Patient Access

Convenience, speed, and control are the triad of better patient experiences. Experian Health's 2024 State of Patient Access survey showed that 89% of patients want to schedule their appointments online or on a mobile device. Today, patients expect provider scheduling, registration, and other administrative tasks to match the convenience of their typical online shopping experience. However, too many patients face obstacles when booking appointments and accessing care. With more than 6 out of 10 patients saying they would switch to a provider that offers a patient portal, making digital channels available is now a baseline requirement for providers seeking to improve care delivery. Patients want a digital front door that circumvents the inconvenience of traditional call center booking systems. Self-service patient scheduling software helps providers keep pace with patients' digital demands. But the case for scheduling software goes beyond these expectations, offering real benefits for patients and their doctors. Here are 8 reasons to use online scheduling to benefit both patients and providers: The benefits for patients 1. Patients enjoy the convenience and accessibility of online scheduling Online appointment scheduling provides unparalleled convenience and accessibility for patients. These solutions allow them to schedule their appointments anytime, without being constrained by office hours. This flexibility benefits individuals with demanding work schedules, family responsibilities, or other commitments. The user-friendly interface of online scheduling platforms enables patients to quickly navigate the system, select their desired service, and book an appointment without any hassle. Additionally, remote access means that patients can schedule their appointments from any device with internet connectivity, whether at home, work, or on the go, eliminating the need for physical visits or phone calls. 2. Patients can experience reduced wait times and greater access to care Nearly 8 in 10 patients who say they're unhappy with their provider experience cite the speed at which they see their doctor as a big frustration. By using online appointment scheduling, patients can significantly reduce their wait times. They have immediate access to the real-time availability of appointment slots, allowing them to choose the most convenient times without waiting for a receptionist to check the calendar. The streamlined booking process minimizes the back-and-forth communication typically required when scheduling via phone, leading to quicker confirmation and less time spent coordinating. Patients who need to reschedule can easily do so online, viewing available slots and selecting a new time without delays. 3. Patients can schedule anytime and from anywhere One of the most significant advantages of online appointment scheduling is its 24/7 availability. Patients can book appointments anytime, including evenings, weekends, and holidays. This flexibility primarily benefits those who find making calls during standard office hours challenging. With the ability to address their scheduling needs instantly, patients can book or change appointments whenever it is most convenient for them. Additionally, for practices serving patients in multiple time zones, online scheduling ensures everyone can book appointments at a time that suits them best. 4. Online scheduling provides immediate confirmation, reducing uncertainty and the need for follow-up Online scheduling provides patients with instant confirmation of their appointments, offering real-time updates that reduce uncertainty. Once an appointment is booked, patients receive immediate confirmation, often via email or SMS, which helps to alleviate anxiety and ensure they know their appointment is secured. Many online scheduling systems also offer automated reminders via email, SMS, or app notifications to help patients remember their appointments and reduce the likelihood of missed visits. This instant confirmation and reminder system also reduces the need for administrative staff to follow up with patients to confirm appointments, freeing up their time for other tasks. The benefits for providers 5. 24/7 self-scheduling increases appointment bookings and reduces no-shows One of the major challenges healthcare providers face is the issue of patient no-shows. According to the Medical Group Management Association (MGMA), the average provider no-show rate is 5% to 7%. The cost to healthcare providers is around $150 billion annually. Yet there is growing evidence that allowing patients to conveniently and quickly schedule, cancel and reschedule appointments decreases no-shows, which is money in the bank for providers. Studies at the Mayo Clinic and Johns Hopkins showed that the percentage of appointments kept increased when patients scheduled their visits online. Automated reminders and confirmations are integral features of online scheduling systems that help mitigate this problem. By sending reminders via email, SMS or app notifications, these systems ensure that patients know about their upcoming appointments. These reminders reduce the likelihood of patients forgetting their scheduled visits, decreasing missed appointments. Fewer no-shows translate to more consistent patient flow and better utilization of the provider's time and resources. 6. Digital scheduling reduces pressure on staff The convenience factor extends beyond patients. Self-scheduling platforms also improve efficiency and ease the burden on call center staff. Experian Health's “Short-staffed for the long term” report showed that 73% of providers say finding staff is challenging. As the chronic staffing crisis continues, providers should look to automated solutions to remove bottlenecks, increase capacity and improve the experience for call center staff. After partnering with Experian Health, Indiana University (IU) Health found that automated self-scheduling helped them do more with fewer staff while engaging patients. They stated, “Self-scheduling does the work of two full-time schedulers.” Of the patients who used the online scheduling tool, 87% arrived for their visit. Patient appointment scheduling software offloads call volumes and cuts call times in half. It also gives providers control over their calendars while integrating seamlessly with electronic medical records and practice management systems. Providers can also use these solutions in parallel to patient intake software to help accelerate registration, saving even more valuable time and resources. 7. Embracing digital scheduling gives providers a competitive edge Getting patient scheduling right is crucial to patient acquisition and retention strategies and is increasingly vital as patient volumes fluctuate. Making a strong first impression with easy self-scheduling is more likely to attract new patients and gives providers a competitive edge. Online appointment scheduling systems allow healthcare providers to manage their schedules more effectively. Providers can easily view and optimize appointment slots, ensuring effective time utilization. These features improve workflows and productivity as providers can balance their schedules to avoid overbooking or underutilization. Additionally, the ability to analyze scheduling data can help providers identify peak times and adjust their staffing and resources accordingly, further enhancing operational efficiency. In a competitive healthcare market, staying ahead of the curve with advanced technology solutions like online scheduling is crucial. Providers who embrace digital scheduling not only improve their operational efficiency and patient satisfaction but also position themselves as leaders in the industry, attracting tech-savvy patients who seek modern and convenient healthcare services. 8. Patient scheduling software can protect against the unexpected A final reason to embrace patient scheduling software is to future-proof scheduling capacity against unforeseen events. During the COVID-19 pandemic, flexible self-scheduling tools helped providers maintain operational stability as patient numbers surged with each new wave of infections. In a climate of chronic staff shortages, augmenting employee numbers is challenging and can be impractical to manage during periods when patient volumes subside. Patient self-service software is a DIY solution patients want, and providers need to stretch staff efficiency and work smarter. Today, these tools continue to improve, and providers increasingly rely on them to meet patient needs. A 2024 survey showed that 60% of patients want more digital tools to manage their health. Patient scheduling software gives patients the self-service experience they're accustomed to with 24/7/365 online appointment scheduling. New uncertainties will always be on the horizon, but with the right digital patient scheduling software, providers will be well-positioned to face whatever's next. Learn how Experian Health's patient scheduling software can help healthcare organizations meet patient expectations, improve operational efficiency and prepare for future patient scheduling demands.

