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Self-service patient access is a growing trend that's here to stay. Tech-savvy patients want to see their doctor faster and don't want to jump through complicated hoops to schedule an appointment, complete their registration paperwork or pay their medical bills. Opening the digital front door must be a priority for providers who want to keep pace with evolving patient expectations. That's why 79% of providers plan to invest in patient access improvements soon, according to Experian Health’s 2024 State of Patient Access survey data. This article takes a closer look at what patient self-service means and why it should be a top consideration for today's revenue cycle leaders. What is patient self-service? Patient self-service is a collection of digital tools that offer patients more access at every step of the patient journey. Building on innovations that gained momentum during the pandemic, like telehealth and virtual care, today's tech-driven patient self-service experiences offer a seamless patient engagement experience, from scheduling to collections. Patients use self-service tools to easily connect with providers online and manage administrative tasks 24/7. Common patient self-service tools include patient portals, online scheduling and mobile registration. Self-service solutions also include robust financial tools that help patients check eligibility, complete their insurance information, get accurate estimates, apply for charity care and set up payment plans. Why should providers prioritize patient self-service? Providers that prioritize self-service tools to give patients more access gain a competitive edge in today's challenging healthcare landscape. Clunky manual processes and outdated systems frustrate patients and burden staff, often resulting in scheduling gaps, claims delays, increased denials and other revenue cycle disruptions. In today's fast-moving digital world, patients want it to be as easy to book a medical appointment as it is to order takeout from an app. However, according to Experian Health data, just 28% of patients feel access improved in 2023, while more than half (51%) said patient access remained fairly static since the previous year. The data also shows that 60% of patients are looking for more digital and mobile options, with roughly the same percentage saying they'd consider switching providers to get the access they crave. Providers seeking to boost patient satisfaction and shore up a sustainable revenue cycle must invest in a digital front door that includes the self-service tools patients demand across the patient journey—from patient intake to collections. Healthcare organizations that prioritize implementing these self-service solutions free up overburdened staff from tedious, time-consuming administrative tasks, keep provider schedules full, reduce claim denials and increase revenue. Current challenges in patient access The healthcare industry continues to face ongoing challenges that affect patient access. Some of the top obstacles include: Outdated systems and processes The healthcare landscape is riddled with complex, disconnected and often archaic administrative systems. In fact, around 25% of patients say they delay care due to administrative obstacles, and 85% are tired of filling out paperwork after providing the information elsewhere. Today's patients desire frictionless, digital solutions that make it easy to schedule an appointment, submit personal information, understand the cost of care and make secure medical bill payments. Ongoing staffing shortages According to the American Hospital Association (AMA), staffing shortages aren't expected to let up anytime soon. By 2028, the healthcare industry will face a shortage of around 100,000 critical workers. Ongoing staff shortages put increased pressure on a strained healthcare system to keep up with patient care and administrative tasks. Difficulties keeping up with rising healthcare costs Healthcare affordability continues to decline, with around 50% of Americans reporting that paying medical bills is a struggle. Understanding how much insurance covers is also an obstacle, with more than half of patients reporting they need their provider's help to understand how much insurance pays. Growing patient volumes Short-staffed healthcare organizations are treating more patients than ever before. AMA data reports that providers saw more patients in 2024, compared to 2019. However, this growing demand for healthcare isn't the only issue burdening overtaxed healthcare organizations. Today's patients are also sicker and have more complex care needs than they did five years ago. Benefits of patient self-service solutions Self-service solutions offer many benefits to both patients and providers across the entire revenue cycle. Here's a closer look at three ways patient self-service solutions improve patient access. Boosts patient volume It's clear the demand for digital tools is a trend that's here to stay. Patients want more access and are prepared to switch providers to get it. Providers that adopt self-service technology are more likely to retain existing patients and make positive first impressions with new patients. In today's highly competitive healthcare landscape, frictionless patient engagement experiences for scheduling, registration, estimates and payments are key to patient satisfaction. Patient self-service tools, like mobile registration, let patients complete registration forms at their earliest convenience. Automated patient intake solutions, such as Experian Health's Registration Accelerator, help providers save time and verify important patient details quickly. Patients can begin registration with one click, with a text-to-mobile experience, which improves booking rates and reduces administrative burdens. Conserves valuable staff time When staff are overworked, patient access and care often suffer. Self-service tools empower patients to handle numerous