42% of Small Healthcare Practices Sent Paper Checks During Past Year

The healthcare industry, long tethered to antiquated manual payment systems, faces mounting pressure to modernize its financial operations or risk falling behind the competition and straining revenue streams.

Manual payment methods and processes in U.S. healthcare have historically challenged efficiency and revenue. As other sectors have embraced digital tools, healthcare’s lag highlights an urgent need for modernization. It’s just two of the key findings from PYMNTS “How Modernizing Payments Is Revitalizing Healthcare.”

These manual systems create inefficient workflows, with a recent survey revealing that more than two-thirds (67%) of executives and decision-makers in healthcare payer organizations report their firms’ manual payment platforms are reducing efficiency. Furthermore, nearly three-quarters (74%) said these platforms increased exposure to risks of regulatory fines and penalties. While major players are adopting modernized digital systems, indicating the sector is poised for rapid growth, adoption gaps persist, offering opportunities for innovation.

Digital healthcare payments are emerging as a revolutionary force, streamlining financial transactions for providers and patients alike with faster, more secure, and more convenient solutions. This modernization is delivering greater speed, efficiency, and convenience.

For providers, digital payments improve cash flow, reduce risk, and streamline operations. They also enhance financial efficiency. Patients benefit from seamless and hassle-free digital transactions. The advantages extend to enhanced patient satisfaction, which is a key driver of long-term retention. Healthcare providers failing to modernize risk falling behind.

Key data points underscore the necessity and potential impact of this shift:

67% of executives and decision-makers in healthcare payer organizations state their manual payment platforms reduce efficiency.

Globally, the market for healthcare digital payments is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 19% between 2024 and 2030.

24% of surveyed U.S. consumers would consider switching providers if they couldn’t pay in their preferred way.

Beyond the core benefits of efficiency and patient satisfaction in modernized payment systems, the report touches on the multifaceted advantages, which include enhanced security and compliance and better integration with electronic health record systems.

Saurabh Joshi, president of CSG Forte, highlights that non-digitized payments introduce operational challenges such as manual processing errors, delayed reconciliations, recordkeeping issues, increased administrative burden, and security/fraud risks, leading to increased costs, losses, and cash flow problems for providers.

Addressing perceived risks, costs, and system maintenance concerns is crucial for wider adoption. Transparent conversations about cybersecurity and leveraging trusted payment partners who offer industry-specific solutions are recommended to navigate the complexities of healthcare payments and ensure systems remain compliant and equipped with the latest technology.

Providers are encouraged to modernize payment systems to boost efficiency, implement digital payments for improved cash flow, and address any existing gaps in their modernization efforts. This shift to modern payment technologies is framed as a necessity for sustainable success.