Self-Service Patient Check In Changes Payment Psychology

According to a recent AON Hewitt survey, more than one-third of high-cost patients wait until their bill arrives to determine how they will cover their out-of-pocket responsibility. But patients who use digital check-in are more inclined to pay at the point of service. Some in the industry believe the reason for this behavior is that patients feel they won’t get treated until they pay.

“Patients won’t pay their past-due balances when asked by a staff member, but they do when the kiosk asks for payment,” says Tammy Griffin, CEO of Vision First Eye Center in Birmingham, Ala. “It’s as if they believe the digital system won’t let them move forward with their care until payment has been made.”