Physician Office Technology Report: Failure to accept credit cards a losing strategy for collections, experts say

Why This Topic Matters

As patient cost-sharing increases, practices may need to rethink payment collection methods and front-office processes to support cash flow and reduce missed collections. The article highlights how payment acceptance and estimation tools can affect revenue cycle performance in physician settings.

Article Sections

1. Survey findings on payment card acceptance

   Summarizes results from recent surveys about how often physician offices and other facilities accept payment cards and the reasons cited for not doing so.

2. Impact on collections and patient responsibility

   Discusses broader collection challenges related to out-of-pocket patient balances and the need to address payment at the point of care.

3. Training staff and estimating responsibility

   Covers front-office workflow considerations, including staff preparation and technology support for estimating what patients owe.

4. Practice acceptance trends by specialty

   Reviews additional survey data showing variation in payment card acceptance across different medical specialties and practice types.

5. Industry perspective and related survey results

   Notes responses from a medical practice management organization and references earlier survey findings about payment card use in group practices.