TECHNOLOGY


Drop a Text Communicate money matters with your patients like financial institutions do BY BRANDON DANIELL


Patients have a lot on their minds when it comes to preparing for, undergo- ing and recovering from surgery, so financial obli-


gations are typically not at or some- times anywhere near the top. There- fore, clearly communicating financial information related to their procedure becomes doubly important for the con- cerned ASC. Patient financial responsibility has increased significantly over the past several years. Once patients begin to focus on their surgery-related finan- cial obligations, many—particularly those who have not undergone sur- gery in many years—discover that what they owe out of pocket for their care far exceeds their expectations. Poor communication about financial obligations can add fuel to the fire, leading to unhappy and frustrated patients and physicians, cancelled and skipped cases, negative reviews and increased stress for staff. With the growing expectation


for ASCs to collect more from their patients, surgery centers need effec- tive financial communications. Col- lecting payments from patients better ensures that procedures can continue as planned, keeps procedures prof- itable and keeps an ASC in compli- ance with payer rules. ASCs look- ing to improve their communication efforts concerning money matters with patients need only look at the broader financial industry for strate- gies to employ. Banks, credit card companies and other service providers need to com- municate regularly with their cus- tomers regarding their financial obli- gations. Like ASCs, these businesses have relied on phone calls, physi-


cal mail and email for this purpose. Unlike many ASCs, these businesses now embrace texting. Financial text notifications have


become a matter of convenience for many American adults. Americans sign up for payment text remind- ers from their credit card company because they do not want to miss a payment and incur a penalty. Service providers like phone companies and public utilities also send payment reminders via text these days.


Business Case for Texting American adults are increasingly relying on texting as a primary com- munication channel in their daily lives. It is often how we stay in touch with family, friends and colleagues. Thus, it makes sense for a business to want to be in this inner circle of com- munication. In addition, 95 percent of text messages sent are read within three minutes, according to a March 2013 Forbes article. According to an


August 2014 Mobile Marketing Watch column, 98 percent of all texts sent are opened and only about 1 percent of texts are spam. Texting is convenient, easy to use and ubiquitous and requires no behavior change. With regular tex- ting, there is nothing new to down- load, install or set up and nothing to learn how to use. Text


notifications play into the


human nature of “FOMO,” or “fear of missing out.” There are certain communications that many of us do not want to miss: notifications about flight delays, appointment remind- ers, fraudulent activity alerts on credit cards and more. Despite tex- ting being a relatively new technol- ogy and communication channel, age is not a barrier to texting in America. Nearly all US adults own cell phones, with smartphone ownership exceed- ing 80 percent, according to a June 2019 Pew Research Center fact sheet. Among those ages 50–69, text mes-


ASC FOCUS AUGUST 2020| ascfocus.org 19


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