Beginning July 24, Vanderbilt Health patients (or their guarantors) who are designated as “self-pay” began receiving text messages to remind them of a balance on their accounts.
Depending on recent payment activity, self-pay patients/guarantors with an open balance will receive one of the following automated text messages:
- Request to contact Vanderbilt Health regarding their account
- Reminder of an upcoming scheduled payment
- Offer to set up a payment plan
- Thank you for a recent payment
Each message will prompt patients/guarantors to call Patient Billing, send a message through My Health at Vanderbilt, or make a payment via My Health at Vanderbilt. They can opt out of these message types by replying “STOP.”
All sent messages will be documented in the patient’s chart.
The new texting campaign will help reach patients/guarantors on the mobile devices they use throughout the day. Text messages are also less disruptive than a phone call and less time-consuming than reading an email communication. Message recipients can then react to the information when it is most convenient for them.
The new texting campaign is expected to both help with revenue collection and meet patients’ evolving expectations for digital communications.