The digital world is no longer a future state – it is here, and we are all living in it. Proof of this is best demonstrated by the 77 percent of American adults who report being online daily and the 26 percent who are online constantly. For the healthcare industry, the digital world has created a new kind of consumer that bristles at the prospect of waiting, demands convenience, expects frictionless payments and speaks out on social platforms when experiences do not meet their expectations. Not to mention, mobile payments have become so ingrained in consumers that more than half of the top 2017 apps in the Apple App Store featured the ability to make or send payments as core to their functionality.
Consumers want the mobile experience in healthcare too, as shown by the 80 percent of consumers who want to check in for a provider visit on their own secure mobile device and 65 percent who would download a mobile app to pay all of their healthcare bills. These mobile and online payment options allow healthcare organizations to offer a convenient payment experience to consumers similar to the ones they encounter in other industries. In fact, when asked how they normally pay their monthly bills, 63 percent of consumers said they go online to pay – making this payment channel the most popular among consumers for six years in a row. Healthcare organizations need to also leverage secure, automated payment options and payment plans to offer convenience and familiarity for consumers.
The data is clear – consumers want automated and electronic payment options while clearly understanding what they owe and how to pay. As a best practice, all forms of online and automated payments should be managed via digital wallets, which allow consumers to securely save payment methods on file for future payments. View the infographic below to learn more about the consequences of a digital, always-connected world and best practices your organization can take to combat these challenges.
