Medical imaging centers face a growing challenge. Outstanding patient balances continue to rise while staff struggle to keep up with billing demands. The traditional mail-and-wait approach to collecting payments no longer works in today's digital world.
Consider this scenario: A patient completes their imaging appointment at your facility. They leave expecting a bill in the mail weeks later. When it finally arrives, it sits on their kitchen counter for another few weeks. By the time they remember to write a check or call with their credit card, 45 to 60 days have passed. Your accounts receivable keeps growing.
This delay creates real problems for imaging centers. Cash flow becomes unpredictable, making it harder to plan expenses and investments. Billing staff spend hours calling patients and sending follow-up notices. The cost of collecting each dollar owed keeps climbing.
Text-to-pay technology offers a different path forward. Instead of waiting weeks for payment, imaging centers can now reach patients instantly after their visit. A simple text message allows patients to view their balance and pay immediately from their phone. No stamps, no checks, no lengthy phone calls required.
When paired with Exa radiology systems, text-to-pay becomes even more powerful. The integration connects your clinical workflow directly to your billing process. This creates a smooth experience from the moment a patient checks in until their balance is paid in full.
The impact goes beyond convenience. Facilities using text-to-pay to improve cash flow see measurable changes in their financial performance. Average collection times drop dramatically. Staff can focus on patient care instead of chasing payments. Finance leaders gain better visibility into revenue cycles.
This article explores how imaging centers can leverage text-to-pay within Exa to strengthen their financial position. We'll examine the real costs of outdated billing methods and show how modern payment technology delivers measurable returns.
Running an imaging center without modern payment options creates hidden costs that add up quickly. These risks affect every part of your operation, from daily cash flow to long-term growth potential.
Traditional billing creates a significant time gap between service delivery and payment collection. Paper bills take 3-5 days to reach patients through mail. Many patients then wait until their next payday to send payment, adding another 1-2 weeks. Some forget entirely, requiring multiple follow-up attempts.
This delay puts real pressure on your operating budget. You've already paid for staff time, equipment use, and facility costs when you served the patient. Yet the revenue sits uncollected for 30, 60, or even 90 days. Meanwhile, you still need to make payroll, pay vendors, and cover overhead expenses.
The unpredictability makes financial planning difficult. You can't accurately forecast available cash for any given week. This uncertainty forces you to maintain larger cash reserves than necessary. That money could be invested in new equipment, staff training, or facility improvements instead.
Every uncollected balance requires manual follow-up work. Billing staff must track outstanding accounts, make phone calls, send reminder notices, and process payments when they finally arrive. This administrative burden grows as your patient volume increases.
Consider the actual cost per payment collected. Staff time spent calling patients typically runs $15-25 per successful contact. Add in the cost of mailing statements, processing checks, and reconciling accounts.
These staff hours also represent opportunity costs. Your billing team could be handling patient questions, improving coding accuracy, or working on claim denials instead. But they're stuck making collection calls and managing paper statements.
The workload creates burnout among billing staff. High turnover in billing departments leads to training costs and knowledge gaps. New staff members make more mistakes, which can delay payments even further.
Today's patients expect digital convenience in all aspects of their healthcare experience. They book appointments online, receive test results through portals, and communicate with providers via secure messaging. Yet many still receive paper bills that require checks or phone calls to pay.
This disconnect frustrates patients who want simple, immediate payment options. When facilities don't offer this option, patient satisfaction scores drop.
Complicated payment processes also lead to delayed or missed payments. Patients who intend to pay may simply forget when the process requires multiple steps. They need to find the bill, locate their checkbook or card, address an envelope, or call during business hours. Each friction point increases the likelihood of non-payment.
Poor payment experiences damage patient relationships. When patients struggle to pay their bills, they associate that frustration with your facility. They may choose competitors for future imaging needs or leave negative reviews online.
The combination of these risks creates a compounding effect. Slow collections hurt cash flow, which limits your ability to invest in improvements. High billing costs reduce profit margins. Patient dissatisfaction leads to lost business. Together, these factors make it harder to compete with more digitally advanced imaging centers.