administrative tasks, like scheduling and bill payments, with little to no staff help needed. Patients get the 24/7 access they crave, and staff spend less time on patient communication, training and other manual tasks. Self-service tools like Patient Schedule automate scheduling workflows while integrating seamlessly with provider appointment criteria and calendars. Patients can make, change or cancel appointments online, with no login required. Reminders for appointments are sent to patients automatically via text or interactive voice response (IVR), allowing busy administrative staff to spend less time on the phone. Other tools like Experian Health’s Self-Service Patient Financial Clearance solution allows patients to upload forms and complete eligibility checks on their mobile devices, without having to reach out to their providers. Improves financial transparency and boosts revenue Patients want to know how much care will cost before seeing their provider. Healthcare organizations that offer accurate, real-time estimates are more likely to have patients who are better prepared to cover their medical bills. In fact, 80% of patients say understanding their financial responsibility helps them better prepare to cover the bill, according to Experian Health data. Self-service solutions that allow patients to access transparent pricing and billing options, like Experian Health's Patient Payment Estimates, help patients make a plan to pay. Patients get real-time estimates through an easy-access text link or the web-based app. Digital payment solutions, like PatientSimple®, ease cost concerns by allowing patients to apply for charity, make secure payments, set up flexible payment plans and more. See it in action: improving patient access with digital solutions How IU Health used patient scheduling tools to boost patient satisfaction and improve operational efficiency even as patient volumes increased. How Banner Medical Group uses Patient Estimates to boost patient satisfaction and meet compliance requirements. How West Tennessee Healthcare modernized patient intake with automation. Give patients the control they crave with self-service Digital solutions that put patients in the driver's seat are a win-win for patients and providers. With self-service tools, patients are empowered to manage key aspects of the patient experience across the entire patient journey. They're more likely to get the care they need, show up for appointments, be prepared to cover the cost and even benefit from better patient outcomes, according to data from a 2024 HIMSS study. Providers see reduced no-show rates, spend less time on manual tasks and experience more financial stability. Find out more about how Experian Health's patient engagement solutions help healthcare organizations improve the patient experience at every stage of the patient journey. Learn more Contact us

Nearly 46% of patients say being able to manage their health online is their top priority in accessing care, according to Experian Health's State of Patient Access 2024 survey (SOPA). However, the availability of a “digital front door” in healthcare – with online scheduling, mobile registration, and frictionless payments – is not yet meeting demand. Many patients still face convoluted booking systems and stacks of repetitive paperwork. Meanwhile, consumer-friendly tech and retail giants are edging into healthcare. As disruptors set new standards for simple and convenient care, traditional providers are under pressure to open their digital front door to remain competitive. Many are already investing in AI and automation to simplify workflows, cut costs, and upgrade the patient experience. Could 2025 be the tipping point for healthcare's digital transformation? A digital front door strategy could help more providers boost patient engagement, simplify the patient experience and increase profitability. What is a digital front door? The digital front door is more than a well-designed website. It's a single point of access that gives patients convenience, choice and control at every touchpoint in their healthcare journey. It promises patients faster appointments, fewer headaches and more coordinated care. From their mobile device or computer, they can log in to schedule visits, sign intake forms, update insurance details, see costs upfront and even settle their bills. It's secure, easy to use and lets patients handle tasks on their own time. On the back end, patient-facing digital tools can integrate into the provider's existing systems to improve workflows, reduce manual tasks and generate analytics to simplify care. What are the key benefits of implementing a digital front door? Patient satisfaction: According to SOPA, 60% of patients want more digital and mobile options for communicating with their provider, scheduling appointments and managing payments. Fewer no-shows: Patients are less likely to cancel or no-show when they can schedule and manage appointments that work for their time and needs. Frees up resources: Automating repetitive administrative activities means staff can focus on higher-value activities. Fewer errors: Manual processes are rife with data entry errors that increase the risk of denied medical claims and add time on the back end to resolve. Digital patient intake saves time and money by reducing opportunities for human error. Essential features of an effective digital front door What are some of the digital must-haves to simplify access to care? The checklist might include: Online appointment scheduling, to make it easy to book, reschedule, or cancel appointments Digital tools to complete pre-visit paperwork – even better if these automatically prepopulate patient info to save them time and reduce errors Transparent pricing, with tailored information delivered directly to the patient A choice of payment methods, including familiar digital options so patients can pay quickly Access to a patient portal or central hub for managing appointments, medical