The paradox of the digital practice
Surgery and anaesthesia practices have widely adopted digital tools: management software, computerised patient records, online appointment booking. Their administrative organisation has been modernised on all fronts.
Except for one: the collection of fees.
For practitioners in sector 2 (orthopaedic surgeons or private anaesthetists for example), the deposit cheque remains the norm. A paper relic in an environment that has become 100% digital. And this is not without consequences.
The hidden costs of cheque management
Impact on the administrative burden
In a surgical secretariat, managing cheques represents a considerable burden:
Receipt and storage of cheques prior to intervention
Waiting for Sécu/mutuelle reimbursements to calculate the exact out-of-pocket expenses
Deferred payment (30 to 90 days post-intervention)
Multiple reminders for cheques not deposited
Managing bounced cheques
Concrete result: between 5 and 8 hours per week for secretarial tasks with little added value, to the detriment of patient care.
Structural financial risk
The figures speak for themselves:
10 to 15% of cheques never recovered (forgotten, refused, promises not kept)
NSF cheques: 3 to 5% of cash receipts
Average collection time: 60 days (compared with 15-20 days for a digital system)
Cash flow impact: several thousand euros in permanent timing differences
For a practice carrying out 15 operations a month, with an average out-of-pocket expenses of €800, this represents €12,000 in fees to be secured each month. Annual losses on unpaid fees can exceed €10,000. These issues are at the heart of the reflections on the managing overdue paymentsas explained in our article on the subject.
Degradation of the patient experience
The deposit cheque imposes constraints that are incompatible with a modern patient pathway: compulsory travel, managing a chequebook that is often impossible to find (especially for the under-40s), and the unpleasant psychological friction of leaving a deposit without knowing the exact final amount.
Why the alternative has been slow to take hold
If cheques have survived for so long in the face of digital technology, it is also by default. For a long time, the alternatives seemed imperfect. Bank transfers? Too tedious to check and random. Pre-authorisation by bank card? It blocks the funds in the patient's account, which is unthinkable for amounts of several hundred euros, at the risk of putting the patient overdrawn even before the operation.
The firm therefore found itself caught between an archaic method (the cheque) and digital methods that were ill-suited to the specificities of the medical sector and the remaining out-of-pocket expenses.
The bank fingerprint: reconciling security and fluidity
Today, technology has evolved to offer the best of both worlds. This is where the concept ofbank imprint not debited.
The principle is to reproduce the security of a deposit, but with the flexibility of the web. In practical terms, the patient receives a secure link (by SMS or email) well before the operation. With just a few clicks, they can enter their bank card details to secure their fees.
The major difference? No funds are blocked. The patient's bank limit is not affected, which immediately removes any psychological and financial obstacles. For the practitioner, however, the guarantee is there: solvency is checked and the funds are technically "reserved".
Towards "Paperless" and peaceful management
Adopting this system radically transforms the day-to-day running of the firm.
Once the procedure has been carried out and mutual reimbursements have been made, the secretariat can trigger payment of the exact remaining amount, or let the system do it automatically at a set date. No more calculating whether the cheque covers too much or too little of the final amount. No more sending reimbursement cheques through the post.
For the administrative team, the atmosphere is changing. No more time spent chasing unpaid bills or checking signatures. The assistant can refocus on what makes her job worthwhile: the human touch, welcoming patients and preparing them for treatment.
Are patients ready?
This is often the number one fear of practitioners: "My elderly patients won't make it". But the reality on the ground shows the opposite. Your patients are already using this system to book a hotel room, a holiday rental or a car. It's now common practice.
What's more, transparency works in favour of digital: patients receive an immediate receipt, have a clear record of what has been paid, and no longer have to worry about a cheque being lost in the mail. For the rare cases of patients without a smartphone or bank card, a cheque remains a back-up solution, but it is becoming the exception (less than 5% of cases) rather than the rule.
Conclusion: going the digital last mile
Modernising a technical platform or a practice does not stop at the operating theatre door. In 2026, asking for a deposit cheque is an unnecessary friction in an otherwise excellent care pathway.
Switching to dematerialised fee security isn't just about "going modern". It's about securing your cash flow in a pragmatic way and offering your patients the administrative convenience they've come to expect from any service, including medical ones. The cheque has had its day: it's time for serenity.
Would you like to transform your out-of-pocket expenses management and eliminate unpaid bills? Take a look at our page dedicated to the healthcare sector for find out more about our solutions for healthcare professionals.
