healthcare consumers understand healthcare costs and make more informed decisions about their care, implementation has proven tricky for providers. With the right technology and third-party support, it's much easier to stay compliant. Watch the webinar: See how Experian Health and Cleverley & Associates have partnered to help healthcare organizations navigate price transparency in 2024. Looking for more insights into revenue cycle management best practices? Contact Experian Health today to discover how our RCM solutions can transform your revenue cycle and increase cash flow year over year. Revenue cycle management solutions Contact us