Communication in era of COVID-19 has shifted the ways in which patients and providers are able to convey information; whether it’s before, during, or after the appointment. If your clinic wants to maintain your cliental, then proper communication and offering contactless options is a big part of building trust.Before Appointment
Your practice should advertise, such as on a website, how patients can contact you and whether or not you are taking new patients. Your front staff should be monitoring all those forms of contact and making sure they are returning inquiries as timely as possible. Then, your clinic should have an adequate scheduling system set up to make sure they are not accidentally overbooking or giving the wrong information to the patient. If they are a returning patient with a balance due, let them know beforehand that they will need to pay it off before their appointment. It would also benefit to include information on your current COVID-19 regulations such as wearing a mask in the office and how you scan for illness beforehand.
During Appointment
While clinics may be busy due to an influx of appointments after many of them were postponed in 2020, they need to make sure they take the time to listen to their patients—especially if the appointments are remote. Telehealth appointments will most likely become a more common occurrence, so clinics should make sure they have procedures in place to ensure their patients are still getting accurate care.
After Appointment
Following up on concerns the patient had or checking up on their progress is a welcome message for patients who want to know they’re being well taken of by their provider. In general, a bill will be the main way your clinic follows up after an appointment. Clinics should note that sending an online bill and giving the option to pay online has been proven to be more effective for getting bills paid on time.
We want to help your clinic succeed, so give Outsource Receivables Inc. a call if you’re interested in upgrading your medical billing software and billing process.