A Private Consultant Surgeon must have the facility to take payments by card and/or over the telephone.
It is not a “nice to have” anymore. It is a necessity.
Consider the following real MHM clients. Client A is a very forward thinking. Client B can’t even update his Iphone [keeps forgetting his password]. Both performed a similar number of surgical episodes and outpatient consultations in January 2016. Every single one was invoiced.
Today is February 17 th.
Client A – shortfalls / excess against his January work totalled about £1,600. Today he has £42 worth of excess and shortfalls still outstanding.
Client B – shortfalls / excess against his January work totalled about £1, 510. Today he has £967 worth of excess and shortfalls outstanding.
Both had their shortfalls / excess invoiced to their respective patients in precisely the same way. Client A saw a 98% success rate in collection of shortfalls / excess. Client B only saw a 35% success rate.
WHY?
Client A – I take on-line payments.
Client B – I do NOT take on-line payments.
Client A – likes technology.
You should see his website! You can see his availability by clicking on his on-line diary. You can’t book a consultation but you can see where and when his clinics are for the next two months.
Client B really does not like technology.
He has a website too (took me 8 months to convince him to get one). He does NOT like on-line payments. He doesn’t trust them. I’m not allowed to use the MHM on-line payment facility.
With Client B I’m going have to chase down his patients more than Client A. Doesn’t bother me. I’ll collect Client B’s excess and shortfalls eventually. I get paid the same amount for both clients. It costs both of them the same percentage fee. I just have to put more effort in for Client B to get my fee – big deal (not). So I’ll have to make numerous reminder phone calls for client B. For client A I’ll have to make a phone call (maybe two – who knows?)
But if I were Client B I’d be irritated beyond belief that I was still owed £967 for my January work.
I spoke with Client B yesterday and came out with my “dinosaur thinking” comment (again). I described what was happening with Client A. Per normal he laughed. He pointed out that whilst he was not planning on becoming extinct just yet, he still didn’t like the idea of on-line payments.
I give up.
If you want to use MHM to reduce the number of excess and shortfalls you have outstanding, email me at the address below:
pete@medicalhealthcaremanagement.co.uk