BACKGROUND
Waiting for a long time to make payments in outpatient and long queues of insured patients at the checkout are common scenes in many hospitals in China. A hypothesis is proposed that smartphone-based mobile payment for health insurance is superior to cashier on-site billing.
OBJECTIVE
This study aimed to investigate the impact of smartphone-based mobile payment for outpatient medical insurance on patients’ payment waiting time, patient satisfaction and outpatient volume, and compared mobile payment with on-site payment.
METHODS
This study analyzed the patients’ waiting time for payment, patient satisfaction and outpatient volume of patients in Guangzhou Women and Children’s Medical Center one year before and after the implementation of mobile payment for medical insurance in January 2021.
RESULTS
It was seen that after the implementation of mobile payment of mobile medical insurance, the patients’ payment waiting time was significantly shortened (P<0.01), and patient satisfaction with waiting time and registration payment experience and the overall outpatient visit satisfaction were significantly improved (P<0.01). The dissatisfaction with payment was significantly decreased (P<0.01) and the outpatient volume was reduced (P<0.05).
CONCLUSIONS
Mobile payment for health insurance significantly shortened patients’ payment waiting time and improved patient satisfaction and outpatient volume, indicating that this approach was worth promoting.
CLINICALTRIAL
SFE-2022-193A01