When consumers receive "payment due" notifications through their preferred digital channels about half will pay through that channel in less than an hour, and many will pay in less than five minutes, a new survey shows.
Texting people their bills or sending payment notifications through their preferred digital channels often results in bills being paid in minutes, according to research from AccessOne.
It found that when consumers receive "payment due" notifications through their preferred digital channels about half will pay through that channel in less than an hour, and many will pay in less than five minutes.
In fact, 32% will pay their bill in less than five minutes when they receive it via secure text; 30% will do so when they get the notice via a mobile app; 25% will pay within five minutes when they get it via email; and 25% will do so when they get it through the patient portal.
Healthcare systems have found success with texting in several ways.
For instance, Hartford HealthCare, a Connecticut health system, sent out 1.5 million texts to encourage COVID-19 vaccinations, resulting in 600,000 people engaging with the texts and pursuing the vaccine.
"I don't think you could do any other campaign where people could reach 600,000 respondents in one shot," Barry Stein, MD, MBA, FSIR, FACR, RPVI, vice president, chief clinical innovation officer, and chief medical informatics officer at Hartford HealthCare, told HealthLeaders.
Continue Reading: Technology Moves Texting to Center Stage of Healthcare
The AccessOne survey also found that when it comes to paying for healthcare costs, consumers want three things: affordable monthly payment options (60%), clear communication (58%), and transparency around out-of-pocket costs (55%).
Additionally, it shows that:
- 41% of patients are confused about the portion of the bill that their insurance will cover.
- 39% are only somewhat or not at all satisfied with the quality of communications around how to pay for healthcare costs.
- 40% are only somewhat satisfied or not at all satisfied with affordable options for payment.
- One third say communication regarding available payment plans for their bill could be improved.
- 57% of consumers are concerned about their ability to pay a medical bill of $1,000 or less.
- 62% want to discuss payment plan or financing options prior to a procedure.
- 58% have delayed medical care to avoid a healthcare bill, and one-third have done so in the past year.
- 71% would shop around for care, and 36% already have.
Alexandra Wilson Pecci is an editor for HealthLeaders.
