A little over a year ago, a group of surgeons based in the south west of England contacted MHM. In an effort to reduce a large number of issues with outstanding self-funding debtors, they had decided to ask new self-funding patients to pay for their initial consultation in advance.
Empty clinics
I have to say my initials thoughts were this would absolutely stop any issues with self-funders. It would do so for one very unfortunate reason. There would be no self-funders at all because they had refused to pay in advance anyway. The patients went to see other consultants instead.
And that is exactly what happened.
Hence the phone call to MHM with an instruction to establish a process whereby issues with self-funders were substantially reduced but not at the expense of turning patients away.
Full clinics
If you’ve read previous blogs you’ll already know how to process self-funders and the major reasons behind outstanding self-funder debts.
The MHM process does not, and absolutely should NOT, suggest asking the self-funder to pay everything in advance!
It is not the way to solve the problem.
pete@medicalhealthcaremanagement.co.uk