Discover proven strategies for in-office payments and how the right tools can help your practice safeguard its revenue.
Collecting patient payments at the time of service—in-office—can be a major challenge for small practices because higher co-pays, deductibles, and confusion about insurance result in many patients being unprepared to pay in-office. For healthcare providers, collecting patient responsibility is one of the main challenges in the revenue cycle. One survey found that 30% of patients leave a medical practice without paying anything, and once patients leave, they are 50% less likely to pay their bill.
These unpaid balances increase days in accounts receivable and negatively impact cash flow. That's why streamlining the in-office payment process is so important. Today, we’ll share a few essential tips to secure payment before a patient leaves, like setting clear expectations upfront, providing convenient payment options at the time of service, utilizing effective tools, training your staff, and continuously monitoring results. By collecting payments before patients walk out the door, you'll reduce A/R days and keep your practice and patients happy.
Set Clear Payment Expectations Upfront
The first step to receiving payment in-office is helping patients understand what they need to pay and when. This means communicating payment responsibility early and as often as possible, so nothing comes as a surprise at the front desk. Train your front desk staff to address payments at every stage of the patient visit. Here are some ways to set clear expectations upfront:
During Appointment Scheduling
Have staff inform patients about expected costs when they book the appointment. If the patient has a plan with a high deductible or an outstanding balance, be sure to mention that as well. Early transparency prepares patients to come ready to pay.
Before the Visit (Reminders and Intake)
Include payment expectations in appointment reminder messages and intake paperwork. A note in a reminder email or text helps to reinforce the message. If your practice provides pre-visit cost estimates, share them in advance. Patients appreciate knowing what they might owe, and it gives them time to plan their payment. Approximately 65% of patients reported they would make a partial or full payment at the time of care if given an upfront price estimate. That means providing a cost estimate before the appointment can directly increase patient payments at the time of service.
Check-In Time
At check-in, verify the patient's insurance and remaining deductible, and politely remind them of the amount they are expected to pay. Ensure your front desk confirms the patient is aware of their financial responsibility. Making this part of the routine check-in process sets a tone that in-office payment is a normal part of the visit.
Checkout and Payment
By the time of checkout, the patient should know that a payment is due. If the patient shows any surprise or hesitation, staff can bring up the earlier communications and the practice's payment policy that was explained. The goal is to ensure that every patient is aware that a payment is expected.
Setting expectations greatly improves your in-office payments. Transparency helps patients feel more in control, and it also sets the tone for payment. Patients also tend to feel more satisfied when there are no financial surprises. Upfront communication can prevent awkward conversations and avoid bills going unpaid for weeks.
Solutions like BillFlash PreBill can be used to generate and share estimates before appointments, which provides patients with clarity and time to budget. PreBill enables practices to request payment for expected charges in advance, improving cash flow and lowering the need for additional billing. With PreBill, patients receive a payment link via text or email that directs them to an online portal, PayWoot.com, where they can securely settle their balance online before returning for their appointment.
Make It Easy to Pay—Right Then and There
Even when patients are aware that a payment is expected, they may delay payment if the process is difficult or inconvenient. Healthcare, unfortunately, has a reputation for being one of the hardest industries for consumers to make payments. To overcome this, your practice needs to make paying in-office as quick and painless as possible. The easier it is, the more likely patients will follow through with payment before leaving.
Best Practices for a Smooth In-Office Payment
Here are a few best practices that can help your practice create a smooth in-office payment experience:
Minimize Wait Times
Don't let a long line or an overburdened staff cause patients to leave without settling their bill. If patients have to wait to make their payment, they might walk away and delay payment, increasing the risk that they won’t pay at all. Ensure your front desk is well-staffed and runs efficiently so that when a patient is ready to pay, the payment takes only a minute or two.
User-Friendly Payment Equipment
Invest in modern, reliable payment devices that quickly process in-office transactions. Faulty card readers can easily frustrate patients and staff. It will be ideal to have user-friendly equipment to minimize data entry. For instance, allow patients to tap their contactless card or phone on the reader. Enabling digital wallet payments (such as Apple Pay and Google Pay) means patients won’t have to enter card details or wait while staff input their information. Even having a few tablets or kiosks in the waiting room for self-checkout can make payment seem more seamless.
Multiple Payment Options
Modern consumers expect digital solutions: 56% of patients log into an online portal to pay bills every month, and 42% already store a preferred payment method with their provider. According to U.S. Bank, 72% of healthcare leaders say patient convenience is the top priority. Similarly, 85% of consumers prefer using an electronic payment method for their medical bills. By removing hassles through the use of multiple payment options, you reinforce the expectation that payment happens immediately. When wait times are brief and processes run smoothly, patients feel respected, and your practice collects more cash before the visit ends.