records and prescriptions Mobile-friendly interfaces and simple designs, so patients can see key data at a glance, from any device, without needing to be tech-literate Secure and compliant communications to protect patient data and privacy. Where to start with a patient-centric digital front door Three specific tools that would check off the above include the following: 1. Multi-channel patient scheduling What matters most to patients is being able to see their doctor quickly. Online appointment booking gives them the 24/7 self-service scheduling options they expect. It delivers quantifiable gains for providers too. For IU Health, automating patient scheduling has been shown to do the work of two full-time schedulers, with more than 35,000 appointments booked with self-scheduling. Experian Health's patient scheduling software guides patients to the appropriate provider and appointment while keeping the provider in control of their calendar. It integrates with a provider's website, call center, and physical office so patients can book their next appointment, even outside of office hours. On-demand webinar: See how IU Health increased one-call resolutions with Patient Schedule 2. Registration Accelerator 49% of providers say that a primary cause of denied medical claims can be traced back to errors in patient registration, forcing health systems to divert revenue to remediate claims that could have been avoided. An automated, data-driven patient registration process improves accuracy, making costly errors less likely. With Registration Accelerator, patients get a text when it's time to register, instead of completing forms in the waiting room. There's no need to download an app or create a user profile: they scan the data from their identity and insurance cards, and Registration Accelerator takes care of the rest. Anthony Myers, Director of Admitting and Registration at West Tennessee Healthcare, says that replacing clipboards with clicks also makes for a much better patient experience: “With our paper-based systems, it seemed like West Tennessee was stuck in the 1990s. We knew our patients expected a more modern experience. We wanted to meet them where they are, rather than forcing them to come to the registration desk. Our goal was to make pre-service registration easier and smoother for patients and staff.” Case study: How West Tennessee Healthcare simplified registration with Registration Accelerator. 3. Patient Financial Advisor The SOPA report shows that almost seven in ten providers believe their patients postpone care at least occasionally because they don't understand the cost of care. Eight in ten patients agree that accurate estimates help them prepare to pay. While price transparency is improving, too many patients still find themselves with bills that are higher than expected. Patient Financial Advisor delivers a pre-service estimate of the patient's financial responsibility based on real-time benefit information directly to their mobile device. It takes account of current provider pricing, payer contracted rates, and any relevant discounts or payment plans for greater accuracy. A secure payment link allows patients to settle their bills quickly and conveniently, at any time. Read more: How to maximize patient collections with digital technology Choosing the right partner for digital transformation Implementing a successful digital front door strategy comes down to one key factor: keeping it laser-focused on the patient. When choosing a vendor, providers should ask how the platform will make life easier for patients. Will it encourage proactive engagement? Is it easy to navigate and demonstrably secure? And on the back end, will it integrate smoothly with the provider's existing systems and workflows – and even improve them? The right partner will bring specialized expertise for a digital transformation, with the capabilities to meet both patients' and providers' needs. Find out how Experian Health's Patient Access solutions help healthcare providers open their digital front door to simplify patient care across the entire revenue cycle. Learn more Contact us

Patient eligibility verification is a critical part of the healthcare revenue cycle. It can help prevent errors with claim submissions, reduce denials, boost the bottom line, and help patients understand what their insurance will cover. However, checking insurance eligibility isn't always efficient or accurate, thanks to outdated systems and complicated manual processes. Ever-evolving payer requirements and new regulations, like the No Surprises Act, add even more complications during insurance eligibility checks. In 2024, providers also treated more patients than they did five years ago, making it harder to keep up with patient eligibility verification. This growing volume of patients have more complex health issues and may struggle to afford medical bills, putting a more pressing urgency on providers to run accurate eligibility checks before service. Having the right health insurance eligibility verification solution can make or break a provider's revenue cycle and allow staff to stay focused on patient care instead of digging for insurance information and correcting errors. This article takes a closer look at why patient eligibility matters, common challenges providers face and strategies to improve insurance eligibility checks, reduce payment delays and minimize denials. What is patient eligibility verification? Patient eligibility verification is an administrative process providers use to check whether or not patients have active medical insurance. It's typically completed before service occurs to confirm coverage for treatment and care. Sometimes called a health insurance lookup, the eligibility check verifies different aspects of a patient's coverage, including insurance status, coverage details and medical service benefits. During patient eligibility verification, billing information is also confirmed. Why is it critical