Revenue cycle managers must focus intently on guiding and mentoring their teams on RCM best practices and automation systems. When teams understand best practices and how they will improve performance, change management and buy-in become simpler. Outperforming leaders go beyond intellectual knowledge and provide better communication, enforce performance standards based on data, and educate teams on the latest solutions being implemented to ensure everyone is on board with the effort and accountable for the results.
Blog Article
5 Must-Have Skills for Empowering Teams to Embrace Strategic Revenue Cycle Management
Even as technology has proven to streamline and automate tedious tasks, a variety of manual processes still prevail in the revenue cycle management (RCM) environment. While the need to innovate is a strategic imperative, the propensity among humans to resist change remains strong. It takes dedicated leadership to champion the adoption of technology across a healthcare organization to achieve buy-in — and ultimately more efficient RCM operations.
As today’s healthcare workforce spans four generations, there is often hesitancy to adopt new processes — despite the significant costs of existing RCM inefficiencies and their associated administrative burden. The entire revenue cycle team must be empowered to adopt change so stagnation does not set in. Leading an organization to sustainable RCM improvements takes a unique set of skills; the most critical are outlined below. These skills, paired with a strategic RCM partnership built on a foundation of technology, support, and intelligence, empower healthcare leaders to fuel meaningful change that complements the strengths of its workforce.
#1 Team Empowerment
#2 Technology Expertise
Understanding technology is critical for advocating for and applying intelligent automation in RCM. However, leaders are often expected to understand a variety of tools and environments; from coding, patient processing, EHRs/EMRs, billing and collections, and more. While many leaders may have a good grasp on these technologies, a dedicated RCM partner can help navigate what’s needed and what can be streamlined.
#3 Flexibility and Resourcefulness
Along with the traditional leadership skills RCM executives need, healthcare presents numerous “gray area” challenges that require a high level of flexibility and resourcefulness. RCM leaders must be able to navigate complex issues in an industry that’s constantly shifting, a capability which typically comes with experience.
#4 Relationship Building
Outperforming RCM leaders have an undeniable passion for healthcare and devote time to building long-term relationships between departments, patients, and business partners. This includes understanding needs on an individual and system-wide level—so the “what’s in it for me?” message to all stakeholders is clear, concise, and convincing. Shared goals for change between the organization and RCM partner are rooted in trusted relationships.
#5 End-to-End Perspective
Outperforming RCM leaders have an undeniable passion for healthcare and devote time to building long-term relationships between departments, patients, and business partners. This includes understanding needs on an individual and system-wide level—so the “what’s in it for me?” message to all stakeholders is clear, concise, and convincing. Shared goals for change between the organization and RCM partner are rooted in trusted relationships.
Transforming revenue cycle differently. Improving healthcare together.
Currance transforms revenue cycle management differently to deliver sustainable success for our clients. Let’s schedule a meeting to talk about your revenue cycle challenges, understand how Currance can help, and how we can improve healthcare together.