At the Patient Access Resource Center (PARC), we often hear success stories from the revenue cycle: “Our facility increased its upfront collections in the emergency department from $2,000 to $27,000 in one month.” “We had an 87% accuracy rate in registrations before our four-day training program was implemented. Now, it’s 98%.”   Now we want to hear yours.

Charlene B. Cathcart, CHAM, director of admissions and registration at Palmetto Health Richland Hospital in Columbia, SC, says her facility has moved billers to the front end because of the additional workload. “They’re moving them to us where we have the need for them,” Cathcart says.

Has too much been put on the shoulders of patient access managers? When is enough enough? And on which areas should patient access managers focus?

Some facilities do not include their patient access managers in a RAC audit preparedness team. However, according to William Malm, ND, RN, practice director of Revenue Cycle Management at HCPro, Inc., patient access representatives should be included.

Editor’s note: The following is a tip from Catherine Pallozzi, CHAM, CCS, director of Patient Access at Albany (NY) Medical Center. Pallozzi is on the advisory board of the monthly newsletter, Patient Access Advisor.

What is so interesting about the revenue cycle is just when you have the team geared up and on their way, the fourth quarter of the year is upon you. In August/September, I find taking “inventory” of goals and objectives and ensuring a careful review of all key performance indicators helps in the close of the “year end book.” Your team works hard all year long to lose steam in the closing months.