“For too many, coverage is either unavailable or insufficient.” This is the harsh reality the American Hospital Association highlighted in a recent statement to the US Senate, urging action to address growing medical debt. Despite efforts to expand insurance coverage, hospitals continue to lose billions of dollars through unpaid bills. The statement notes that hospitals provided over $42 billion in uncompensated care in 2020 alone. Guiding low-income patients to appropriate charity care programs can mitigate a significant portion of this uncompensated care. Unfortunately, many eligible patients are either unaware of these options or choose not to apply, causing hospitals to waste time and money chasing bills from people who cannot afford to pay. Helping those patients find and apply for financial support is critical to reducing bad debt. But that's a challenging prospect without automation. Presumptive screening with Patient Financial Clearance offers a faster route to reliable charity care classifications and a reduction in uncompensated care. What is charity care? Charity care programs provide free or discounted healthcare to patients who can't afford to pay their bills, covering medically necessary inpatient and emergency room services. Typically, programs offer full or partial discounts to uninsured patients, but those with insurance may be entitled to assistance if their plan doesn't cover their care. Eligibility depends on the hospital's financial assistance policies and relevant state regulations. Hospitals do not expect to be reimbursed for charity care, though tax exemptions and government funding may offset some of the cost. In this way, charity care is distinct from “bad debt,” which refers to unpaid patient bills that hospitals expect to collect. Frustratingly, too many accounts that could have been eligible for charity care are written off to bad debt—perhaps because patients don't realize they're eligible, don't know how to fill out the application, or feel embarrassed to seek help. The problem is further exacerbated by the growth in high-deductible and “skinny” health plans, as patients without sufficient coverage assume support is only for the uninsured. Several states are tackling medical debt by bolstering charity care programs. For example, North Carolina plans to boost federal payouts to hospitals that agree to waive medical debt for low-and middle-income patients. In Milwaukee, County Supervisors are taking a preventive approach, using income data to automatically enroll at-risk patients into charity care programs to stave off bad debt before it takes root, in a process known as presumptive charity. What is presumptive charity? Checking eligibility and helping patients apply for charity care is predictably form-heavy. Patients must provide tax returns, pay stubs, and bank statements to confirm their household income and financial status. Manual reviews are time-consuming for providers, while the overall experience can feel intrusive or confusing to patients. Presumptive charity screening expedites charity care checks by automatically screening patients for financial assistance eligibility. It uses automation and data analytics to quickly evaluate the patient's credit information, financial data and demographic details to make a 'presumptive' determination of eligibility for charity care, regardless of coverage status. Better charity care classifications reduce bad debt Automated charity care checks mean more patients will be classified correctly so hospitals can confidently seek reimbursement from the appropriate source. This offers several advantages, such as: Reducing bad debt: Presumptive charity screening results in fewer eligible patients missing out on financial support, so they're less likely to be sent bills they can't pay. Increasing efficiency: More accurate screening allows staff to cut time spent on administrative tasks and stop chasing collections from patients who are unlikely to be able to pay. Expediting classification decisions: Automation means eligible patients don't have to wait for long periods to find out if they'll get financial support, which is especially important in urgent and high-volume services, such as emergency departments and large hospital systems. Improving the patient experience: Speedy systems with fewer forms reduce the patient's involvement to a minimum, contributing to a more convenient and compassionate financial journey. Maintaining compliance: Hospitals comply and maintain their non-profit status by providing charity care to their community. Supporting patients: Providing accessible healthcare to those who are low-income and are most vulnerable. How can Patient Financial Clearance help providers improve charity care classifications? Patient Financial Clearance (PFC) is a presumptive screening tool designed to help providers quickly determine which patients may be eligible for financial assistance. It then connects those patients with relevant charity care programs and automatically enrolls them, or establishes tailored payment plans for the amount they owe based on their financial situation. First, Patient Financial Clearance triggers automatic checks before or at the point of service to rapidly assess whether the patient qualifies for Medicaid, charity care or other financial assistance programs. It uses Experian Health's superior data and analytics to accurately estimate the patient's income, household size and Federal Poverty Line (FPL) percentage, and it calculates a Healthcare Payment Risk Score to predict their propensity to pay. Unlike alternative models which are built to estimate incomes for consumers with higher incomes, PFC's income estimates are optimized to predict incomes below 400% of the FPL. Then, if patients are likely to be eligible for charity care, the tool pre-populates application forms and initiates auto-enrollment to reduce staff manual input and the risk of errors. There needs to be a prompt process to help patients who do not qualify for charity care manage their bills. For patients who do not qualify for charity care, there also needs to be a prompt process to help. Patient Financial Clearance recommends optimal payment plan amounts per the organization's terms and policies. Staff can pull up summarized and detailed views of the patient's credit history and custom scripts to guide financial counseling discussions. Alex Liao, Product Manager for Patient Financial Clearance at Experian Health, explains how better charity classifications help reduce bad debt and increase collections: “The obvious benefit is that clients can accelerate the charity care application process and ensure eligible patients get assistance quickly. However, having a more accurate picture of patients' financial needs offers wider benefits across the revenue cycle: it ensures each patient account is handled appropriately to increase upfront collections and reduce bad debt. Those with a low ability to pay receive a payment plan they can afford, while those with a greater capacity to pay are not just paying the minimums.” Patient Financial Clearance in practice See how UCHealth used PFC to create a more streamlined approach to charity care classifications, resulting in: $26 million in disbursed charity care. More than 1,700 patients covered. 600 charity cases closed in one month alone (August 2023). To hear more about how automating charity care classifications with Patient Financial Clearance could help your organization reduce bad debt, contact us today for a demo. Patient Financial Clearance Contact us

