Articles

The Impact of Digital Transformation on Self-Pay Recovery: Exploring the Role of Payment Portals and IVR Systems

Feb 27, 2025

When there’s a pain point, chances are technology can help solve it. That’s why so many industries have undergone digital transformation, and healthcare is no exception. With the rise of digital transformation in healthcare comes the ability to address chronic diseases, healthcare staffing shortages, rising costs, and more. Digital transformation in healthcare also addresses the thorny problem of self-pay recovery that has become particularly difficult in recent years. By leveraging patient payment portals and interactive voice response (IVR) systems in healthcare, providers improve the patient financial experience and reduce delinquencies by cultivating strong patient relationships centered on education and empowerment.  

The Rise of Digital Tools for Self-Pay Recovery in Healthcare 

During times of rising healthcare costs and high deductibles that increase the patient financial responsibility, patients need to know their provider is an ally—not an adversary. Many patients face significant financial hardships, and lack of price transparency in healthcare makes it difficult to plan financially. Fortunately, the digital transformation in healthcare has spurred robust patient payment solutions—including patient payment portals and IVR systems in healthcare—that build patient trust, improve the patient financial experience, and enhance the nuanced process of self-pay recovery. With the help of technology, patients understand what their care will cost them and what payment options are available. Then they can choose the one that’s best for them and pay promptly.   

Using self-pay recovery tools like patient payment portals and IVR systems in healthcare, providers can focus on providing high-quality care without having to compromise their own cashflow and financial sustainability. This is relevant today and in the future as providers look ahead to potential implications of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s medical debt reporting ban on revenue cycle management. 

Payment Portals: Streamlining the Payment Process 

The power of choice inherent in today’s patient payment portals is critical for self-pay recovery. By enabling patients to pay on their terms, branded payment portals with digital wallets and alternative payment methods not only improve the patient financial experience through accessibility and convenience; they also accelerate cash receipts for providers. Combining patient-centric technology with empathic billing support improves transparency, fosters trust, enhances the patient financial experience, and reduces confusion for patients.  

IVR Systems: Automating Payment Reminders and Collections 

In addition to patient payment portals, providers maximize their likelihood of collecting patient balances when they offer IVR systems that promote 24/7 availability, privacy, and multiple language options. For providers, automated phone reminders and collection calls save time and reduce manual effort. Self-service options inherent in IVR systems in healthcare give patients what they want while simultaneously decreasing the administrative burden on providers.  

Combining Payment Portals and IVR Systems for Optimal Results 

As the digital transformation in healthcare continues to unfold, the pairing of people and technology lays the foundation for future success. Integrating payment portals and IVR systems in healthcare into a comprehensive, seamless patient financial experience helps providers improve self-pay recovery in a way that benefits patients as well. By catering to diverse patient preferences and offering multiple options (i.e., online payment and automated phone solutions), providers ensure broad accessibility and higher patient collections. 

Conclusion 

A three-tiered approach—including patient engagement, flexibility, and streamlined processes—helps providers improve self-pay recovery during a time when every dollar matters. By partnering with Revenue Enterprises, a vendor specializing in the digital transformation of healthcare, providers gain digital tools—including payment portals and IVR systems in healthcare—designed with patients in mind coupled with compassionate support to maximize self-pay recovery rates. 

 

Want to learn more about optimizing self-pay recovery and improving the patient financial experience using digital tools? Contact Revenue Enterprises for more information on how a patient payment portal and IVR system can transform the patient financial experience and enhance self-pay recovery, leading to healthier patient relations that support a stronger revenue cycle. 

Karie Bostwick

VP of People and Compliance

As VP of People and Compliance at Revenue Enterprises, Karie Bostwick oversees People functions including recruiting, training, onboarding, engagement and satisfaction. Additionally, she is responsible for compliance training, oversight and monitoring.

Karie has a long history of working in the revenue cycle support industry. Her skills span leadership, operations start up, policies and procedures development, operations workflow, budgeting and client management.

