Improving the Entire Patient Collection Process

The Challenge

The Advanced Vision Surgery Center faced inefficiencies in its patient benefit verification and billing processes when it opened its surgery center in 2019. Initially relying on manual methods, the team had to verify benefits by phone and calculate patient estimates manually, which required full-time staff dedicated solely to this task. The manual process was not only time-consuming but also left room for errors in patient estimates and collection. They needed a more streamlined solution that could automate and simplify the process, improve communication with patients, and enhance their ability to collect payments upfront.

The Solution

The Advanced Vision Surgery Center implemented HST’s patient estimates upon the recommendation of a surgery center in New Jersey. HST’s patient estimates allowed them to automate eligibility verification, estimate patient responsibility in real-time, and send text or email notifications directly to patients, ensuring transparent communication. One key feature that stood out was the ability to track when patients viewed these notifications, significantly reducing disputes about payments.

Additionally, they now benefit from a unique feature called Progressive Estimation, which plays a pivotal role in reducing refunds and streamlining their financial processes.

Progressive Estimation is a feature exclusive to HST’s patient estimates, allowing the Advanced Vision Surgery Center to generate more accurate patient estimates by integrating both the surgery center and surgeon’s fees into a single calculation. Traditionally, surgery centers had to calculate facility and surgeon fees separately, which often led to situations where patients were overcharged or billed multiple times for the same deductible. For example, if a patient had a $1,500 deductible that wasn’t fully met, the surgery center and surgeon might each bill $1,500, causing confusion and leading to double collections. Instead, HST’s patient estimates module with the progressive estimation feature solves this problem by allocating $500 to the surgery center and $1,000 to the surgeon, ensuring that the patient was only charged once for their deductible. This drastically reduced the likelihood of overcharging and the need for refunds, creating a smoother payment experience for patients and significantly reducing administrative burdens.

The Results

With the help of HST’s patient estimates, the Advanced Vision Surgery Center experienced significant improvements in their patient collection process. The center implemented a policy of collecting patient balances upfront, which led to a 75% reduction in patient accounts receivable (AR). This shift allowed them to capture revenue before the procedure date, minimizing the burden of post-surgery collections. The automated process also freed up time for staff, reducing the need for manual calculations and enabling a faster, more efficient workflow. Additionally, the center saw improved patient transparency and satisfaction due to clear, accurate communication of their financial responsibilities. The system has greatly reduced AR and improved operational efficiency.