Challenge
As patients face increasing financial responsibilities due to cost shifts away from payers and employers to patients, Carilion Clinic sought an advanced technology solution to create a better patient-billing experience — one that treats patients with financial compassion and works with them to address their needs with flexibility.
Carilion Clinic is a Virginia-based, physician-led, integrated academic health system with more than a thousand physicians and advanced care providers serving a population of nearly one million people in Virginia. The health system is dedicated to making sure their community is treated with empathy and given the best possible care and committed to achieving the highest level of patient satisfaction.
Carilion’s approach to their financial relationships with patients had to adapt. The focus would be on treating patients as individuals — with compassion and a human touch — and offering the same level of financial service as they did clinically.
“Our patients want to pay their bills, they’re hardworking and really care about their livelihood. And the impact of the rising deductible in healthcare costs has really hit home.”
Brett Tracy, Vice President of Revenue Cycle at Carilion
Solution
Carilion Clinic ultimately partnered with R1 to launch Carilion Bill Pay, based on R1 Entri® Pay technology. Carilion believed a technology solution was critical to build the foundation that would support long-term client relationships, and that solution needed to integrate with Epic. Leaders at Carilion felt a purpose-built approach would improve the patient financial experience, which led them to look at their revenue cycle from their patients’ perspective.
The Entri Pay platform connects to payment options and insurance information so patients have all the information they need in a single view. Billing information is easily accessed digitally or through Carilion’s patient call center. Patients are able to see and pay their entire family’s bills, too, in addition to a clear breakdown of what insurance is paying. Patients can pay online, over the phone or the call center, receiving a consistent and compliant financial offer tailored to their circumstances regardless of the channel they use.
“Our mission is to improve the health of the communities we serve. And health does not just refer to physical health and wellbeing. It’s not limited to emotional and mental health. It also has to do with one’s financial health.”
Don Halliwill, Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer at Carilion Clinic
Results
Carilion has accomplished and surpassed its patient-payment goals during a time of financial uncertainty and has done so with compassion. With a technology-enabled service, they were able to enhance a data-driven approach, increasing digital engagement with patients through a solution that provides transparency and flexibility.
More than 80,000 patients have registered with the Carilion Bill Pay system since launch in January 2020, more than six times Carilion’s original goal. Plus, they’ve been improving patient satisfaction along the way. Carilion’s Net Promoter Score has increased steadily since the launch and is now approaching an industry-leading 40 points. In addition, patients who have enrolled in Carilion Bill Pay are repaying 60% more of every dollar owed than those still using traditional payment approaches.
With Entri Pay, Carilion has automated tools to customize communications for patients based on their preferences. Patients can pay online, over the phone or the call center, receiving a consistent and compliant financial offer tailored to their circumstances regardless of the channel they use. Patients now have more freedom and control over the financial part of the relationship. They have trust in their health system, knowing that Carilion is there with solutions that work for them.
80k
users registered
60%
patient payment lift
40
billing experience Net Promoter Score