Maintaining a healthy cash flow is the only way to deliver quality patient care, invest in state-of-the-art technologies and keep daily operations running smoothly. But that's easier said than done: data errors, delayed payments, denials and staffing disruptions leave providers vulnerable to escalating admin costs and revenue leakage, with little left over to reinvest. By adopting a few key revenue cycle management (RCM) strategies, providers can sidestep these challenges and bring in more dollars. This guide summarizes five revenue cycle management best practices healthcare leaders should follow to optimize RCM workflows and promote financial stability. Key challenges in revenue cycle management Common issues that can get in the way of a healthy revenue flow include: Inaccurate patient data leading to coding errors, claim denials and billing delays Increasing numbers of denied claims generate costly rework and wasted time Payer compliance issues that are constantly changing and time-consuming to monitor Growing numbers of self-pay patients struggling to pay their bills Labor shortages increase pressure on staff and leave the door open to sub-par performance Inadequate data insights hindering management's ability to spot opportunities for improvement Rapid technological changes leave providers on the back foot if they fail to keep pace with new developments. The dream scenario would be to avoid all these potential obstacles before they do too much damage. In reality, providers will need to choose a few priority areas to troubleshoot. Check out this guide to choosing the right key performance indicators for your revenue cycle dashboard to ensure the effective implementation of RCM strategies. Revenue cycle management best practices What does a successful revenue cycle look like? For busy RCM leaders, deciding what to tackle first can be overwhelming. While there's no one-size-fits-all RCM strategy, there are a few key issues that all organizations must pay attention to. Here are five areas of best practice to factor in: 1. Streamline patient registration and insurance verification Accurate patient data is the number one factor in building a robust revenue cycle. It doesn't matter how efficient claims management and collections processes are if the data they use is flawed. Automated registration and verification tools reduce the chances of manual errors entering the system to ensure correct billing, reduce denials, and speed up reimbursement. One pitfall to watch out for is the fact that some digital tools still require staff to check multiple payer websites and data repositories to verify insurance eligibility. Experian Health's latest patient access solution, Patient Access Curator, avoids this by using AI-driven technology to collect and verify patient information with a single click. 2. Automate claims submission and management According to Experian Health's State of Claims 2022 report, 62% of providers feel they lack the necessary data and analytics to identify issues in claims submission processes. A similar number believe the absence of automation prevents improvement. The CAQH Index backs this up, with the latest estimates suggesting the healthcare industry could save $18.3 billion by switching to electronic transactions. As with patient intake, there's an opportunity to leverage automation in claims management to prevent errors and delays so the organization gets paid faster. Experian Health's claims management products—ranked #1 in 2024 surveys by both KLAS and Black Book—automate each step of the claims workflow so providers can submit clean claims quickly and cut the need for time-consuming manual work. 3. Optimize denials management and appeals with AI Despite best efforts, claims denials remain a burden for many RCM teams. However, proactively understanding and addressing the root causes can help keep denials under control. There's an opportunity to go a step beyond automation and see how artificial intelligence and machine learning can help combat the denials challenge. AI AdvantageTM evaluates individual claims in real time to flag those with a high likelihood of denials based on historical payment data, so staff can intervene quickly before submission. Denials are then triaged using advanced algorithms so staff can focus on reworking denials with the greatest chance of payment, rather than wasting time on those that are never going to be approved. Eric Eckhart, Director of Patient Financial Services at Community Medical Centers in California, says that since implementing AI Advantage, “Now I have almost a whole week a month of staff time back, and I can put that on other things. I can pull that back from outsourcing to other follow-up vendors and bring that in-house and save money. The savings have snowballed. That's really been the biggest financial impact.” Watch the webinar: Hear how Community Medical Centers and Schneck Medical Center are using AI AdvantageTM to prevent and triage denials. 4. Choose the right technology and tools for enhanced RCM The three previous revenue cycle management best practices emphasize the importance of selecting the right tools for the task. Two things to look out for when adopting a new RCM product are how well it integrates with existing tools and systems, and whether it offers meaningful insights to drive ongoing improvements. Experian Health's integrated RCM solutions are designed to fit together seamlessly, often allowing staff to view information from multiple workflows within the same dashboard. By bringing together metrics such as financial performance, billing efficiency and collections rates into one place, these tools help staff make strategic decisions about resource allocation and operational improvements. 5. Keep up with regulatory compliance Finally, ensuring compliance with regulatory requirements cannot be overlooked. The reputational and financial risks are too great. Regular training for staff on compliance issues and maintaining up-to-date knowledge of government and payer requirements will minimize the risk of penalties. Choosing RCM tools that automatically check for relevant updates can help providers stay current. Price transparency is a topical example. While the Hospital Price Transparency Rule is designed to help healthcare consumers understand healthcare costs and make more informed decisions about their care, implementation has proven tricky for providers. With the right technology and third-party support, it's much easier to stay compliant. Watch the webinar: See how Experian Health and Cleverley & Associates have partnered to help healthcare organizations navigate price transparency in 2024. Looking for more insights into revenue cycle management best practices? Contact Experian Health today to discover how our RCM solutions can transform your revenue cycle and increase cash flow year over year. Revenue cycle management solutions Contact us

While the healthcare industry remains hesitant about automation, there's one area where digital tools have already proven their worth: patient intake. According to Experian Health's State of Patient Access survey, almost 90% of patients say they welcome digital patient registration, reflecting the growing demand for efficiency and convenience. Staff frustration with mounting paperwork and poorly coordinated manual systems also points to an urgent need for a better way of working. The case for switching from traditional to digital patient intake systems is pretty compelling, even before factoring in potential cost savings. For providers still taking a “wait-and-see” approach, it may be worth considering how digital patient intake could address some of the most common challenges associated with traditional registration methods, such as the following: 1. Online registration can prevent missed opportunities for patient bookings Patients' number one patient access challenge is seeing their doctor quickly. Too many are stopped in their tracks by slow and inflexible intake processes. Inconvenient booking protocols – often requiring phone calls during limited office hours – deter patents, resulting in sluggish scheduling rates and avoidable gaps in physician calendars. Moreover, traditional systems that treat scheduling and registration as two distinct activities miss the chance to accelerate intake because patients have to fill out the same information multiple times. Digital patient intake streamlines scheduling and registration so patients can book and manage appointments anytime, anywhere. With a mobile-first automated platform, patients can provide essential demographic and insurance information at the point of booking, and fill out remaining registration forms whenever it suits with a single click. When intake is easy, bookings increase. 