Since the start of the COVID pandemic in 2019, our world has shifted — and so have people’s expectations. As Nielsen describes it, it’s clear that convenience has become most consumers' top priority:
“The pandemic didn’t conceive convenience, or inspire customers to demand it, but it did shine a light on how important it is in everyday life — particularly in a global health crisis. Now, as consumers resume many of their pre-pandemic activities, retailers need to remain focused on convenience, even as consumers leave the comfort of their homes.”
This change in consumer behavior is true for the expectations for dental treatment as well.
Obviously, you can’t go to the dentist via Zoom call, but there are other parts of their visit that patients will expect to be modernized and convenient, such as billing. If your office doesn’t make things easy for them, they’ll find a new dental provider who does.
Never fear! Dental revenue cycle management services will add convenience to your dental business through streamlined processes and automation, while lessening the administrative load for your team.
Let’s talk about 3 ways DCS services will modernize your dental business as it paves the way for your patients and your team…
#1. Automation is here to stay, and it transforms your patient billing process
Half of your patients’ experience with your dental business is how their billing is handled. If it’s a less than smooth experience, they will likely find another dental provider who offers modern conveniences.
When you use our automated patient billing services at DCS, the patient’s experience is faster, more clear, and more convenient. Our patient billing system automatically alerts patients of their amount due through outreaches — digital payment notices delivered via text or email — and offers them multiple online payment options.
Other automated patient billing benefits for patients include:
- Automatic follow-up through regular friendly reminders
- Payments accepted from all major credit cards and wallet apps from any device
Automated patient billing benefits for you and your team include:
- Minimizes or eliminates the time and cost of issuing paper statements
- Payment links sent automatically as soon as their balance is known
- Monitors direct deposits and outstanding balances instantly
So not only is an automated patient billing process more convenient for your patients because of mobile pay and multiple payment options, but it’s also hands-free for your team with easy-to-track patient payments and reminders — a solid win-win.
#2. Tech-assisted insurance verification reduces wait time and billing disputes
When insurance isn’t verified ahead of an office visit, it can impact your patient’s post-treatment billing experience.
As you know, insurance verification means you are confirming a patient’s insurance coverage to determine how much of their treatment must be paid out-of-pocket versus covered by their plan.
When you use DCS’ tech-assisted insurance verification services, each patient’s coverage is verified at least 2 days before their treatment.
This adds more clarity and fewer inconveniences to every patient’s visit, such as:
- Lower wait time. When your practice uses a dental insurance verification service, this process can be done days ahead of a visit, which means that patients can be checked in more quickly and efficiently.
Otherwise, when a patient arrives for their appointment, they will need to wait while the front desk staff verifies their insurance details. This process can leave patients waiting for several minutes, or even longer if there are complications. - Higher accuracy in insurance information and out-of-pocket costs. There will be little to no confusion about your patient’s coverage because it’s been verified and calculated near the date of their appointment.
Mistakes during insurance verification — or omitting that step altogether — can cause problems down the line, such as claim denials or unexpected out-of-pocket expenses for patients. Receiving a bill out of the blue can really put a damper on a patient’s experience with your office. - Enhanced overall satisfaction. By providing patients with low wait times and more accurate cost estimates, and without billing surprises, dentists, and their teams cultivate trust and loyalty — and also reduce the likelihood of disputes about the final bill. As mentioned, when a patient finds out after their treatment that they owe an additional amount because their insurance wasn’t properly verified, they’re going to feel more than inconvenienced.
When insurance verification is done accurately and efficiently, your patient will get in the chair sooner, be clearer on their portion of the cost, and be more likely to pay you sooner without complaint. Again, this benefits you, your team, and your patient.
And when we handle your insurance verification, your dental team will be freed up to focus on improving the face-to-face patient experience.
#3. Cleaner claims for fewer follow-ups with patients
When you receive a denial on an insurance claim, it can affect how much your patient owes you. If the denial is due to the amount of coverage the patient does (or doesn’t) have, you’ll likely have to send your patient an extra bill, or bill for a larger amount than they’re expecting.
This can be avoided by using RCM services for insurance claims management. When experts are submitting claims for you, you’ll see fewer denials, which means fewer appeals, fewer updated bills, and fewer follow-ups with patients about their new account balance.
Our Account Specialists use their expert knowledge and best practices to check the accuracy of every insurance claim. And when you also use our insurance verification services, they’ll be even more aware of how accurate your insurance claims are, as they’ll already know what your patient’s insurance coverage will be.
When you’re supported by RCM talent and technology, every step of the revenue cycle works together to get you paid, give your dental team more face time with patients, and offer your patients every 21st-century convenience.
Read more: 3 surprising ways your dental patients benefit from RCM services
Convenience is the new normal in the dental industry — how will you prioritize it for your patients?
To recap, these are the 3 ways RCM services add convenience to your patient’s dental experience:
- #1. Automation is here to stay, and it transforms your patient billing process
- #2. Tech-assisted insurance verification reduces wait time and billing disputes
- #3. Cleaner claims for fewer follow-ups with patients
In a world impacted by a global pandemic, we’ve seen a ton of change in how consumers live, work, and play. And although the nature of clinical dental treatments hasn’t changed much, the office visit likely has changed, and patient billing should.
Give your patients what they want by prioritizing convenience at your dental practice.
Partner with an RCM provider who will help you embrace new technologies and streamlined processes that will improve the overall efficiency of your patients’ experience. Book a free 30-minute call with DCS today.
Related Posts
Dental billing resources