Paul Barr, MS, MBA, CRCR
About the Author
Paul Barr, MS, MBA, CRCR
Paul Barr is a senior editor for HFMA, Downers Grove, Ill. Barr previously worked for Modern Healthcare magazine and in the publications department of the American Hospital Association.
Latest Work
Patient POS collections pose a growing problem for RCM departments
Hospitals are collecting more of the amount owed by patients at the point of service (POS), but that effort is failing to put a dent in the overall collection rates by hospitals, according to a new report from Kodiak Solutions. The report notes that healthcare providers are getting better at collecting from patients, but the…
Prevent denials by catching credentialing issues
Verifying the credentials of ordering physicians should be an essential part of revenue cycle management, and it could prove to be a fruitful endeavor. Ximena Restrepo, compliance and privacy partner for Billings Clinic–Logan Health, which serves residents of Montana and Wyoming, said Billings-Logan has saved thousands of dollars in avoided claim denials or in avoided…
Fee-for-service payment approach creates obstacles to AI adoption by physicians
AI is poised to transform how healthcare is provided and paid for, but the commonly used fee-for-service (FFS) model of reimbursement could be a problem in getting physicians to adopt clinical AI tools, a group of researchers has found. The sticking point is that when a physician uses AI clinical technology or software in an…
Getting more bang for the buck from AI: Insight from Privia Health
An extensive search for the right AI implementation partners is paying off for Privia Health Group in Arlington, Virginia, an HFMA MAP Award winner that boasts positive results from incorporating AI in its revenue cycle. Privia, a publicly traded physician management company, has installed or will be installing AI in a variety of applications. Vendors…
AI coding at UMass Memorial tempers staffing shortage
UMass Memorial Medical Center’s radiology department has been able to sidestep a lack of bill coding professionals by adopting AI in the medical center’s coding for radiology. “It’s really hard to get certified coders these days,” said Barbara Scully, associate vice president, physician billing with UMass Memorial, which is located in Worcester, Massachusetts. “It’s one…
Insurers, patients pay less of their bills
Healthcare providers faced growing challenges last year in getting paid for care among patients covered by insurance, according to new benchmark data from Kodiak Solutions. And it was both insurers and patients who were lagging in payment or not paying at all. Denials of coverage by health plans, already a problem in 2023, increased during…
HFMA’s Nelson receives AONL Honorary Member Award
Updated April 4, 2025 Todd Nelson, chief partnership executive and director of healthcare finance policy for HFMA, was selected to receive the American Organization for Nursing Leadership’s Honorary Member Award. The award recognizes Nelson for his support of AONL’s mission and his contribution to advancing healthcare through AONL’s core business. AONL, an affiliate of the…
HFMA Revenue Cycle Conference tackles issues big and small
Some of the most interesting experiences to be had at HFMA’s 2025 Revenue Cycle Conference held March 19-21 in San Antonio could be found off the stage during snack and meal breaks. A conversation with a group of revenue cycle management (RCM) professionals really struck a chord in highlighting the dedication many of them apply…
Hospital industry on track to reach dangerous occupancy levels by 2032
Hospital industry is facing a potential crisis as demographic trends and hospital-bed capacity levels are expected to push the industry to dangerous levels of occupancy, potentially surpassing 85% by 2032, according to a research letter published by JAMA Network Open.
Texas Health Resources enhances self-scheduling with flexible options
Amid expected growth in demand from patients to schedule their own clinic visits, an Arlington, Texas-based health system learned that in practice some patients want more than just the ability to go online to choose a visit time, date and provider. Officials for Texas Health Resources (THR) found that out while implementing a new self-scheduling…