2. Digital patient access can reduce high no-show rates Quick and convenient intake addresses the related challenge of no-shows, which lead to underutilization of services and delayed patient care. If canceling or rescheduling an appointment is easy, patients are more likely to make that little bit of effort to click the link instead of simply not turning up. With accurate patient data coming in at the start, providers can send automated appointment reminders and tailored messages to coordinate follow-ups, so patients are less likely to forget appointments or misremember referral instructions. 3. Digital patient intake can prevent payment delays and claim denials Inefficient registration means patient information passes through multiple hands, resulting in data entry errors that trickle through the revenue cycle. In a recent Q&A, Barb Terry, Product Manager for Registration Accelerator at Experian Health, talked about the importance of ensuring accurate data from the start: “Waiting until the patient's appointment to collect insurance information doesn’t give providers much time to verify insurance, or to determine the patient’s financial responsibility for copays, deductibles, and out-of-pocket expenses… In previous surveys, 40% of providers have said registration errors are a primary cause of denied claims. Obtaining patient registration data before the appointment helps to ensure revenue cycle processes flow efficiently to reduce denials and financial risks.” With Registration Accelerator, patients receive a text to scan their identity and insurance cards, validating the data in real-time and automatically uploading it into eCare NEXT®. Experian Health's Eligibility Verification and Registration QA tools can then use the same verified data, reducing the risk of manual errors that lead to claim denials. 4. Reduce patient stress caused by unclear costs One of the clearest messages from patients in this year's State of Patient Access survey is the need for upfront, transparent information about costs. A disappointing 64% of patients did not get price estimates before care, and of those that did 14% said their estimates were inaccurate. It's extremely challenging for staff to compile all the data points necessary to calculate patient responsibility using traditional systems. Digital tools that automate patient data capture, insurance eligibility verification, coverage discovery and prior authorizations provide financial clarity quickly and accurately, giving patients peace of mind and reducing the burden on staff. By improving the patient billing and payment experience, providers can reduce financial stress for patients and get paid more promptly. 5. Digital patient intake reduces high operational costs and poor use of staff time Traditional registration systems are full of hidden costs, from the hefty price tags associated with paper forms, storage and printing to the time required of admin staff. These expenses are compounded over time by revenue leakage caused by errors in claim submissions and scheduling delays. Staffing shortages mean many providers simply don't have the human power to handle these challenges using manual systems alone. Again, automation comes out on top. Registration Accelerator eliminates the need to scan, fax and file forms and automatically handles patient check-ins, form returns and demographic updates. It is one of a suite of tools that feed into eCare NEXT®, automating up to 80% of the pre-registration process. Anthony Meyers, Director of Patient Access at West Tennessee Healthcare, explains how his team used Registration Accelerator to manage staffing shortages without compromising the patient experience: “We can't train somebody just for them to leave in three months [...] so we looked for digital solutions to help. It's frustrating for patients not to be able to talk to a real person, so I don't ever want to take the personal touch out of healthcare [...] But if we can use technology to make us work faster, harder, smarter and not do things manually, then we've got to do it. And it doesn't mean staff will lose their jobs: we reposition them to do other things to enhance the patient experience.” A digital helping hand for faster, smarter, more accurate patient intake As patient intake challenges continue to grow, digital patient intake stands out as a practical and proven solution to streamline access to care and stabilize cash flow. With Registration Accelerator, staff can focus on critical tasks that drive revenue and make a positive first impression on patients who are looking for a convenient and compassionate healthcare experience. Find out more about how Registration Accelerator expedites patient intake and solves the operational and financial challenges that come with traditional systems. Learn more Contact us

Patients increasingly expect convenience and efficiency in all aspects of their lives, including healthcare. A study by Experian Health shows that 89% want the ability to schedule appointments anytime via online or mobile tools. The same survey showed providers are listening, with 63% offering self-scheduling and another 16% planning to go live with these tools in six months. That's good news for everyone, and not just because patients say they want more digital tools to manage their healthcare. Online scheduling addresses patient expectations by offering a range of benefits that traditional scheduling methods cannot match. However, these benefits aren't just for patients; healthcare providers that deploy online patient scheduling software experience four impressive benefits with a direct impact on their revenue cycle. What is online patient scheduling software? Online patient scheduling software is a digital tool designed to facilitate the appointment booking process for healthcare providers and their patients. This patient access technology replaces traditional over-the-phone scheduling methods with an efficient and user-friendly online system. The key features of patient digital scheduling platforms include: 24/7 appointment booking: Patients can schedule appointments at any time, day or night, providing flexibility and convenience that traditional methods cannot offer. Automated reminders: The software sends automatic reminders via email or SMS to reduce the likelihood of missed appointments. Real-time availability: Patients can view and select available time slots in real-time, ensuring they can find appointments that fit their schedules. Calendar integration: The software integrates with the provider's existing calendar systems to ensure that all appointments are accurately tracked and managed. Customizable scheduling: Healthcare providers can customize the software to reflect their specific scheduling rules, such as appointment types, durations, and provider availability. Manual scheduling frustrates patients and providers. Online patient scheduling allows patients to regain control while increasing their engagement in managing their health. Why do patients prefer online scheduling? Patients want online scheduling software because it aligns with their desire for convenience, efficiency, and control over their healthcare experience. One of the primary reasons to use online scheduling software is its round-the-clock availability. Patients can book appointments without office-hour restrictions. Online scheduling software allows patients to select time slots best suited to their schedules, minimizing the time spent waiting on hold during phone calls or in busy waiting rooms. Patients can easily see and compare availability, making planning their visits easier around personal and professional commitments. It also makes canceling or rescheduling appointments less of a hassle. One common issue patients face is forgetting about their appointments. Online scheduling software often includes automated reminders and confirmations via email or SMS, helping patients