Our article ranked # 7 for the most-read article in the Oncology Practice Management magazine for 2023!!! It's titled "Revenue Cycle Workforce: Recruiting and Cultivating Your Team" and we highly recommend you give it a read! Written by Kem Tolliver, FACMPE, CPC, CMOM.
Below is a summary of the article:
The challenges in employee recruitment and retention have impacted various industries, creating burdens for short-staffed teams and leading to reduced service levels for consumers. In healthcare, catering to patients, insurance companies, hospitals, referring providers, and internal departments underscores the importance of building an exceptional revenue cycle management (RCM) team.
Recruiting an effective RCM team relies on skilled recruiters who may not necessarily be RCM experts but understand the traits required for a successful revenue cycle. Screening applicants involves considering factors like remote work capabilities, expertise in electronic medical records, proficiency in practice management software, and familiarity with payer portals and specific medical specialties.
Understanding candidates' motivations, especially considering the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, becomes vital during the recruitment process. Insights from a LinkedIn survey emphasize the importance of role responsibilities, team fit, company values, salary, benefits, and opportunities for advancement in candidates' decision-making.
Choosing the right fit for the RCM team extends beyond billing staff to include roles like front desk workers, prior authorization specialists, and medical coders. Effective communication skills are crucial, and evaluating communication patterns during recruitment aids in preparing new team members for successful integration into the existing staff.
Mapping threats and vulnerabilities to the revenue cycle against the skills needed to mitigate them underscores the importance of revenue integrity. Cultivating RCM teams involves recognizing and leveraging certain team characteristics like the 'squeaky wheel,' the 'compliance guru,' and the 'detective.' Encouraging and valuing these traits contributes to a robust and efficient RCM team, leading to increased employee satisfaction and enhanced organizational performance.