Checks Out, Digital In: Refunds Emerge as Overlooked Touchpoint in Patient Financial Experience

Onbe, a leading corporate disbursements platform, released findings of the Spring 2026 Patient Refund Survey, revealing strong patient preference for digital refunds. According to Onbe’s research, 83% of respondents stated that faster digital payments would improve satisfaction with their healthcare provider, a 13% increase from the previous year, and 78% reported they would be more likely to seek a new provider after a poor payment experience. As patient experience metrics shape reputation, healthcare organizations are evaluating touchpoints that influence patient perception, including financial interactions like refunds.

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According to the survey, nearly seven in ten respondents have experienced a delayed, lost, or incorrect refund—yet more than half of refunds are still issued by paper check, which patients describe as slow, inconvenient, and easily lost. While many healthcare systems have invested heavily in digitizing processes such as scheduling, telehealth, and online bill pay, refunds often remain manual, creating friction in an otherwise digital patient journey. Delayed or unclear refunds not only impact patient satisfaction, but also lead to higher inbound call volume, reissuance costs, and expose healthcare organizations to check fraud and unclaimed property reporting. As a result, modernizing patient refunds is a competitive necessity and an opportunity to build trust and efficiency.

“Patients expect the same digital convenience in healthcare that they experience in every other part of their lives,” said Tracy Monson, Vice President, Segment Management at Onbe. “Paper checks don’t just frustrate patients—they slow providers down and increase costs and risk. Transitioning to digital refunds turns a common pain point into an opportunity to improve the patient experience, strengthen trust, and streamline operations.”

Key findings from Onbe’s Spring 2026 Patient Refund Survey include:

• 81% of patients stated that making and receiving payments digitally would be an improvement compared to their current payment experience.
• 66% of respondents stated they have received a patient refund check in the mail and have been unsure why they received it.
• For patients, the leading inconveniences when receiving a refund from a healthcare provider are speed of delivery (41%) and lack of choice in payment type (23%).

As patient expectations continue to rise and healthcare becomes increasingly consumer-driven, organizations that modernize the financial experience will be better positioned to reduce friction, strengthen patient trust, and operate more efficiently.

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