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BUSINESS ADVISOR
forward process. Never hesitate to heap praise on the front-desk workers — ask your physicians or board members to stop by periodically to voice their appreciation — because they deserve every bit of it.
• Nurses call patients 1 to 3 days before surgery to review pre-op instructions, provide directions to the center and answer care-related questions. It's during these phone calls that nurses mention the co-pay amounts patients must pay. The nurses let patients know that payment is expected on the day of service, and instruct patients who have specific concerns or need to make payment arrangements to call our business office. These patients also can make arrangements to meet with our biller the morning of surgery.
Patients are understandably nervous before undergoing surgery. They should walk into your facility with their financial responsibilities already planned out. There should be no surprises. Informing them up front about their payment options will help you get paid, but it also goes a long way in decreasing patients' pre-op anxieties. Be sure patients who don't have co-pays know they don't have to pay out-ofpocket on the day of surgery. It's just as important to some patients to be told they don't owe anything.
3. Offer options
Telling patients what they owe, giving them payment options and allotting enough time to make necessary arrangements makes all the difference. If you clearly outline payment responsibilities, most patients will arrive ready to pay with cash, check or credit card. If they're not able to pay on the day of surgery, have them sign a payment plan that requires bi-weekly or monthly check payments, or monthly debit or credit card drafts. Be as flexible and understanding as possible, but demand to be paid in full over a 3- to 4-month period. Make the billing
