How Eye Care Practices Benefit from a Fully Integrated Payment Solution

Running a successful eye care practice today requires much more than providing excellent clinical care. Between juggling scheduling, claims, clinical workflows, and staff, there’s another critical piece that can create headaches for both practices and their patients: payments.  

Toggling between screens, chasing down outstanding payments, or dealing with frustrated patients at checkout can all put stress on your practice. But what if payment processing didn’t have to be this complicated? 

A fully integrated payment solution, built directly into your practice management platform, takes the stress out of payments for staff and patients. Let's explore what makes integrated payments such a game-changer and how leveraging this feature can transform your practice.

The Challenges Eye Care Practices Face with Payments 

You know how stressful payments can be if you’ve heard the quiet sighs from patients and staff when it’s time to discuss their bills. Many ophthalmology and optometry practices still deal with payment challenges like: 

• Manual processes that eat up staff time: Without integration, staff often have to toggle between different screens and enter payment details into multiple systems. This “swivel-chair” workflow means more clicks, more errors, and less time for patient care. 

• Chasing down payments: Sending paper bills or playing phone tag over outstanding balances is frustrating and time-consuming. Most practices experience an average of 60 days in A/R before payments are received.

• Billing confusion: Patients get overwhelmed by complex statements, limited payment options, and inconsistent reminders, which leads to delayed payments and damaged trust. 

• Revenue leaks: Errors in coding or billing, along with long wait times for reimbursements, can disrupt cash flow. 

• Compliance concerns: PCI compliance, HIPAA, and data security are all important things to consider. 

Many practices still operate under the mindset that this is “the way things are.”  But with today’s technology, payments don’t need to be complicated.  

What Is an Integrated Payment Solution? 

An integrated payment solution enables your practice to securely accept electronic payments directly within your practice management system, streamlining the billing process. Instead of toggling between different systems, everything payment-related is connected in one place. An integrated payment solution enables: 

• In-person, online, or mobile phone payments to align with patient preferences 

• Secure storage of cards on file for recurring payments 

• Automated reminders and text-to-pay links to make the process simple and transparent, and decreases patient aggravation

• Real-time reporting and analytics that give you full visibility into revenue and payment trends 

• Built-in compliance measures that protect patient data 

An MGMA poll found that 23% of medical practice leaders say payments are the biggest challenge they face in training front desk workers. Payments have long been a significant source of stress, confusion, and time waste for staff—but it doesn’t have to be that way. An integrated solution connects your front office, billing team, and patients in a seamless process, so payments feel easy for everyone involved. 

How Integrated Payment Solutions Benefit Ophthalmology and Optometry Practices 

What does this mean for your practice? Here are some of the benefits you’ll get from a payment solution that's fully integrated with your system

Improved Efficiency 

No longer needing to exit your system to handle payments means no more double entry or looking at multiple screens. Payments, scheduling, billing, and patient records all reside within one system, allowing your staff to focus more on patient care rather than paperwork and chasing outstanding balances.   

Better Cash Flow 

When payments are easy and convenient, patients pay faster. Not to mention, automated payment reminders, billing services, and coding processes keep funds flowing around the clock. Many integrated solutions also offer alternative financing options for paying off large balances over time, keeping revenue coming in without overwhelming patients.   

Reduced Administrative Burden 

Automating tasks associated with payment reminders, billing, and coding lightens the load on your staff. With more time back in their day, they can focus on delivering a better patient experience.   

Compliance and Security 

Between PCI compliance, HIPAA regulations, and the risk of cyberattacks, securely handling payments is non-negotiable. Integrations incorporate built-in safeguards, such as encryption and tokenization, to enhance security. 

Enhanced Patient Experience 

Today’s patients expect transparency and convenience. And their experience with your practice is shaped by every touchpoint, from the moment they schedule an appointment to the payment process at the end of their visit. Payments are the “last step” of the visit that leave a lasting impression. A smooth, easy payment experience shows patients that you respect their time and preferences. On the other hand, a frustrating experience can overshadow the amazing clinical care you’ve provided. 

An integrated payment solution enables you to easily: 

• Offer several payment options 

• Send SMS and email reminders 

• Provide transparency with an online portal 

A seamless payment experience creates happy patients who are more likely to recommend your practice and keep coming back.  

Smarter Insights 

Payment data is more than just transactions. Integrated analytics provide insights into denial rates, days in accounts receivable, and other key metrics, right inside your platform. You can use these insights to make more informed financial decisions and enhance your revenue cycle. 

A Smarter Way to Get Paid: SightviewPay powered by Global Payments

This is where things get even more exciting for ophthalmology, optometry, and optical practices using Sightview’s all-in-one EHR and practice management system. Our fully integrated payment solution, SightviewPay powered by Global Payments, gives eye care practices access to world-class payment technology, right inside our platform.  

What can this look like for your practice? 

• Seamless integration: EHR, practice management, payment processing, and much more, all working together in one system. 

• Patient satisfaction: Multiple payment options and a smooth, modern experience leave a lasting positive impression. 

• Better cash flow: Collect balances more quickly and decrease average days in A/R. 

• Trustworthy compliance: Global Payments brings PCI-DSS-compliant technology and a DPA-certified, multi-level approach that enhances security. 

• Proven reliability: With 24/7 support and more than 2,000 third-party integrations in healthcare, Global Payments is trusted by providers nationwide.  

Together, Sightview and Global Payments create a payment experience that reduces the admin burden on your staff, keeps patients happy, and protects your bottom line.  

How Sightview Keeps Evolving for Practices Like Yours 

At Sightview, we know that running a successful eye care practice is more than just providing excellent clinical care. That’s why we’re committed to making your life easier in every aspect of running your practice—from the front desk to the exam room to the back office.  

Our integrated payment solution, SightviewPay Powered by Global Payments, is just one example of how we’re constantly evolving. We’re dedicated to providing you with a technology foundation that enables you to focus more on what matters most: caring for your patients. 

Conclusion: Seamless Payments for Ophthalmology and Optometry 

Managing payments can be a burden. But it doesn’t have to be. With Sightview, you can leverage our fully integrated payment solution, enabling smoother workflows, improved cash flow, and a better patient experience.  

Whether you’re in ophthalmology or optometry, our platform is designed to support the unique needs of your specialty while simplifying payments at every step. 

Ready to experience payments that work as seamlessly as the rest of your practice? Learn more about our all-in-one eyecare platform that makes payments seamless.