remember their upcoming visits. Some patients may also feel uncomfortable discussing their medical issues over the phone or in person at the front desk. Online scheduling offers a more private and discreet way to book appointments, allowing patients to select services without disclosing personal information to multiple people. Bringing digital efficiencies to healthcare scheduling leads to a more positive patient experience. One study showed that 28% of patients say care access has improved over the past year, even as more providers adopt these new technologies. But it's not just patients who benefit from online patient scheduling software. There are plenty of incentives for healthcare providers to adopt these tools. Healthcare providers benefit from online patient scheduling By adopting this technology, healthcare providers can streamline operations, improve patient satisfaction, and ultimately deliver higher-quality care. Experian Health offers online patient scheduling software that meets the needs of patients while benefiting providers. For example, Indiana University Health (IU Health) deployed the software across 16 hospitals and the largest network of physicians in the state. The organization leveraged the solution to increase patient volumes with minimal staff training, improving patient utilization by 114% within the first year. Today, four employees can handle patient scheduling for up to eight service lines. An unexpected benefit was the increase in referral management; the software enabled 600 monthly referral appointments, helping to generate new revenue for the system. These results are typical; most providers find the benefits of online patient scheduling software include: Reduced staff training time Improves the scheduling process for patients and providers Decreases patient no-shows Increases patient volumes and revenue Speeds up staff training One of the most significant challenges in any healthcare setting is training new staff quickly and effectively. Getting new staff up to speed rapidly is essential when severe staffing shortages are the norm. Experian Health's online patient scheduling software simplifies training. Its user-friendly interface and intuitive design reduce the learning curve for new employees to about an hour. The software provides guided workflows and real-time assistance, translating to less time spent on training and more time focused on patient care. Streamlines scheduling time Traditional scheduling methods can be time-consuming and prone to errors; 62% of providers say chronic staffing shortages exacerbate the problem. Online scheduling streamlines the entire process, cutting scheduling time in half over traditional methods. By allowing patients to book appointments online, the software reduces the back-and-forth communication typically required for scheduling. Automated reminders and confirmations ensure efficient appointment management. The calendar integration feature allows real-time updates and availability checks, providing a convenient booking process that enhances the patient experience. Improves patient no-show rates Patient no-shows can be a significant issue for healthcare providers, leading to lost revenue and wasted time. Experian Health's online scheduling software tackles this problem head-on. The software includes automated email or SMS appointment reminders, significantly reducing the likelihood of patients forgetting their appointments. Additionally, the ease of rescheduling allows patients to adjust their appointments without the hassle, further decreasing no-show rates. By keeping patients informed and engaged, the software helps ensure they attend their scheduled appointments, improving the clinic's efficiency and patient satisfaction. Josh Brown, Program Manager for Provider Match at IU Health, stated, “We've seen a reduction in no-shows and an increase in patient engagement. By leveraging technology and data analysis, the guided scheduling platform has helped deliver better care more efficiently and effectively.” Increases patient volumes and revenue Online patient scheduling directly contributes to increased patient volumes by improving scheduling efficiency and reducing no-show rates. More patients can schedule in less time, and the reduction in no-shows means fewer appointment slots go unused. The convenience of online scheduling can attract new patients who prefer digital interactions over traditional phone calls. These benefits lead to higher patient volumes and increased revenue for the healthcare practice. Today's digitally-savvy healthcare consumers require a different approach to scheduling services. Online patient scheduling offers them the convenience of DIY appointment setting and has some surprising benefits for healthcare providers, too, making these solutions a win for everyone. Ready to make the move to online scheduling? Contact Experian Health to get started! Improve patient scheduling Contact us

With over $220 billion in medical debt, patients in the U.S. are burdened by substantial financial obligations. These numbers also distress healthcare providers, who face cash flow and other operational challenges stemming from unpaid patient bills—and debt collection can further strain the relationship between care providers and patients. An efficient financial clearance process at the beginning of each patient encounter can benefit the entire system. But what is healthcare financial clearance and how can providers achieve it? What is financial clearance in healthcare? Financial clearance in healthcare is an administrative process that ensures patients understand their financial obligations before service delivery. It's often a manual workflow that involves verifying insurance coverage, estimating out-of-pocket costs, and discussing payment options or plans. The main objectives of financial clearance in healthcare are to prevent unexpected financial burdens for the patient, reduce the risk of unpaid medical bills for the provider, and streamline billing and payment. Common challenges with healthcare financial clearance Complex insurance policies, inaccurate or incomplete patient information, and lack of patient understanding of their own policy requirements are just a few of the challenges healthcare providers face in financial clearance. Not all healthcare providers have access to advanced technology or automated systems to streamline financial clearance, leading to reliance on manual processes that are prone to errors. Determining eligibility for financial assistance involves navigating complex criteria, which include assessing individual income, household size, savings, and medical requirements. When patients need help understanding their policy requirements, the educational burden often rests on the healthcare provider. Traditional manual methods of collecting and analyzing this data are prone to inefficiencies and inaccuracies, leading to missed opportunities to provide necessary financial support to patients. This makes the financial clearance process even more time-consuming, requiring significant administrative effort to verify insurance details, secure authorizations, and communicate with patients and insurers. Verifying a patient's insurance details during financial clearance ensures that the provider has the correct information about the patient's coverage, reducing the risk of denials due to eligibility issues. Financial clearance involves confirming that the patient is eligible for the services under their insurance plan. If eligibility is not verified beforehand, providers may deliver services that are not covered, leading to denials. Financial clearance also involves estimating the patient's out-of-pocket costs and ensuring the patient understands their financial responsibility. This process helps reduce denials related to unmet deductibles or co-payments, as patients are informed about their financial obligations upfront. Enhancing the healthcare financial clearance process improves revenue cycle management and significantly boosts patient satisfaction. As reimbursement denials