She is passionate about the experience of our people, patients and the Healthcare clients we serve and believes that a team of diverse, talented and motivated individuals working together toward a common goal can make a difference.

Robert Sterett

VP of Information Technology

As a transformational leader Robert Sterett has leveraged his 20 years of experience to build effective service lines and exceptional teams. In his role as VP of Information Technology at Revenue Enterprises, Robert excels at taking a unique, balanced, and strategic approach to technology leadership with people first for the best possible outcome. Using his experience from engineering, project management and service line management he takes a multi-faceted approach to ensure the right people are in the correct position coupled with the best technology to meet or exceed all expectations from security to compliance and business continuity.

Robert’s leadership style lends itself to building long term relationships and has consistently been a relied upon strength in many organizations. Over Robert’s time as an IT operational and project leader, he has spent significant time in both hands-on technology facing roles and client centric management roles to bring the best solutions that strive to meet the business and client needs.

Focusing heavily on his personal development skills and opportunities, Robert continues to foster coaching and mentorship relationships everywhere in his life, and the lives around him.

Douglas Dunbar

VP of Sales & Marketing

As VP of Sales and Marketing for Revenue Enterprises, Douglas Dunbar leads with a passion for building strategic partnerships, nurturing relationships, and upholding customer service excellence. In his role, Doug focuses on marketing and brand strategy, sales team leadership, and working closely with members of the management team to best serve company goals.

Doug has over 28 years of National sales and marketing call/contact center leadership, with 10 years of service specifically at Revenue Enterprises. Currently, Doug serves as part of Wyoming HFMA Chapter leadership and has held various roles in Colorado HFMA Chapter leadership for over 9 years.

In his spare time, Doug is very family oriented. Additionally, he loves traveling, cycling, golfing, fishing, hunting, and boating.

Kris Brumley, MBA

President & COO

As President & COO of Revenue Enterprises, Kris Brumley is a collaborative partner within the executive team and a leader for operational functions across the organization. Kris productively shares vision, drives innovation, and supports those around her in a way that elevates them and fosters continuous improvement and results. She has helped create a supportive environment for clients resulting in 98% client retention and a 65% NPS score for all clients and 75% for top clients by revenue.

Kris possesses an MBA in data analytics and has twenty-five years of experience in the healthcare industry, with 19 specifically in revenue cycle. She brings a wealth of customer service experience to her role and has worn many hats at Revenue Enterprises including Director of Business Development, EBO Division Director, and VP of Client Experience Management.

In her personal life, Kris is as busy outside of work as inside. She values spending time with her family, and enjoys fishing, hiking, traveling and interior decorating and design.

Timothy (Tim) Brainerd

CEO

As CEO of Revenue Enterprises for almost 20 years, Tim Brainerd leads by example. He promotes a shared vision and stewards a culture of Integrity, Passion, and Respect. He has assembled and empowered high-performing talent and teams to support customers, facilitate strategic planning and manage the capital of the company. Under his leadership, Revenue Enterprises has doubled in size three times over the past fifteen years while maintaining a culture of caring and gratefulness.

Tim has close to four decades of revenue cycle experience, including nineteen years with RSI
Enterprises. He has been a past president of Colorado Chapter of the HFMA and a presenting speaker on the topic of Leadership. He is a fifteen-year member of Vistage International, the world’s largest CEO coaching and peer advisory organization for small and midsize business leaders.

Raised in the Midwest, Tim values humble principles like being respectful, caring, passionate, self-reliant, and most importantly grateful. His most important lesson and the lesson he hopes to pass on in all relationships is living the Golden Rule–do unto others as you would have them do unto you. He is intentional in his choices and believes in making decisions, taking action, being accountable, and loving your neighbors.

Whenever possible, Tim spends his time with his wife of nearly forty years, his adult children, and his grandchildren. His hobbies include fishing, golfing, traveling as well as game nights and sharing great food with his family.