CHICAGO & PHILADELPHIA–Onbe, a leading corporate payouts platform, just published its Fall 2023 Healthcare Payments Survey revealing that patients are eager for healthcare providers to offer digital payment options, with 77% saying that making and receiving payments digitally would positively impact their relationship with their healthcare provider. Medical refunds are especially ripe for digitization, with 59% of patients receiving payments via check despite the high costs, risk and decreasing popularity of this payment method. By switching to modern payout solution, healthcare providers can maximize convenience and choice for patients and increase their overall satisfaction at a critical touchpoint.
The Onbe study, which polled 555 healthcare patients nationwide, discovered that when patients receive a medical refund due to overpayment or a billing error, the experience is often confusing and inconvenient. 58% of patients who had received a refund check said they were unsure of why they had received the payment. 57% have contended with a delayed, lost or incorrect payment from their healthcare provider. After experiencing a payment error, these patients cited inconveniences including financial burdens (41%) and extra time communicating with their provider to correct the issue (64%).
“Digital payments have impacted nearly every facet of the consumer experience. Hospital networks and systems can benefit from seizing the opportunity to provide their patients with fast, secure and convenient payment experiences,” said Melissa Hentschel, Onbe’s Chief Client Officer. “Leveraging flexible, digital payment options allows providers to offer their recipients choice while reducing the complexities patients face when receiving their medical refunds.”
Additional findings from Onbe’s Fall 2023 Healthcare Survey include:
Medical refunds can be confusing and the process can be intimidating, as 61% of patients are unsure when they’re entitled to a refund from their healthcare provider, and 57% of patients feel intimidated by their overall payment experience with their healthcare provider.
37% reported losing trust in their healthcare provider after experiencing a payment error.
77% of patients stated an improved payment or refund process would positively impact their overall experience with their healthcare provider.
Hospital networks and providers have an opportunity to better meet their patients’ preferences with modern payment experiences. Using Onbe’s payout gateway, providers can streamline and simplify their back-office refund processes, saving costs and labor while reducing payment errors. Leveraging choice-driven payment options, such as popular virtual cards, allows healthcare providers to deliver refunds quickly and securely, improving their patients’ experience at a crucial touchpoint.