for healthcare providers? Patient eligibility verification offers providers a first line of defense to protect revenue cycles against revenue leakage. It can help healthcare organizations with accurate billing, reduce claims denials and avoid footing the bill for uncompensated care. When eligibility checks are conducted diligently, providers see improved cash flow, staff efficiency is gained, the risk of bad debt is lower, and patients are empowered with accurate upfront estimates. The importance of patient eligibility verification Claim denial rates are growing and show no signs of slowing down. Experian Health's State of Claims 2024 survey reports that nearly three-quarters of respondents saw a rise in denials, with four in ten saying claims are denied 10% of the time. Eligibility issues, along with missing or inaccurate data, are a top reason for denials, according to 15% of providers surveyed. A reliable eligibility verification process is crucial to minimizing the claim denials, rework and billing errors that arise from inaccurate insurance information. It also lets patients know their financial responsibility upfront so there are no surprises when the bill comes. This trust and transparency fosters positive patient-provider relationships while ensuring patients get the care they need and providers get paid. Common challenges in patient eligibility verification Findings from Experian Health's State of Patient Access and State of Claims surveys point to several common challenges in patient eligibility verification. Evolving payer policies and pre-authorization requirements Insurance provider prior authorization requirements change often, making it hard for providers to keep pace. More than 75% of providers report an increasing amount of payer policy changes, and secondary eligibility checks take time and impact efficiency. When a necessary authorization is missed due to manual verification or rushed eligibility checks, it can result in denial, delayed payment and extra work – especially when care is urgent. Incomplete or outdated insurance information Insurance details in the provider's system don't always match the payer's record. This can happen for a wide range of reasons, including job switches, insurance plan changes or patients not being aware of or forgetting to mention secondary coverage. When these changes aren't caught before service, they can lead to rejected claims, billing delays and extra work for staff.  More than four in ten providers report adding at least 10 minutes of staff time per incomplete eligibility check. Inadequate technology to verify eligibility Staff must often wrangle a wide range of disjointed solutions, processes and logins during eligibility checks. While more than 70% of providers feel their organization runs insurance verification checks efficiently and accurately, nearly 60% of providers still use at least two different tools to gather the necessary patient information for claim submission. This can make navigating patient eligibility verification tedious and error-prone, and leads to staff burnout, denied claims and patient dissatisfaction. Strategies to improve patient eligibility verification In today's changing health insurance landscape, providers need to pay more attention than ever to their patient eligibility verification processes. Accurate and timely insurance verification streamlines the claims process, clarifies how bills will be covered (or not) ahead of time and helps patients prepare to pay their bills. Adopting the following strategies to improve patient eligibility verifications can help providers reduce the risk of denied claims, improve the revenue cycle and create positive patient experiences. Automate eligibility verification processes Verifying coverage early in the billing process increases the chance of submitting clean claims the first time. However, it can be tedious for providers to navigate outdated methods like online portals, file batching, automated systems and stay on top of ever-changing payer policies. Automated eligibility verification software helps providers optimize intricate insurance checks, access verified and comprehensive resources to confirm eligibility (with solutions like the MBI Lookup tool), and improve efficiency. Automatically track changing payer policy requirements With payer requirements undergoing constant updates, providers need to have access to solutions that keep up in real-time. Eligibility Verification, for example, seamlessly connects to more than 900 payers and features advanced patient matching tools. It can also be used with Experian Health's automated prior authorization tool, which tracks national payer requirements and flags providers when mandatory pre-authorization information is missing. Offer upfront, accurate cost estimates Patients want to know their financial responsibility up front. When armed with accurate estimates that help patients understand their coverage, co-pays and deductibles, more than 80% of patients say it helps them prepare financially. Eligibility tools allow providers to create more accurate estimates based on actual insurance coverage. This helps patients know what they're responsible for out-of-pocket and reduces surprise billing. Patient eligibility verification is more critical than ever in ensuring smooth and efficient revenue cycle management. With rising patient volumes, evolving regulations and other challenges impacting revenue cycles, providers need to maintain accurate insurance eligibility checks to reduce costly errors, streamline workflows and improve claims success rates. More importantly, accurate eligibility checks empower healthcare staff to focus on delivering quality care, while helping patients better understand and manage their financial responsibilities. Find out more about how Experian Health's insurance eligibility verification solution helps revenue cycle managers prioritize reimbursements with automated eligibility checks. Learn more Contact us