5 keys to enhancing automation, expanding capacity and improving efficiency to reduce costs
Healthcare organizations in 2026 are operating under sustained financial strain. Margins remain compressed, workforce shortages continue, payer requirements are more complex and patient financial responsibility has increased. At the same time, many revenue cycle operations still rely on fragmented systems and manual processes that limit efficiency and delay cash flow. The traditional, reactive revenue cycle…
How to handle the revenue cycle skills gap
Revenue cycle management is becoming less about managing transactions and more about technology, as hospital finance departments shift toward AI-enabled workflows. Increasingly, skills valued by hospital and health system employers are aligning around automation and analytics. As Heather Dunn, chief revenue officer at Novant Health, said in “The Revenue Cycle of the Future,” a recently…
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…
Revenue cycle as enterprise infrastructure: Building financial resilience in 2026
Healthcare finance leaders are confronting a new reality: Revenue cycle performance is no longer just an operational task — it’s a central driver of financial sustainability and organizational resilience. Rising payer complexity, increasing patient financial responsibility and the persistent pressure of workforce shortages are forcing a strategic reappraisal of how revenue operations are structured and…
From billing to strategy: Elevating the patient financial experience
In 2026, the patient financial experience is no longer a “nice to have.” It is a revenue integrity issue, a trust issue and, increasingly, a competitive differentiator. Patients are carrying a larger share of healthcare costs than ever before. At the same time, their expectations are shaped by digital banking, retail and subscription services. When…
How to use an enterprise approach in implementing AI in RCM
Revenue cycle transformation has long been framed as a matter of technological advances. But in the AI-fueled era, the differentiator is shifting from individual technologies to enterprise operating model redesign, according to leaders from Mayo Clinic and Jefferson Health. They described how their organizations are repositioning revenue cycle as a core component of care delivery,…
Gen AI is coming for medical bills: 3 ways to prepare
Patients are behind one of the latest applications of AI to the healthcare revenue cycle, and they are using it to review their bills. Stories of consumers using ChatGPT or other generative AI tools to trim thousands from their medical bills by questioning charges are appearing in the news and social media. YahooFinance wrote about…
How to optimize the revenue cycle workforce in 2026
In 2026, revenue cycle performance is inseparable from workforce design. Health systems are navigating sustained margin pressure, rising patient cost responsibility and escalating payer complexity — all while competing for limited domestic talent. Recent Kaufman Hall National Hospital Flash Reports continue to show margin volatility across U.S. hospitals, with labor costs and payer-related delays remaining…
How price transparency improves patient trust and collection rates
Price transparency in healthcare has moved well beyond being a regulatory obligation. In today’s consumer-driven environment, it has become a strategic capability that directly influences patient trust, access to care and revenue cycle performance. Patients increasingly expect clear, upfront information about what care will cost, what their insurance will cover and what they will be…
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…