Facilities that continue with paper-based billing processes face growing disadvantages. The imaging revenue cycle becomes slower and more expensive to manage. These operational inefficiencies eventually show up in your bottom line, making it difficult to maintain financial health in an increasingly competitive market.
Integrating text-to-pay technology with Exa creates measurable financial improvements across multiple areas of your imaging center's operations. The return on investment comes from both direct cost savings and revenue acceleration.
Text-to-pay dramatically shortens the time between service delivery and payment receipt. Patients receive a payment link within hours of their appointment instead of waiting days for a mailed statement.
Most patients who pay via text do so within 24-48 hours of receiving the message. This speed has a direct impact on your accounts receivable metrics.
Faster collections mean money hits the bank account when you need it most. You can meet payroll confidently, take advantage of early payment discounts from vendors, and maintain better relationships with suppliers. The predictability allows finance teams to plan investments and expansions with accurate cash flow projections.
Reducing Exa A/R also frees up working capital that was previously tied up in outstanding balances. Instead of waiting months for payment, you have immediate access to funds that can be reinvested in your practice. This improved liquidity strengthens your overall financial position.
Automated text-to-pay reduces the manual labor required to collect patient payments. Instead of staff making phone calls and mailing statements, the system handles communication automatically. Patients receive texts, view their balances, and complete payments without any staff intervention.
The cost savings are substantial. Traditional collection methods require 10-15 minutes of staff time per patient contact attempt. With text-to-pay, that time drops to zero for successful payments. Staff only intervene when patients need assistance or when payment plans require setup.
Processing costs also decrease significantly. Digital payments eliminate the need to process checks, which require manual entry, bank deposits, and reconciliation. Credit card processing through integrated text-to-pay systems costs less than phone-based card processing. The automated nature reduces errors that lead to posting mistakes and account disputes.
These efficiency gains allow you to manage higher patient volumes without proportionally increasing billing staff. This scalability is crucial as imaging centers grow their patient base.
Security concerns often prevent imaging centers from adopting new payment technologies. Curogram's text-to-pay solution addresses these worries by maintaining strict compliance with both HIPAA and PCI standards.
All payment communications are encrypted and transmitted through secure channels. Patient health information remains protected throughout the payment process. The system never exposes sensitive data in text messages, instead using secure links that direct patients to protected payment pages.
PCI compliance ensures that credit card information is handled according to payment industry standards. This protects both your facility and your patients from data breaches. The compliance framework also shields your organization from potential fines and liability associated with payment data security failures.
This security infrastructure builds patient trust. Patients feel confident providing payment information when they see professional, secure payment interfaces. They're more likely to complete payments immediately rather than delaying due to security concerns.
The compliance features also reduce risk management costs for your organization. You don't need to invest in separate security infrastructure or hire additional IT staff to maintain payment security. The text-to-pay platform handles these requirements automatically, allowing your team to focus on core imaging services.
Together, these improvements create a strong return on investment. Faster collections improve cash flow, lower costs increase profit margins, and robust security protects your reputation. The combination positions your imaging center for sustainable financial growth.
Leadership teams at imaging centers need solutions that deliver strategic advantages, not just operational improvements. Text-to-pay integration with Exa provides benefits that extend far beyond simple payment processing.
Revenue cycle metrics directly impact your facility's financial health and market valuation. Text-to-pay improves several key performance indicators that finance leaders track closely.
Bad debt write-offs decrease when patients can pay easily and immediately. Many uncollected balances result from patient forgetfulness rather than inability to pay. Text-to-pay eliminates this problem by prompting payment at the moment when patients are most engaged with your service.
These improvements show up in financial statements and operational dashboards. CFOs gain better visibility into cash positions and can make more confident decisions about capital allocation. The predictability allows for more aggressive growth strategies and strategic investments.
