How To Improve Dental Collections
It is difficult to deal with patients and dental insurance agencies when it comes to payment of bills on time. At the same time, the dental practice must strike a balance between collecting the dues and maintaining a good name for the practice. A few tips will help guarantee outstanding dental collections, and likewise maintain high ethical standards.
It is crucial to develop an internal credit guideline that is strong for your team. The whole team should agree to the guidelines. Ensure the policy rules are clearly written and easy to implement. The main objective is to strengthen the collection procedure and shorten the duration of payment. Handling and collecting the money should be left to the financial adviser. Before administering any treatment, check on the credit worthiness of the patient.
The use of automation in preparing the documents will help with timely payments prior to releasing the patients. If the patient has already left the facility, the statement should then be sent without any delay. The payment method and date of collecting the dues must be clearly communicated to the client in writing with a copy of the bill and the original retained by the dental office. It is important to provide a contact address whether through email or your website.
The financial coordinator must be well versed on the gravity and professional conduct required for the delicate work. Part of the job entails telephone follow-ups. The details and financial status of the client should be well known. The date and conditions for payment should also be clearly spelt out. For reference, short notes are taken when conversing with the patient, who needs to be reminded of the consequences over failure to pay.
Before offering services to patients, it is necessary to get an authorization form from the insurer showing the amount the company is willing to pay. This will help you provide the correct bills to the patients before they leave your premises. You can also motivate patients to pay cash, by offering discounts.
Provide an alternative plan in case the patient fails to clear the whole bill. This involves an agreement on the modalities of payment. It may or may not include interest. The patient may negotiate to pay in installments every month. However, ensure that the duration is not prolonged. The agreement should be clearly written with the rules on defaulting clearly spelt out.
Involving your patients in the dental collection management is a good idea. This equips them with the necessary information to handle patients. If the process cannot be handled internally, it is vital to look for established agencies with experience in collections to act on behalf of your dental practice. Though there is a cost of hiring such a service, it eliminates the responsibility of dealing with patients who are difficult and unwilling to pay.
It is important to keep in mind that dentistry, unlike some medical fields, demands prompt attention to the patient. Therefore, it calls for caution to avoid sending a signal to the patients that implies you only need their money. This is why there is need to employ a financial coordinator to deal with finances.
It is crucial to develop an internal credit guideline that is strong for your team. The whole team should agree to the guidelines. Ensure the policy rules are clearly written and easy to implement. The main objective is to strengthen the collection procedure and shorten the duration of payment. Handling and collecting the money should be left to the financial adviser. Before administering any treatment, check on the credit worthiness of the patient.
The use of automation in preparing the documents will help with timely payments prior to releasing the patients. If the patient has already left the facility, the statement should then be sent without any delay. The payment method and date of collecting the dues must be clearly communicated to the client in writing with a copy of the bill and the original retained by the dental office. It is important to provide a contact address whether through email or your website.
The financial coordinator must be well versed on the gravity and professional conduct required for the delicate work. Part of the job entails telephone follow-ups. The details and financial status of the client should be well known. The date and conditions for payment should also be clearly spelt out. For reference, short notes are taken when conversing with the patient, who needs to be reminded of the consequences over failure to pay.
Before offering services to patients, it is necessary to get an authorization form from the insurer showing the amount the company is willing to pay. This will help you provide the correct bills to the patients before they leave your premises. You can also motivate patients to pay cash, by offering discounts.
Provide an alternative plan in case the patient fails to clear the whole bill. This involves an agreement on the modalities of payment. It may or may not include interest. The patient may negotiate to pay in installments every month. However, ensure that the duration is not prolonged. The agreement should be clearly written with the rules on defaulting clearly spelt out.
Involving your patients in the dental collection management is a good idea. This equips them with the necessary information to handle patients. If the process cannot be handled internally, it is vital to look for established agencies with experience in collections to act on behalf of your dental practice. Though there is a cost of hiring such a service, it eliminates the responsibility of dealing with patients who are difficult and unwilling to pay.
It is important to keep in mind that dentistry, unlike some medical fields, demands prompt attention to the patient. Therefore, it calls for caution to avoid sending a signal to the patients that implies you only need their money. This is why there is need to employ a financial coordinator to deal with finances.
posted by Vittoria @ September 10, 2014
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