Why Text-to-Pay Is the Faster, Smarter Way to Get Paid in Eye Care

Today’s patients expect digital convenience at every step, including how they pay for care. Yet many optometry and ophthalmology practices today still rely on mailed paper statements and follow-up calls that require significant resources and often go ignored. 

More businesses today are adopting flexible payment options to meet the demand for convenience, including eye care practices. One of those methods is Text-to-Pay, which lets patients easily pay their bills through a secure link via SMS.

Paper Statements Are Falling Short 

For decades, mailed paper statements have been the default for collecting patient balances. But in today’s consumerist world, they’re not aligned with the times. 

Paper statements are slow by design. They rely on printing, mailing, and waiting, often for weeks, by which time many patients forget about their balance altogether. Then, they’re often unopened, lost, or set aside. For practices, this uses up resources, creates unnecessary delays, and requires staff to spend time chasing balances. 

At the same time, it creates a disconnect in the patient experience. Today, the same effortless payment experience that patients have with pharmacies, salons, and rideshare services, for example, is now the expectation in eye care. Bringing the same convenience to your practice is an opportunity to improve the overall patient experience and build trust. 

Why Text-to-Pay Is a Gamechanger 

Texting is incredibly effective for collecting patient balances: 

• 98% of text messages are opened, compared to much lower engagement from mail or e-mail.  

• 70% of people say texting is the fastest way to reach them. 

• 69% of consumers want to receive texts related to making payments. 

Not to mention that, with medical staff spending an average of 34 hours per week on administrative tasks, reducing payment follow-ups can make a meaningful difference by freeing up time for patient care. 

Unlike mailed statements that sit unopened or phone calls that go unanswered, text messages are seen almost immediately. When patients can pay with a simple tap on their phone, the barrier to payment drops significantly. 

Accelerate Cash Flow Without Adding Work 

For eye care practices, the biggest benefit of Text-to-Pay is simple: getting paid sooner, with less effort. 

Enabling patients to pay via text with a simple tap can help: 

• Reduce days in A/R. 

• Eliminate multiple follow-ups. 

• Cut down on paper waste and postage spend. 

• Decrease time spent sending statements that patients may overlook. 

Instead of waiting weeks for mailed payments or chasing balances after appointments, patients can pay instantly from their phone.

A Better Experience for Eye Care Staff and Patients 

Text-to-pay creates a win on both sides. 

Patients get: 

• A fast, secure way to pay from their phone. 

• No phone call or mailed checks required. 

• Clear, timely payment requests. 

Staff get: 

• Fewer billing calls and manual tasks. 

• Less time tracking down payments. 

• More time focused on patient care. 

Modern Payments for Modern Eye Care Practices 

Text-to-Pay helps practices streamline payments and accelerate cash flow, all without adding extra work on staff. That’s why the Sightview platform includes Sightview Pay powered by Global Payments.  

Sightview Pay enables practices to securely collect patient balances through convenient, mobile-friendly options like Text-to-Pay, directly within the platform their team already uses. Practices can get paid faster, reduce manual follow-ups, and deliver the seamless payment experience patients now expect. 

Learn more how modern, integrated payments can benefit your eye care practice.