Healthcare practices across the country face the same challenge: collecting patient balances. With rising out-of-pocket costs, more care shifting to high-deductible health plans, and patients often juggling multiple medical bills, providers struggle to get paid on time.
The traditional solution has been to partner with a collection agency—but this approach is costly, reactive, and often damaging to the patient relationship. Patients who are turned over to collections feel pressured, frustrated, or even alienated from their provider. Meanwhile, practices lose a substantial percentage of whatever funds are recovered.
That’s where Rivia Health steps in. Instead of chasing balances after the fact, Rivia Health helps practices proactively collect patient payments in a way that is patient-friendly, automated, and cost-effective.
In this article, we’ll explore the key differences between Rivia Health and traditional collection agencies—and explain why Rivia is the smarter choice for forward-thinking medical practices.
1. Proactive vs. Reactive Collections
Collection agencies are, by nature, reactive. They only become involved after a patient has failed to pay—sometimes 90, 120, or even 180 days past due. By that point, balances are harder to recover, patients are less responsive, and the relationship with the practice has already soured.
Rivia Health, on the other hand, is proactive. Instead of waiting for balances to become delinquent, Rivia makes it easy for patients to pay right away:
Automated text and email reminders go out as soon as a balance is ready.
Patients are given simple, secure payment links with no login hurdles.
Flexible options—like payment plans—are offered before frustration sets in.
By meeting patients early in the process and reducing barriers to payment, Rivia prevents balances from turning into bad debt in the first place.
Result: Practices collect more of what they’re owed, faster, and without the stress of sending accounts to collections.
2. Patient-Friendly Experience vs. Aggressive Tactics
One of the biggest complaints patients have about collection agencies is the tone and tactics. Agencies often rely on repeated phone calls, mailed letters, or even threats of credit reporting. While these tactics may recover some balances, they also create resentment and mistrust. Patients may leave negative reviews, refuse future care, or switch providers altogether.
With Rivia Health, the focus is on patient satisfaction and trust. Payments are handled in a modern, convenient way:
Clear digital statements
Friendly reminders via text or email
Flexible repayment options that fit into patients’ budgets
Instead of feeling harassed, patients feel empowered to resolve their balances quickly and on their own terms.
Result: Practices protect their reputation, improve patient satisfaction scores, and increase the likelihood of return visits.
3. Revenue Retention: Keeping More of What You Collect
Collection agencies don’t work for free. In fact, they typically take 25% to 50% of the recovered balance as their fee. That means even if they collect on an overdue $500 balance, the practice might only see $250 to $375.
Rivia Health is far more cost-effective. Because balances are collected directly through patient-friendly automation, there’s no massive contingency fee. Payments flow into the practice’s existing system, without being sliced in half.
By preventing accounts from reaching collections, practices keep substantially more revenue in-house.
Result: Higher margins, healthier cash flow, and greater financial stability for the practice.
4. Efficiency Through Automation
Working with a collection agency requires additional handoffs, file transfers, and oversight. Staff must flag accounts, prepare reports, and coordinate with an external vendor. It’s another layer of complexity on top of an already busy revenue cycle management (RCM) process.
Rivia Health eliminates that burden with automation:
Payment reminders are triggered automatically based on balance status.
Patient payments are instantly reconciled in the practice management system.
Staff don’t have to manually chase balances or manage external files.
This reduces administrative workload, saves time, and frees staff to focus on higher-value tasks like patient care and scheduling.
Result: Less overhead, fewer errors, and smoother cash flow.
5. Protecting Your Brand Reputation
When a patient is sent to collections, it’s rarely forgotten. Aggressive outreach can leave a lasting negative impression—not only on the patient but also across their family and community. In today’s digital-first world, that frustration often shows up in online reviews.
Rivia Health helps protect your brand by keeping payments in-house. Patients interact only with your practice’s trusted payment experience, supported by modern digital tools. Instead of feeling “sent away” to a third party, they continue to associate your brand with convenience and care.
Result: Stronger patient loyalty, more referrals, and a reputation for compassion as well as professionalism.
6. Speed of Recovery
With collection agencies, recovery takes time. By the time accounts are handed over and agencies begin their process, weeks or months may have passed. Patients may be harder to locate, less responsive, or financially unable to resolve old balances.
Rivia Health dramatically speeds up payment recovery:
Patients receive reminders as soon as balances are due.
Mobile-friendly payment links allow for instant action.
Flexible plans prevent patients from ignoring bills.
This accelerated timeline means more cash flow sooner—fueling practice growth and stability.
Result: Practices gain predictable, timely revenue instead of waiting months for uncertain recoveries.
7. Patient Relationships and Future Revenue
Every patient interaction is more than a transaction—it’s part of an ongoing relationship. When that relationship is damaged by collections, future revenue disappears. A patient who feels alienated may not return for preventive care, specialty visits, or follow-up procedures.
With Rivia Health, payments are part of a seamless, patient-first experience. Patients feel supported, not punished. That increases the chance they’ll return for future care, recommend your practice, and maintain long-term loyalty.
Result: Practices don’t just capture today’s payments—they preserve tomorrow’s revenue streams.
8. Compliance and Transparency
Collection agencies operate under strict regulations, including the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA). While most are compliant, any misstep can put a practice at risk of reputational damage or even legal consequences if a patient believes they’ve been treated unfairly.
Rivia Health operates within the practice’s ecosystem, providing transparent, automated communication with patients. Every interaction is trackable and consistent, reducing the risk of disputes or misunderstandings.
Result: A compliant, transparent, and trustworthy approach to collections.
9. Cost-Effectiveness in Numbers
Let’s put this into perspective:
Scenario A: Collection Agency
Patient owes $1,000.
Agency recovers $500 after months of outreach.
Practice receives $250–$375 after contingency fees.
Scenario B: Rivia Health
Patient owes $1,000.
Automated reminders + flexible payments prompt early action.
Practice recovers $800–$900 directly, without large percentage fees.
That’s a difference of hundreds of dollars per patient balance—multiplied across hundreds or thousands of patients per year.
Result: The ROI with Rivia Health is clear.
10. The Future of Patient Payments
The healthcare landscape is changing. Patients expect digital-first solutions in every area of their lives—from shopping to banking to travel. Payments are no exception.
Collection agencies are stuck in an outdated model: reactive, costly, and patient-unfriendly. Rivia Health represents the future of patient payments, where technology, automation, and patient experience come together to maximize revenue and protect relationships.
Conclusion
At first glance, collection agencies and Rivia Health may appear to serve the same purpose: helping practices get paid. But the approach couldn’t be more different.
Collection agencies wait until it’s too late, use aggressive tactics, and take a large cut of recovered revenue.
Rivia Health prevents balances from going delinquent, makes payments easy and convenient, and allows practices to keep more of what they earn.
The choice is clear: if your goal is to maximize collections, strengthen patient relationships, and operate more cost-effectively, Rivia Health is the smarter alternative.