continue to rise, healthcare providers have a vested financial interest in minimizing the financial uncertainties patients face early on in their healthcare journey. The use of technology to automate many of these manual processes allows healthcare providers to focus on minimizing financial uncertainty for patients, thereby enhancing their overall experience. Improve revenue cycle with automated healthcare financial clearance Healthcare providers can use technology to understand patient payment challenges and recommend the best financial pathway during the registration process. Providers like UC Health in Colorado leveraged Experian Health's Patient Financial Clearance software to write off $26 million in charity care. The technology integrates cleanly with the provider's electronic health record (EHR) to lessen the back-and-forth between systems during patient registration. Identifying the patients who need financial assistance upfront lessens the time spent pursuing bad debt and connects those who qualify for financial assistance with the right programs. Experian Health's Patient Financial Clearance solution fosters clear communication between the healthcare provider and the patient regarding coverage, costs, and payment expectations. This transparency helps in addressing potential issues that could lead to denials before they occur. Automation reduces bad debt and improves the patient experience Technology answers the question of 'what is financial clearance in healthcare?' with outcomes that include higher patient satisfaction and a better bottom line. Patient Financial Clearance automates screening to determine financial and clinical eligibility for each person at the first point of service. It answers critical questions such as: Does the patient qualify for financial assistance? What constitutes a realistic patient payment plan? Notably, the software helps set the tone for the patient intake specialist, approaching payment terms proactively and empowering everyone to take on their financial responsibilities early in the care delivery process. Patient Financial Clearance automates and streamlines manual workflows to optimize the revenue cycle. For example, this software can: Automate screening prior to service or at the point-of-service to determine if patients qualify for financial assistance, Medicaid, or other assistance programs, without relying on patients for information Leverage Experian’s comprehensive data and analytics capabilities to calculate the patient’s optimal payment plan amount based on the patient’s unique financial situation Predict propensity to pay using Experian’s proprietary Healthcare Payment Risk Score The benefits of Patient Financial Clearance for providers include: Improved point-of-service collections Lowered bad debt write-offs Increased staff productivity IRS 501(r) compliance Improved patient and staff experience For patients, Experian Health’s Self-Service Patient Financial Clearance option enables patients to conveniently complete eligibility checks at their own pace. Through a mobile and web-based platform, patients can submit screening forms and upload necessary documents, receiving real-time updates without the need to contact their healthcare providers. All information is securely stored, allowing staff to access application statuses as required. Automating financial clearance in healthcare transforms an unwieldy process into an efficient way to manage the delicate relationship between providers and patients. Technology can free up intake specialists to concentrate on creating a better patient experience and eliminate the frustrations surrounding collecting payment after the service is complete. Learn more about how Patient Financial Clearance can help healthcare organizations reduce bad debt by automating the patient financial assistance process.

According to Experian Health's State of Patient Access Survey 2024, eight in ten healthcare providers plan to invest in patient access improvements soon. As they weigh up the pros and cons of different solutions, many will focus on two key areas: making scheduling and registration easier for patients, and streamlining financial processes to boost their profitability. This blog post examines how automated patient access solutions can help providers meet patient expectations and operational demands. Survey snapshot: what do patients want? Experian Health's annual State of Patient Access surveys are useful pulse checks on patient perceptions. What do patients find challenging about accessing care? Where are they bumping up against unnecessary friction? The 2024 survey offers a promising outlook: 28% of patients report improvements in access in the last year, up from just 17% in 2023. Still, there is room for improvement: patients' biggest challenge – seeing a practitioner quickly – has topped the list for the last four years. Other significant challenges include understanding the cost of care and scheduling appointments. The State of Patient Access 2024 survey examines the perspectives from patients and providers on their perceptions of access to healthcare. Download now One key takeaway from the survey is the role of digital technology. Both patients and providers find complex, repetitive and inefficient processes to be the most problematic aspects of patient access – ideal targets for digital tools. Indeed, patients specifically express a desire for online health management tools, while more than half of providers attribute improvements in patient access to automated processes. There's a solid business case for investing in digital patient access solutions to ensure that patients see their doctors quickly and providers get paid without delay. Patient access solutions can open the digital front door with online scheduling and registration The first area where providers may consider investing in digital tools is in the patient's first interactions with their facility. When patients can schedule appointments quickly and complete registration without boring and repetitive paperwork, they're more likely to report a positive patient experience. Survey data backs this up: 89% of patients say the ability to schedule appointments any time, via online or mobile tools, is important to them 89% of patients say digital or paperless pre-registration is important to them. Online self-scheduling gives patients 24/7 access to book, cancel, and reschedule appointments from any device. Based on scheduling rules, they're shown the earliest suitable appointment, which means they'll see their doctor as soon as possible. Patients can be sent automated reminders of upcoming appointments and health checks, which means show rates and health outcomes will be better. It also drastically reduces call volumes so staff can focus on other priorities. Similarly, digital registration lets patients avoid the most dreaded part of patient intake: filling out lengthy forms in the waiting room. Automated registration also ensures that patients (specifically their data) are correctly entered into the system, preventing downstream delays. With text-to-mobile registration, patients are sent a text message prompting them to scan their identity and insurance cards, which are then uploaded and validated against existing records. Securing correct information from the start lays the groundwork for the patient's healthcare experience and the provider's revenue cycle. Interestingly, despite patient demand, self-scheduling and registration did not make the cut for providers' top three priorities. This suggests an untapped opportunity for providers that choose to invest here. Anthony Myers, Director of Patient Access at West Tennessee Healthcare, shares how their organization worked with Experian Health to accelerate and improve the registration process with Registration Accelerator. Watch now Patient access solutions can streamline insurance, eligibility and estimates A second opportunity lies in automating the patient access processes involved in revenue generation and claims submission. The revenue cycle is full of hidden costs for