For years, patient billing has been one of the most time-consuming, confusing, and costly parts of running a medical practice. Patients are often overwhelmed by unclear insurance terms, confusing bills, and long wait times for answers while staff are flooded with phone calls, emails, and portal messages just to explain basic charges.
But now, a new solution is changing that for good. At Orchard Medical Management, we’re excited about the arrival of Patient Billing Agents (PBAs), a revolutionary tool offered through services like Patriot Pay that’s helping practices streamline their billing communications, reduce overhead, and dramatically improve the patient experience.
What Are Patient Billing Agents (PBAs)?
PBAs are real-time AI agents that respond instantly to patient billing questions directly on the statement screen or via text message. There’s no need for patients to download an app, log in to a portal, or make a phone call. They simply tap or text their question, and the AI responds immediately 24/7.
PBAs pull live information from multiple sources:
- 835 remittance files
- Practice Management (PM) system activity
- Patriot Pay transaction data
This real-time integration gives the AI the context it needs to provide accurate, personalized answers in seconds.
Why This Is a Game Changer for Medical Practices
- Instant, Accurate Answers – No Staff Time Required
PBAs can answer over 90% of patient billing questions in under one second. That means fewer phone calls, fewer emails, and far less time your team spends explaining charges or navigating EOB confusion.
- Frictionless Experience for Patients
Patients no longer have to dig through portals or wait on hold. They simply reply to a text or click a question on their bill. This ease of use translates into faster payments, better satisfaction, and fewer abandoned balances.
- Smart Escalation When Needed
If a question can’t be answered automatically, it’s escalated to your staff with full context, including the patient’s question and the details of their bill. This saves valuable time and eliminates back-and-forth.
Why It’s Needed: The Patient Perspective
Most patients struggle to understand their medical bills. And the data proves it:
- 72% of patients say they’re confused by their Explanation of Benefits (EOB)
- Only 1 in 10 can accurately define terms like “deductible” or “coinsurance”
- 60% say understanding their bill is more confusing than doing their taxes
- Over 50% of billing-related calls are just for clarity, not actual payments
PBAs meet this challenge head-on, removing confusion and empowering patients with clear, immediate answers.
The Bottom Line: Better Communication, Lower Costs, Happier Patients
With AI-powered PBAs, practices using platforms like Patriot Pay are:
✅ Reducing inbound billing calls
✅ Freeing up staff to focus on higher-value tasks
✅ Improving patient satisfaction
✅ Accelerating payment turnaround
✅ Cutting operational costs related to billing
At Orchard Medical Management, we believe these tools are the future of healthcare billing and we’re helping practices adopt them seamlessly. Whether you’re looking to improve cash flow, reduce staff burnout, or simply create a better experience for your patients, PBAs are a powerful step forward.
📞 Ready to modernize your billing process? Contact us today to learn how we can support your practice with tools like Patriot Pay and patient billing automation.
🔗 Contact Us to get started.