"We spend too much time chasing payments." Podiatry practices say it constantly: three reminder emails for a $25 copay, a stack of unpaid balances nobody has time to call about.
The practices that fix it don't hire more billing staff. They collect payment digitally, starting before the patient walks in: faster payment, fewer awkward checkout conversations, and more time for patient care.
Why online payments solve a timing problem
Podiatry visits often involve procedures with a cost: nail surgery, custom orthotics, a diabetic foot evaluation. The checkout conversation gets rushed, the patient says they'll call back with a card, and most don't.
Collect at two points: before the appointment (copays and deposits) and right after (balances and treatment fees).
Put payment in the podiatry intake form and patients pay while they fill out their history. They expect the charge, and your front desk isn't processing cards while the waiting room fills.
Where to collect payment
During pre-appointment intake. Send the intake form a few days before the visit with foot and ankle history, symptoms, insurance, and a copay field. The patient finishes at home and arrives ready. That's patient readiness: every form for the visit done before the patient walks in.
After the visit, by link. Send a payment link by text or email. The patient pays from the parking lot or that evening. No card reader, no "I forgot my wallet."
For outstanding balances. Instead of calling, send a secure payment link. Paying takes the patient seconds, so links get answered far more often than phone calls.
For deposits at booking. For procedures like custom orthotics or nail surgery, collect a deposit when the patient books online. Patients who have paid a deposit show up.
The common thread: no checks in the mail, no calling back with a card. Patients pay on their phone.
Podiatry-specific payment patterns
Podiatry mixes recurring visits (diabetic foot checks, wound care), elective procedures (cosmetic nail work, orthotics), and claims that don't cover everything.
Diabetic foot care. Patients return every 8-12 weeks with predictable copays. Collect the copay in each visit's intake form so it's handled before the patient arrives.
Orthotic fittings. Collect a deposit when the fitting is booked, then send the remaining balance before pickup. The orthotics go home once the balance is paid.
Nail surgery and in-office procedures. Higher out-of-pocket costs. Send a good faith estimate before the procedure so the patient sees the breakdown and can pay or arrange a plan. No surprise bill afterward.
Workers' comp and third-party billing. When the final amount isn't clear until the EOB arrives, send a payment link with the exact balance once it is. A clear amount and an easy method get paid quickly.
In every case, money is handled digitally at a sensible time, not squeezed into checkout.
The front desk time savings
Card processing, declined transactions, and balance explanations take a few minutes per patient. Collected during intake, most of that disappears. Across 30 patients a day, that's real time back for confirming insurance, answering questions, and chart prep.
Reconciliation gets easier too. Digital payments are tied to the right patient and visit, with no manual entry and no transcription errors, and can be exported to your billing software.
Payment plans and partial payments
Bunion surgery and advanced wound care can run into the thousands. Address cost before the procedure, with clear options: pay in full, or agree to a short plan in writing with a payment plan agreement. Short, clear plans get paid more reliably than open-ended ones.
For partial payments on old balances, let the patient pay what they can now and follow up on the rest. It beats waiting for a check that never comes.
The patient experience
Owners worry that asking for payment before the visit will annoy patients. It does the opposite. Patients like knowing what they owe before they arrive, and nobody enjoys digging for a wallet while others wait in line.
Online payments in Formisoft run through Stripe inside your intake forms and booking, with a 5% processing fee per transaction.
Get every patient ready before they walk in.
- Forms, consents, and signatures before the visit
- Your paper forms converted by AI
- BAA included