OPZ Geel modernizes patient billing with POM

The initial results are being felt throughout the entire billing chain. Patients pay easily via a familiar banking environment, the billing department sends invoices at the touch of a button where staff used to fold them by hand on weekends, and the team now tracks sending and collection in a single dashboard. At the same time, OPZ Geel keeps the paper route open for those who prefer it.

An ambition to provide patients with a more modern payment experience

OPZ Geel is a public psychiatric care center with a spacious campus in Geel, where a psychiatric hospital, a psychiatric nursing home, a day clinic, aftercare, and the well-known family nursing program come together. OPZ Geel sends both patient invoices and debtor invoices. Due to longer stays, the number of invoices remains relatively limited, at about 2,000 per month, often involving the same patients.

The impetus for the project was the desire to offer patients a contemporary way to pay. Until recently, the care center only sent a letter with a payment slip. Eloi Schreurs, Financial and Facilities Director, saw the opportunity for the next step.

"Our primary objective was to enable digital payments via QR code, and for the invoice itself to be received digitally as well."

Within the sector, there was an assumption that a psychiatric patient population would not adopt digital payments. Schreurs did not share that assessment:

"Some thought: our patient population can't handle that. I didn't believe that. Everyone uses a smartphone today, including the people who stay with us or come in for consultations."

User-friendliness was the deciding factor, with Obasi as the driving force

The choice to work with POM came primarily from Obasi, the software supplier and member association for psychiatric hospitals, which developed the integration with POM. OPZ Geel helped drive the initiative forward and volunteered as a pilot hospital to be the first to test the configuration and collaboration. For Schreurs, POM was the best fit for what he was looking for:

"In terms of user-friendliness, I find POM the best. It's entirely set up to ensure payments are handled smoothly."

For Dana Peeters, Head of Patient Administration and Billing, security and POM's existing experience in the hospital and healthcare sector were just as important as user-friendliness. That experience contributed to the confidence to come on board as the first psychiatric hospital.

"Security is a top priority at POM, and payments are processed very smoothly and securely. That establishes a foundation of trust with our patients."

Weekly consultation and broad communication to the patient

OPZ Geel, POM, and Obasi met weekly to set up the system integrations and prepare the outpatient, inpatient, and PVT (psychiatric care home) workflows. For POM, this was the first collaboration with a psychiatric hospital, which brought a unique dynamic compared to a general or university hospital.

"We met with POM and Obasi every week, which was very constructive. We keep each other well-informed about changes and possibilities."

— Dana Peeters
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The invoice itself was given a new design. The legally required detailed information often makes patient invoices complex, so OPZ Geel and POM worked together to find a format that patients can understand at a glance.

"Together with POM, we added a very simple cover page to the invoice. You can see the period, the amount, and the QR code at a glance. The detailed information is included as an attachment."

— Eloi Schreurs
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Because trust is crucial for a first digital invoice — especially with a vulnerable target group and in times of phishing — OPZ Geel invested in a broad communication strategy. This included the website, the intranet, TV screens, and posters, as well as extra explanations provided with the first mailing. Doctors and social services staff were also briefed in advance so they could reassure patients. This comprehensive approach was recommended by POM.

"It is crucial that the first time such a letter arrives, it goes smoothly. Then the patient feels: it works, it's easy, I can pay with just a few taps on my device."

— Dana Peeters

Exceeding expectations from the very first week, and the numbers keep rising

OPZ Geel sent out an initial batch of approximately 500 invoices. After one week, the team saw via the POM dashboards that about 30% had already been paid via the QR code and about 10% had signed up to receive future invoices digitally.

The enrollment target of 10% was actually not expected until later. The numbers continued to rise thereafter: by the beginning of September, 38% of the letters sent had been paid via the QR code and 20% had given consent to receive future invoices digitally.

"We were hoping for 10% enrollment after the first batch. We reached that after just one week, even though half of the letters hadn't even been opened yet. So, we are exceeding expectations."

— Dana Peeters

From a weekend of folding to the push of a button

The benefits are immediately noticeable in the billing department. Where staff used to spend their weekends manually folding letters and putting them into envelopes, the mailing process is now handled via a print service and a digital channel.

"Someone used to stand by the printer: printing everything, putting it in an envelope, sending it to the post. Now, it goes out neatly with the push of a button, and we track the mailing and collection in a single dashboard."

— Dana Peeters
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A duplicate or copy of an invoice, something patients often request, can now be sent out again in a matter of seconds. Furthermore, patients can re-access their invoices themselves from their personal file environment.

The project also delivers a clear sustainability gain. As more patients opt for digital, the number of paper letters that OPZ Geel sends out annually decreases.

If 30% of people choose to receive documents digitally, we will save a significant number of trees every year. This immediately makes our operations much more sustainable.

— Dana Peeters

A trusted payment method, with the choice always in the patient's hands

For the patient, paying has become simple. The QR code leads to a trusted banking environment where the details are already filled in, with no account required. In recent years, OPZ Geel has focused heavily on providing clear information about hospitalization costs, and the new cover sheet builds on that foundation.

"Making a payment is very simple and clear for the patient. As a result, payments are likely to come in faster."

— Dana Peeters
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Those who prefer to pay on paper will still have that option. The digital route is an additional choice, and the paper route remains fully available. This is how OPZ Geel is digitizing without excluding anyone.

Building further with the patient in mind

In the coming months, OPZ Geel will launch additional modules and, together with POM and Obasi, wants to continue exploring what works even better for the patient. Potential next steps, such as delivery directly into the Bancontact Pay app, are being evaluated by the care center step by step, with trust as the starting point.

"We want to work as much as possible according to the patient's needs. With POM, we can explore that further, and we know they will guide us through it."

— Eloi Schreurs
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Meanwhile, the other hospitals from the first phase are also joining in within Obasi, eight in total. They are preparing to go live with their invoices.

"Launching multiple psychiatric hospitals at the same time is not an easy process. They are doing great work there."

— Dana Peeters