With inflation breaking records left and right, it’s never been more important to rethink how your clients pay for care. Flexible payment options can help pet owners access essential veterinary services.
At Rectangle Health, we’ve launched a leading third-party patient financing solution into our flagship payment and communication platform, Practice Management Bridge®.
Patient Financing has unrivaled acceptance rates that give you the confidence to say “yes” to care for more patients. You can rely on patient financing to:
- Enhance client satisfaction and loyalty
- Maintain cash flow with upfront payments
- Reduce staff stress associated with denying care
- Streamline the user experience with an easy online process
Overcoming Financial Barriers
Your current payment model of care now, pay now may be creating a financial barrier for your clients. Many pet owners cannot afford necessary procedures or even routine check-ups. Financing can be a pathway to a more compassionate approach.
Consider the way people pay for goods and services these days. They no longer expect to pay upfront for a car, dishwasher, or even a pair of sneakers. With financing over time as an option, clients can explore options and move forward with care with greater confidence.
The Rise of Buy Now, Pay Later Financing
Buy now, pay later (BNPL) is an alternative to using a credit card to finance goods and services. Consumers apply online and receive a rapid response with structured repayment terms.
Over the past few years, the popularity of BNPL has grown rapidly. According to a Consumer Financial Protection Bureau survey of five U.S. lenders, BNPL loans increased from 16.8 million to 180 million between 2019 and 2021. As of 2021, nearly 80% of U.S. consumers surveyed by Forbes had heard of or used PayPal’s BNPL service.
The rise of BNPL is a natural extension of shifting consumer expectations and needs. Some consumers want more responsible payment plans that don’t require racking up credit card debt. Others use BNPL to make a purchase they can’t afford outright.
Buy Now, Pay Later Financing for Veterinary Expenses
Buy now, pay later is widely used for apparel purchases but is expanding into other sectors. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau survey found that the share of BNPL loans for apparel fell from 66.1% in 2019 to 50.5% in 2021. Though comparatively small, the use of BNPL for services such as pet care is growing.
The American Pet Products Association estimates that pet owners in the U.S. spend more than $30 billion on veterinary care annually. Pets are part of people’s families, so BNPL is a game-changer. It affords people more opportunities to care for their pets with fewer financial restraints.
When a pet’s health is on the line, BNPL is a compassionate solution for a credit-challenged pet owner. It can also be a convenient option for pet owners looking for alternative ways to pay.
Patient Financing: A Win for You and Your Clients
Maybe you’ve offered payment plans in the past but found them too risky or too bulky to manage. Perhaps you’ve tried a third-party financing service, but their approval rates were so low that it wasn’t worth the effort.
Patient financing overcomes the traditional pitfalls of patient financing and eliminates one of the most challenging parts of your job — turning pet owners away because they can’t afford care. As a veterinary professional, your mission is to help pets get the care they need. With patient financing options, you can frame your services in terms of options rather than face an outright denial.
Patient financing is easy for your staff to implement and use, and it also features:
Simple Application
The application takes just a few minutes to complete:
- You initiate the application by sending a text message from Practice Management Bridge.
- Your client clicks on the link and enters the necessary information.
- Within minutes, you and your client receive a financing decision and term options.
- Your client chooses the term options that fit their budget.
Unmatched Acceptance Rates
Patient financing doesn’t require a hard credit check and won’t impact your client’s credit score. Nearly 100% of people who apply receive up to $5000 in financing.
Risk-free Financing
Patient financing provides up-front payment to your practice and has among the highest payment rates in the industry. For prime clients, you receive nearly full payment.
We also manage client installments, so you don’t have to. Your practice is not at risk if a client misses a payment or defaults on their loan.
Practice Management Bridge: Advanced Tools to Elevate Practice Operations
Practice Management Bridge provides various innovative yet flexible tools to improve veterinary practice operations. Our third-party and in-house financing solutions help make care more affordable for pet owners.
Patient financing is fully-integrated into Practice Management Bridge. You can start applications, monitor status, and view plan details without leaving the platform.
Practice Management Bridge also features advanced payment options, such as contactless payments, Text-to-Pay, online payments, and card on file, to streamline payment processes for your staff and clients. You can also optimize patient communications with our digital registration forms and custom text messages.
References
- Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. (2022, September). Buy Now, Pay Later: Market trends and consumer impacts. Retrieved October 16, 2022, from https://files.consumerfinance.gov/f/documents/cfpb_buy-now-pay-later-market-trends-consumer-impacts_report_2022-09.pdf.
- Raynor, L. (2021, February 16). The BNPL Trend: Installment Payment Plans Are Growing Among Younger Generations. Forbes. Retrieved October 16, 2022, from https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbesbusinesscouncil/2021/02/16/the-bnpl-trend-installment-payment-plans-are-growing-among-younger-generations/?sh=c48034da38ab.
- American Pet Products Association. (2021, March 24). National Pet Industry Exceeds Over $100 Billion in Sales for First Time in Industry History. Retrieved October 16, 2022, from https://www.americanpetproducts.org/press_releasedetail.asp?id=1239.
