Make sure your business has a first level collection plan to minimize your bad debts that have to be professionally collected. It is important that your customer/patient be contacted before his/her account becomes 30 days delinquent.  It has been proven that accounts that become 45 days delinquent have a much better chance becoming bad debts than accounts that never reach that level of delinquency.  Direct contact with your past due account between 15-25 days delinquent will help your ability to collect before it ever reaches 45 days past due.