How can I speed up my cash flow? 

• Make sure that your Front Desk is collecting the deductibles and co-pays at the time of service.
  
• Act early on aging accounts -- at least within 30 days.  Make personal contact early, call your patient.
  
• Keep your statements clear and simple, no fancy colors or designs, and make it a real statement, not just a sheet of paper with the amount due.
  
• Package your dunning letters to look like important business correspondence -- not like bills.  Think of them as personalized direct marketing pieces, with the sales objective of collecting overdue cash.
  
• Discounts of 1 to 3 percent for paying fast, within 10 to 15 days, work well for some chiropractic offices.
  
• File small claims actions yourself.  Contact your local small claims court and they will give you details on how to file small claims actions for your area.
  
• Call in a collection agency early.  Each month that passes dramatically reduces your chances of payment.  More and more chiropractic offices are bringing in collection agencies more quickly, which saves them money, although the agency may take 20 to 50 percent.