both patients and providers, often resulting from intake inefficiencies. Patients end up with bills that are higher than expected, while providers fall foul of changing payer requirements around prior authorizations and insurance eligibility verification, resulting in lost revenue. Improving upfront pricing estimates and clarifying insurance coverage ranked among the most urgent priorities for both groups in the survey. A few patient access solutions that can help here include: Patient estimates: When patients know in advance how much their care will cost, they can plan better. Web-based and mobile-enabled price transparency tools generate accurate estimates based on chargemaster data, claims history, patient insurance details and payer contract terms, and even account for payment plans and prompt-pay discounts. This improves the patient experience and increases collection rates while easing the burden on staff. Insurance eligibility verification: Manual processes for verifying active coverage are time-consuming and error-prone, causing staff burnout and patient confusion. Automating insurance verification checks at the time of service gives everyone greater certainty and prevents payment delays and claim denials. Personalized payment plans: By using their own data, along with third-party datasets, providers can leverage automation to offer alternative payment plans to patients who cannot pay the full amount right away. For example, PatientSimple® assesses each patient's propensity to pay and recommends the optimal financial plan that works for the patient's unique circumstances. Patients can check estimates and compare pricing plans on the self-service portal, giving them more control over their bills. These options promote financial sustainability by quickly identifying how much should be paid by which party and establishing processes to collect those amounts with minimal fuss. With ongoing staffing shortages, these time-saving tools are crucial for workforce resilience. Integrate patient access solutions with Patient Access Curator While providers may prioritize one of the above areas, the two are complementary: efficient scheduling and registration lead to better patient flow and accurate data collection, accelerating insurance and eligibility verification. This is more likely with an integrated “tech stack” across the whole patient access workflow. However, integration is a challenge for many providers. Nearly a quarter report that their biggest challenge in patient access is wrangling the multitude of tools needed to run pre-registration checks and gather the information necessary for claim submissions. Experian Health's newest patient access solution addresses this challenge by bringing together multiple insurance-related queries together into a single inquiry. With one click, Patient Access Curator automatically captures all relevant patient insurance data in less than 30 seconds. This includes: Eligibility verification, including billable secondary and tertiary coverage, chaining and primacy Coordination of Benefits, analyzing payer responses in real-time using AI to ensure no active insurance is missed Medicare Beneficiary Identifiers, using AI, automation and analytics to check and correct patient identifiers Patient demographics, using in-memory analytics and proprietary algorithms to ensure contact details are current Coverage and financial status, including automatic checks to find any existing coverage for accounts marked as self-pay or unbillable, and generate a summary of each patient's propensity to pay. With over $1 billion saved in prevented denials by clients using Patient Access Curator, it's clear that investing in digital technology is a cost-effective way to address current challenges in patient access. By increasing capacity and reducing errors and delays, these tools not only enhance financial performance, but give providers a head start when it comes to delivering an outstanding patient experience. Learn more about how Experian Health's patient access solutions accelerate access to care and streamline revenue generation from the start.

Once hesitant, the healthcare industry is slowly embracing artificial intelligence (AI)'s potential. Healthcare stakeholders, particularly those in revenue cycle management, are now interested in exploring AI-driven technology solutions to tackle daunting administrative tasks. According to data highlighted by the Journal of AHIMA, two-thirds of health systems are adopting AI to support revenue cycle processes. AI offers solutions that address the complexities of medical billing, insurance claims, and patient payments and enhance hospitals' financial health. The potential savings from AI adoption in healthcare spending could range from $200 to $360 billion annually, making it a compelling option for revenue cycle leaders looking to save more in far less time and with fewer resources. AI-powered tools show strong promise to reshape how revenue cycle leaders manage the most pressing issues in revenue cycle management, offering an efficient and seamless solution to complex revenue cycle tasks, including automated data entry and real-time insurance verification. Read on to discover more about the role of AI in revenue cycle management and how best to take advantage of robust AI solutions to streamline claims processing. How is AI used in revenue cycle management? The state of the average healthcare revenue cycle today reveals a pressing need for improvement. According to Experian Health's State of Claims 2022 report, reimbursement cycles are getting longer and claim errors and denials are rising. Here are everyday revenue cycle management challenges that AI-powered solutions can efficiently solve. AI can help manage complex billing procedures Accurate medical billing is the first step towards guaranteeing claims approval, yet data indicates that revenue cycle managers are falling short in this critical area. Errors in medical billing cost the U.S. healthcare system approximately $935 million weekly, highlighting the urgent need for improvement in the medical billing processes. Navigating the intricate landscape of insurance plans, billing codes, and patient payments can be overwhelming. Each insurance plan has unique nuances and requirements, adding to the complexity. Moreover, the success of a billing process relies on accuracy, which may be near impossible with manual handling. Adopting AI into every aspect of the billing cycle can streamline and improve the billing process while ensuring accuracy at every stage. AI-powered billing solutions like Patient Access Curator effectively manage critical aspects of the process, including verifying a patient's coverage and eligibility and fixing billing errors. Accurate billing significantly reduces the potential for rejected claims, creating opportunities for more efficient healthcare operations and saving money. AI in RCM can help prevent claim denials  According to The State of Claims 2022 report, 200 health professionals surveyed stated that 5% to 15% of claims are denied. These denials result in hospitals losing billions of dollars, approximately $260 billion per year, forcing them to write off massive amounts of debt, as noted in the Journal of Managed Care & Specialty Pharmacy. Insurance claims denials often result from inadequate data and analytics to identify submission issues, manual claims processing, and insufficient staff training. These denials affect the hospital's revenue and create additional administrative work to rectify the errors. The downstream effect is that patients may receive bills in error and end up paying the out-of-pocket bills if resolution does not occur. AI can make a huge difference, turning the bleak trend of increasing claim denials into a more positive experience for hospitals and patients. Encouragingly, The State of Claims 2022 report reveals that over half of healthcare providers use AI-powered healthcare claims management software to prevent claim denials. Among these AI-powered software solutions, Experian Health's AI Advantage™, when