Webinar Replay: When Earned Revenue Doesn't Become Collected Cash

Every day, optometry practices generate revenue through exams, eyewear, contact lenses, and other patient services. But earning revenue is only part of the story. Based on aggregated, de-identified data from Encompass practices representing approximately $2.6 billion in payments, the webinar explored what happens between revenue generated and cash collected.

Across the data, an average practice generated about $168,000 in monthly revenue, collected approximately $104,000 in monthly cash, and created about $69,000 in new monthly accounts receivable. That gap reinforces a familiar challenge: revenue does not automatically become cash in the bank, especially when insurance processing, outstanding balances, write-offs, and collection efforts come into play.

Patient Payments Play a Critical Role 

One of the most significant insights from the data is the important role patients play in the revenue cycle. 

60-70%1 of collected payments come directly from patients, making the payment experience an important contributor to practice cash flow. When collection processes are efficient and convenient, practices may be able to reduce administrative work while creating better experience for both staff and patients. 

One Visit Can Create Two Collection Moments 

 key theme of the webinar was the idea that a single patient visit often creates two separate collection opportunities. 

The first occurs at the time of service, when patients pay a copay, deductible, or estimated balance. The second occurs after insurance processing, when additional patient responsibility may be identified and collected later. 
That second collection moment often requires statements, reminders, phone calls, and payment reconciliation, creating additional work for staff and additional opportunities for balances to remain unresolved. 

A Connected Approach to the Payment Journey 

The webinar showed that improving collections is not about adding one more payment tool. It is about creating a more connected workflow where the systems practices rely on work together across the payment journey.

Eyefinity Encompass^® serves as the foundation for that workflow, connecting practice management, EHR, patient engagement, billing, and reporting so practices have greater visibility from care delivery through reconciliation. From there, EncompassPay by Eyefinity supports payment collection at checkout, helping practices capture patient responsibility at the time of service. When balances remain after insurance processing, Eyefinity PatientNavigator extends the workflow with automated reminders, statements, and online payment options to support follow-up after the visit.

Together, these complementary solutions work seamlessly together to help payment activity move more smoothly from earned revenue to collected cash, reducing friction between systems and making the process easier for staff to manage.

Bringing the Journey Together 

Financial performance depends on more than generating revenue. It requires efficient workflows that support collection, reconciliation, visibility, and follow-up throughout the patient journey. 

By understanding where revenue gaps occur and creating more connected processes around payment collection, practices can spend less time chasing balances and more time focusing on patient care.