The economics of payment collection change dramatically with text-to-pay technology. Traditional collection methods carry high per-transaction costs that erode profitability.
Text-to-pay reduces the costs transaction. Digital payment processing fees typically run 2-3% of the transaction amount, which is competitive with or lower than other payment methods. Staff intervention is only needed for exception cases, not routine payments.
The scalability also matters for growing organizations. Traditional billing costs increase almost linearly with patient volume. Text-to-pay costs scale more efficiently, allowing you to grow revenue without proportionally increasing administrative overhead.
The imaging market is becoming increasingly consumer-driven. Patients have more choices about where to receive diagnostic services, and they make decisions based on overall experience, not just clinical quality.
Offering modern payment options differentiates your facility from competitors still using paper-based processes. Patients appreciate the convenience and often mention it in online reviews. This positive word-of-mouth marketing attracts new patients without additional advertising costs.
Digital payment capabilities also appeal to referring physicians. Doctors want their patients to have smooth experiences with the imaging centers they recommend. When patients report positive experiences, including easy billing, physicians are more likely to continue sending referrals your way.
Employer groups and health plans increasingly evaluate imaging providers based on patient satisfaction metrics. Facilities with higher satisfaction scores often receive preferred status in network agreements. This can lead to higher patient volumes and better contract terms. Text-to-pay helps boost satisfaction scores by removing a common source of patient frustration.
The data generated by text-to-pay systems provides strategic insights for leadership. You can track payment timing patterns, identify which communication approaches work best, and understand patient payment preferences. This intelligence informs broader strategic decisions about patient engagement and service delivery.
Early adoption of digital payment technology also positions your facility as innovative and forward-thinking. This reputation attracts top clinical talent who want to work at technologically advanced organizations. It also makes your facility more attractive to potential investors or acquirers who value modern infrastructure.
Predictable cash flow enables better strategic planning at the executive level. When you know exactly when patient payments will arrive, you can make more confident decisions about major purchases, facility expansions, and new service lines.
Equipment financing becomes easier with strong cash flow metrics. Banks and equipment lessors offer better terms to facilities with low days in A/R and high collection rates.
Growth investments can be timed more precisely when cash flow is predictable. Instead of waiting until you've accumulated sufficient reserves, you can move forward with strategic initiatives knowing that incoming cash will support the investment. This agility allows you to capture market opportunities faster than competitors.
Board presentations become more straightforward when revenue cycle performance is strong. Directors and investors look favorably on facilities that demonstrate operational excellence. Metrics like reduced A/R days and improved collection rates signal effective management and create confidence in leadership decisions.
An imaging network with eight locations implemented text-to-pay across all facilities in early 2024. The results demonstrate the concrete financial impact of this technology.
Before implementation, the network averaged 52 days in accounts receivable for patient-pay balances. They employed six full-time billing staff members who spent approximately 60% of their time on patient collections. Annual patient-pay revenue was $2.8 million, with a collection rate of 68% within 90 days.
After six months with text-to-pay integrated into their Exa workflow, the metrics shifted dramatically. Average days in A/R dropped to 28 days—a 46% reduction. The billing team reduced collection-focused hours by 40%, allowing staff to focus on insurance claims and denial management instead.
Most importantly, the collection rate jumped to 87% within 90 days. This improvement meant an additional $532,000 in collected revenue annually from the same patient volume. When combined with reduced staffing costs and lower statement expenses, the network improved annual cash flow by approximately $650,000.
The payback period on their text-to-pay investment was less than two months. After that, the improvements contributed directly to profitability. The network used freed-up capital to purchase upgraded imaging equipment and open a new outpatient location.
Patient satisfaction scores related to billing also improved by 23 percentage points. Negative reviews mentioning billing problems dropped to nearly zero. The network attributes 15% of their year-over-year patient volume growth to improved patient experience, including the easier payment process.
The first step is understanding your current baseline metrics. These numbers will help you measure improvement and calculate your specific ROI.