used in conjunction with ClaimSource®, an automated claims management system, stands out as a valuable solution for bolstering denial prevention efforts, improving claims management, and increasing revenue savings. Reduce patient payment delays With the rise in high deductible health plans, patients are putting off or not making payments, affecting the hospital's cash flow. According to medical billing analysts, people with health insurance, who previously accounted for only a fraction of hospital debtors, now constitute the majority of debtors in American hospitals. Hence, patient payment delays are now serious roadblocks to seamless revenue cycle management. On the provider end, there's also the challenge of swiftly verifying a patient's coverage and estimating their medical bill without any margin for error. Billing mistakes, surprise expenses, and complex payment processes can make it challenging for patients to manage their finances and make payments as early as possible. On the other hand, early and accurate estimation of patients' financial responsibility can help patients understand and appropriately plan for medical bills in advance. However, achieving the latter experience for patients involves sifting through constantly growing data, compounding the strain on limited hospital resources. That's where AI-powered revenue cycle management solutions can help. With solutions like Patient Access Curator, healthcare providers can quickly and accurately gather and verify necessary information about a patient's insurance, enabling them to promptly provide patients with a clear picture of what's left for them to pay. How can AI help with claims management? AI-powered software offers tailored solutions to simplify and optimize claims management processes and, in turn, improve revenue cycle management. Here are two critical ways AI can help with claims management. Real-time insurance eligibility verification Accurate eligibility verification is a fundamental part of the claims process. It is crucial for an accurate and faster billing process, increasing claims approval rates, and improving revenue cycle management. Conversely, incorrect verification leads to denied claims, contributing to care delays, wasteful healthcare spending, and a poor patient payment experience. By using Experian Health's Al-powered Patient Access Curator solution, healthcare providers can instantly verify and update patient insurance information, ensuring accurate billing and reducing the potential for claims denial. This real-time verification eliminates any need for guesswork and ensures that billing is done based on the most current insurance information. Patient Access Curator is a valuable tool for hospitals looking to save time, money, and staff resources that would have been spent on a lengthy and denial-prone claims process. With just one click and in 30 seconds, it prevents claims denial problems on the front-end. Since 2020, it has been a game changer for the financial health of clients using the platform, helping them save over $1 billion in denied claims. Predictive claims analysis AI can predict potential claim denials or payment delays, empowering hospitals to take proactive measures. By analyzing historical data and patterns, AI can flag potential issues before they become costly problems. AI Advantage™, another AI-powered solution, aims to help healthcare providers prevent and manage claim denials. This solution has two components:AI Advantage – Predictive Denials: reduce claims denials by spotting errors and identifying claims that don't meet ever-changing payer rules, allowing corrections to be made.AI Advantage – Denial Triage: works after a claim has been denied to identify and group denials most likely to be approved after resubmission, allowing organizations to prioritize resubmissions most likely to benefit their finances. As revenue cycle leaders strive to navigate the ever-evolving landscape of healthcare, it is crucial to embrace AI to stay ahead of the game. With Experian Health's expertise and resources, healthcare providers can fully take advantage of robust AI solutions to streamline their revenue cycle processes and achieve financial success. Find out more about how Experian Health helps healthcare providers leverage AI to solve the most pressing issues in revenue cycle management.

“We ran a pilot across 10-15 service lines, and the team was able to schedule without any training. It makes it extremely easy to work in different service lines that you're unfamiliar with.” — Justin Baur, Manager of Patient Access and Referral Management at IU Health Challenge Indiana University Health (IU Health) is the largest network of physicians in Indiana, with over 36,000 team members across five patient regions and 16 partner hospitals. IU Health plans to launch the Unified Medical Group in 2025, combining its five patient regions. In preparation for this move, the health system sought an enterprise call center scheduling solution to manage growing patient volume while maintaining its current staff size. Solution IU Health selected Experian Health's Patient Schedule – Call Center Scheduling, an automation-powered digital scheduling platform, because it can effectively manage complex service lines in primary and specialty care. This decision was backed by Experian Health's track record in providing call center scheduling solutions for large health systems. Patient Schedule supports seamless self (patient) and staff scheduling.  This solution helps IU Health staff handle the increasing patient numbers with minimal training. Front office staff and call centers can swiftly and accurately schedule appointments and resolve patients' queries. Schedulers no longer have to memorize complex scheduling rules or work with lengthy notes, increasing staff efficiency, morale, satisfaction, and productivity. Listen in to an on-demand webinar to hear how IU Health transformed patient scheduling with Patient Schedule. Outcome Thanks to Patient Schedule, IU Health achieved the following results: 52 departments now use Call Center Scheduling 114% increase in patient utilization within a year 600 referrals on average scheduled each month Staff cross-trained across multiple specialty service lines Patient Schedule optimized IU Health's scheduling capacity, making the call center more efficient and increasing specialty referrals. This solution has also brought more and unexpected benefits, including improving referral management, which means that patients can schedule cross-speciality appointments before the patient leaves the office. Call Center Scheduling also enabled the implementation of a single phone line for all patient bookings. Additionally, the product's analytical features are helping IU Health discover ways to improve its scheduling infrastructure, as it works to standardize and expand the solution to all regions as part of the Unified Medical Group. Altogether, this solution has improved provider, staff, and patient flexibility, satisfaction, and experience so much that it has become indispensable to IU Health's scheduling operations. “Now we have pods of four people managing seven or eight service lines because it's so easy to work,” said Justin Baur, Manager of Patient Access and Referral Management at IU Health. “The team wouldn't be able to go back to the old way. You don't have to keep track of who you can schedule at what time or at what location because the algorithm does it for you.” “We really could not have started this initiative without the platform, because we had to make sure we had staff who were well versed in the product and service lines that were properly embedded in the product before rolling it out. This was a big success and we probably could not have started this launch without Experian,” he concludes.  Watch the webinar to hear examples of how guided scheduling was implemented in specific specialties and learn more about using automated patient scheduling to create a resilient and efficient scheduling infrastructure that works better for patients, providers and staff.