OhioHealth provided a better experience for patients by expanding its use of check-in stations and sending real-time balance notifications. Self-check-in stations collect copays at twice the rate of normal registration workflows; the notifications save OhioHealth $3,000 per month in postage, and 22% get a response within three days.
In the 2022 fiscal year, Girish Dighe, revenue cycle vice president at OhioHealth, headquartered in Columbus, Ohio, led an initiative to improve the patient digital revenue cycle experience. At a new clinic, patients enter registration information at Welcome stations, and ambassadors direct them to the right area of the clinic for their appointments. Clinic staff take the patient straight to the exam room, so they can skip both the registration desk and the waiting room. At all OhioHealth clinics, patients now receive real-time balance notifications by text message or email so they can see their balance immediately. The Welcome stations collect copays at twice the rate of standard registration workflows, and balance notifications help OhioHealth save $3,000 in postage alone every month.
How They Did It:
- Designed a new clinic’s patient arrival space to direct patients to self-check-in stations
- Moved registration staff to new ambassador roles to guide patients through digital check-in
- Skipped the waiting room by directing patients straight to exam rooms after check-in
- Sent real-time balance notifications to patients to improve transparency and speed up payments
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