Use BillFlash's OfficePay to Offer Maximum Flexibility
BillFlash's OfficePay is an all-in-one in-office payment solution that makes these best practices simple to implement. With OfficePay, your practice gets a secure payment platform right at the front desk. Key features include:
- Tap-to-Pay: A compact card reader enables patients to pay by tapping their contactless card directly on the device. No PIN or signature needed for most transactions.
- Apple Pay and Google Pay: Patients can use the digital wallets on their phones, which they trust and use every day. This speeds up checkout and reduces manual data entry.
- StoredPay (Card-On-File): OfficePay can securely store a patient's card information (with consent) for future visits. For returning patients, the balance can be charged with one click. This supports MGMA's recommendation to offer a “credit card on file” option.
- RetailPay: OfficePay even handles cash or in-person payments for situations where no bill exists, so your staff can enter those payments as well.
- Over-the-Phone Payments: If a patient doesn't pay in person (for example, if they forgot their card or are paying a follow-up bill), staff can still collect payment securely over the phone through the same OfficePay interface.
By supporting all of these payment channels, OfficePay meets patients where they are. Your staff won’t need to use separate systems or apps for different methods, as every transaction flows through a single platform. With OfficePay, payments are recorded instantly in the practice’s system, speeding up the time between service and payment. Overall, the flexibility of OfficePay enables small practices to capture payments faster, improve cash flow, and reduce the number of billing calls staff must make.
Empower Your Team With the Right Training
Even the best tools can't fix confidence and communication. Your staff need to feel prepared to ask for in-office payment and handle objections respectfully. Start with training and resources:
- Provide Scripts. Provide your front desk with clear language for common situations. For example, a check-in script might be: “Good morning! Your copay is $35 today. We take cards, cash, or checks. Which would you prefer?” Or for balances: “This visit's total after your insurance is $150. Would you like to pay that now?” Having a quick reference sheet at the desk can help staff remember details such as copay amounts or payment plan policies.
- Role-Play Common Scenarios. Practice makes perfect. Role-play how to say “no billing surprise” and how to respond when a patient says, “I can't pay.” For example, train staff to calmly discuss options: “We understand your concerns about the cost. We have flexible payment plans that can spread this out.” When staff feel comfortable with these conversations, collections can improve.
- Cross-Train on Billing Policies. Ensure staff understand the basic billing rules (for example, co-pays per plan and the difference between emergency and office visits). One MGMA Stat poll found that 23% of practices list payments training as a top front desk challenge. Investing a few hours to train your team can pay huge dividends.
- Review Performances. Share collection goals and celebrate improvements (for example, “This month we collected 75% of copays at checkout – great work, everyone!”). Positive reinforcement encourages your team to continue their efforts.
Track, Measure, and Improve
As we have said before, you can't improve what you don't measure. All-in-one billing solutions such as BillFlash make it easy to track how your in-office collection efforts are paying off. Using BillFlash reporting allows you to monitor key metrics. For example, BillFlash's OfficePay logs the source of every payment, allowing you to track the percentage of total receipts from walk-in payments compared to mailed statements or phone calls. Compare month-to-month trends in time-of-service collection rates. If you notice fewer copays collected than usual, it might indicate your front desk needs a refresher on scripts. Monitor accounts receivable aging closely. If patients don’t pay at checkout, the time to collect payments will increase.
Review your BillFlash report data alongside your practice management system data to identify areas needing improvement. For instance, if you find that patients with certain insurance always have unpaid copays, focus on verifying those plans ahead of time. If balance collections drop after busy days, consider assigning an additional staff member to handle payments. When you implement those changes, continue tracking the results. Every trend tells a story, so let your data help you get better.
BillFlash Helps You Get Paid Before Patients Leave
Collecting patient payments at check-out isn't optional in 2025 and the years ahead; it's one of the key ways to improve revenue flow. When your team sets clear expectations, makes payment effortless, and uses solutions like BillFlash OfficePay, everyone wins. Your practice will experience shorter accounts receivable periods and increased revenue, while patients will appreciate the convenience and transparency. Never underestimate the impact of collecting in-office payments effectively. It transforms your revenue cycle and reduces the stress of collection efforts.
Ready to streamline your in-office payments and get paid faster? Schedule a demo with BillFlash today and discover how OfficePay and our complete billing, payment, and collection software can help your small practice succeed.