Are you currently requiring auto-drafts from patients choosing your in-office payment plan? |
48 total votes |
|
| 46% |
| a. Yes |
|
| 54% |
| b. No |
|
|
Do you ever extend payment plans beyond treatment time? |
113 total votes |
|
| 5% |
| a. Often |
|
| 63% |
| b. Sometimes |
|
| 32% |
| c. Never |
|
|
Do you pull a credit report to determine risk before offering a payment plan? |
114 total votes |
|
| 18% |
| a. Often |
|
| 10% |
| b. Sometimes |
|
| 72% |
| c. Never |
|
|
Do you offer third-party financing? |
113 total votes |
|
| 81% |
| a. Yes |
|
| 19% |
| b. No |
|
|
What percentage of your patients choose third-party financing? |
114 total votes |
|
| 75% |
| a. 1-25 percent |
|
| 5% |
| b. 26-50 percent |
|
| 1% |
| c. 51-75 percent |
|
| 0% |
| d. 76-100 percent |
|
| 18% |
| e. We do not offer third-party financing |
|
|
Have you noticed an increase in the number of declines from third-party finance companies? |
107 total votes |
|
| 25% |
| a. Yes |
|
| 75% |
| b. No |
|
|
What is your biggest challenge in managing your office payment plans? |
111 total votes |
|
| 40% |
| a. Managing a divorce situation |
|
| 20% |
| b. Explaining how insurance and/or flex plans work |
|
| 4% |
| c. Declined auto payments then patients "no show" for appointments |
|
| 5% |
| d. Having custodial parents sign financial arrangements - not "step-parents" |
|
| 0% |
| e. Managing accounts when bankruptcy has been filed in court |
|
| 32% |
| f. All of the above |
|
|
How do you deal with an account when bankruptcy has been filed? |
109 total votes |
|
| 15% |
| a. Remove the braces and dismiss the patient |
|
| 24% |
| b. Complete treatment and accept what has been paid on the account |
|
| 61% |
| c. Write-off the existing balance and re-negotiate |
|
|
Do you consider a "dismissed bankruptcy" on a credit report a high risk for your practice? |
106 total votes |
|
| 72% |
| a. Yes |
|
| 28% |
| b. No |
|
|
Do you have online payments available for your patients? |
113 total votes |
|
| 30% |
| a. Yes |
|
| 70% |
| b. No |
|
|
What amount is the down payment you currently request? |
113 total votes |
|
| 8% |
| a. None |
|
| 3% |
| b. One to four percent |
|
| 6% |
| c. Five to seven percent |
|
| 83% |
| d. Eight percent or more |
|
|
Have your patients ever delayed the start of treatment because they couldn’t immediately pay cash for the down payment? |
112 total votes |
|
| 88% |
| a. Yes |
|
| 12% |
| b. No |
|
|
How long are you willing to extend in-house financing to your patients? |
113 total votes |
|
| 8% |
| a. Up to 6 months |
|
| 4% |
| b. Up to12 months |
|
| 23% |
| c. Up to 18 months |
|
| 42% |
| d. Up to 24 months |
|
| 23% |
| e. More than 24 months |
|
|
How would you describe your practice’s case starts for January to March 2008 compared with January to March 2007? |
114 total votes |
|
| 22% |
| a. Significantly fewer starts in 2008 (off by more than 10 percent) |
|
| 26% |
| b. Slightly fewer starts in 2008 (off by 10 percent or less) |
|
| 33% |
| c. More starts in 2008 |
|
| 18% |
| d. Same |
|
|
In the next 12 months, how do you see your use of third-party patient financing? |
113 total votes |
|
| 26% |
| a. Increasing |
|
| 6% |
| b. Decreasing |
|
| 68% |
| c. Staying the same |
|
|