Next, evaluate how text-to-pay will integrate with your existing Exa workflow. The best implementations connect seamlessly to your current processes, requiring minimal changes to staff routines.
Consider your patient population and communication preferences. While most patients respond well to text-to-pay, some prefer other options. A comprehensive solution offers text as the primary method but supports alternatives for patients who need them.
Plan your staff training and communication strategy. Billing team members need to understand how the system works and how their roles will evolve. Front desk staff should know how to explain the process to patients who have questions.
Start with a pilot program if you prefer a cautious approach. Choose one location or one type of service to test the system. Measure results for 60-90 days, then expand to other areas based on proven performance.
Why Curogram's Text-to-Pay Stands Out for Exa Users
Curogram designed its text-to-pay solution specifically for healthcare providers who need more than basic payment links. The platform understands the unique requirements of medical imaging facilities using Exa systems.
The integration with Exa happens at the workflow level, not just the data level. When a patient completes their imaging appointment, Curogram automatically triggers payment communications based on your facility's billing rules. This eliminates manual steps that create delays and increase the chance of errors.
Customization options allow you to match the payment experience to your brand and patient preferences. You can adjust message timing, payment reminder schedules, and communication tone.
Some facilities send payment texts immediately after service, while others wait until insurance processing completes. The flexibility lets you optimize for your specific patient population.
The platform handles complex billing scenarios that often trip up simpler payment systems. Patients with payment plans receive appropriate messages that reflect their agreement terms. Multiple responsible parties can each receive their own payment links. The system tracks partial payments and automatically adjusts remaining balances.
Reporting and analytics give finance leaders the visibility they need. Track payment velocity by location, service type, or patient demographic. Identify which communication approaches generate the highest response rates. Monitor collection performance against your targets in real-time dashboards.
Security and compliance features are built into every aspect of the platform. Curogram maintains SOC 2 Type II certification in addition to HIPAA and PCI compliance. Regular security audits and penetration testing ensure that patient data and payment information remain protected.
Customer support includes implementation assistance, staff training, and ongoing technical support. Most facilities complete their Curogram integration in under three weeks. The support team helps optimize your configuration based on your specific workflows and patient communication preferences.
This comprehensive approach means you get results faster and maintain them longer. The combination of technical integration, workflow optimization, and ongoing support delivers the ROI that imaging center leaders expect.
The financial health of imaging centers depends on efficient revenue cycle management. Outstanding patient balances create cash flow problems that ripple through every aspect of operations. Traditional billing methods no longer meet the needs of modern patients or the financial requirements of healthcare facilities.
Text-to-pay technology solves these challenges by meeting patients where they already are—on their phones. When integrated properly with Exa systems, automated payment communications turn a weeks-long collection process into a matter of days. Patients appreciate the convenience while facilities benefit from faster cash flow and lower administrative costs.
The business case is clear. Reduced days in accounts receivable free up working capital for strategic investments. Lower collection costs improve operating margins. Better patient experiences lead to higher satisfaction scores and more referrals. These benefits compound over time, creating sustainable competitive advantages.
Finance leaders gain the predictable cash flow they need for strategic planning. The ability to forecast revenue with confidence enables smarter decisions about growth investments, equipment purchases, and market expansion. Strong revenue cycle metrics also improve relationships with lenders and investors.
Curogram's text-to-pay solution makes implementation straightforward for Exa users. Most imaging centers see positive results within the first month and achieve full ROI within the first quarter. The technology works alongside your current Exa processes, enhancing them rather than replacing them.
The imaging market continues to evolve toward greater patient responsibility for balances. This trend makes efficient patient payment collection more critical every year. Facilities that adopt modern payment technology now position themselves ahead of competitors who continue with outdated approaches.
Your next step is simple. Evaluate your current collection performance, calculate the potential improvement, and explore how to improve cash flow with Exa text-to-pay integrated into your operations. The sooner you implement these tools, the sooner you'll see measurable improvements in your financial performance.
Boost cash flow and patient satisfaction with text-to-pay for Exa. Book your demo today.