September 2020

Cover Story
Telehealth became a necessity during the COVID-19 pandemic, and experts say it’s here to stay
Clinicians, revenue cycle leaders and other experts weigh in on the future of telehealth.
Features
How Spectrum Health achieved a $64.3 million margin improvement
Strong change management played a key role in an HFMA MAP Award winner’s revenue cycle transformation.
Reducing bad debt at a comprehensive care center
Intervention efforts pre- and post-treatment engaged patients at Northwestern Medicine's cancer treatment facilities and helped reduce bad debt by 65% per month from the baseline period to the intervention period.
How to develop a winning pricing strategy in the post-COVID-19 consumer market
Providers and health plans should prepare for federally imposed price transparency mandates imposed by developing comprehensive pricing strategies tailored to their specific market positions, financials and operational objectives.
Columns
Funny the way it is: Reflecting on healthcare industry dislocations
Healthcare leaders can go a long way toward improving the nation's healthcare cost problem by understanding health inequity its origins. Some dislocations have been triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic, but others have long existed in the industry.
What would the Biden-Sanders recommendations mean for hospitals?
Former U.S. Vice president Joe Biden has focused on protecting and building on the Affordable Care Act within his presidential campaign. His policy stances touch on three areas of focus: access, quality and cost.
How leaders should respond to social justice issues for the benefit of their employees and organization
In response to the ongoing social justice movement, leaders should thoroughly examine their organizations’ systems and policies.
2020 is challenging us to re-imagine integrated healthcare
The recovery plan healthcare organizations use to address the impact of COVID-19 and other factors that have damaged the financial foundations of healthcare delivery are likely to involve increased integration.
Biohacking: What healthcare finance leaders need to know about this evolving enterprise
Biohacking is an emerging concept in healthcare that may have value in enabling healthcare providers to better manage the costs of care.
Price transparency as a guiding principle: directionally correct
HFMA President and CEO Joe Fifer offers a perspective on HFMA’s approach to price transparency vis-à-vis the upcoming CMS regulations on payment rate transparency.
Departments
HFMA’s Chapters go virtual with a series of webinars and a newsletter launch
Two HFMA Chapters share how they are connecting virtually with their members during the COVID-19 pandemic, including hosting h online events and sharing Chapter highlights in a newsletter.
The age of COVID-19: What’s a seasoned meeting planner to do?
Gretchen Bliss, HFMA’s Director of Meetings and Conferences, shares how amid the COVID-19 pandemic, HFMA and its staff redirected efforts to bring members a six-day Digital Annual Conference in lieu of a live event.
News briefs September 2020: Trends in hospital volumes and margins, and other forces shaping healthcare finance
Read about the key factors that shaped healthcare finance policy and practice in August 2020.
J. Ryan Lindsay’s feel-good article published in local newspaper
We recognize our late members Dauner and Matheney, plus Lindsay's published article in his local newspaper and other members who announce new jobs or promotions.
Supplements
Delivering scalable, patient-focused revenue cycle management services
A revenue cycle management company talks about the importance of experience, versatility, and customer service when responding to current and emerging revenue cycle challenges.
Syntellis: A trusted leader for software, data and analytics
A leading healthcare software, data and analytics company talks about how its solutions provide actionable insights that help healthcare leaders address challenges and enable greater agility.
Rolling with the changes: Healthcare providers need transparent, powerful business intelligence to meet pandemic-induced challenges
Les Rescorl of Sixth Sense Intelligence discusses the need for healthcare providers to have timely, automated, value-added business analytics to be able to succeed in the post-COVID-19 world of healthcare.
Offering long-term payment plans to meet the financial needs of patients
A forward-thinking bank talks about its accessible patient finance program, which gives patients a way to afford care while ensuring timely payment for healthcare organizations.