1 00:00:02,240 --> 00:00:02,899 At athenahealth, 2 00:00:03,279 --> 00:00:06,480 we know your ambulatory practice wants healthier, a 3 00:00:06,480 --> 00:00:09,779 healthier business, healthier care teams, and healthier patients. 4 00:00:10,160 --> 00:00:12,480 But the complexities of modern health care tech 5 00:00:12,480 --> 00:00:14,240 make it hard for you and your care 6 00:00:14,240 --> 00:00:15,855 teams to focus on what matters 7 00:00:16,414 --> 00:00:19,295 most? That's where athenahealth can help. Our AI 8 00:00:19,295 --> 00:00:22,594 native all in one solutions reduce administrative burdens, 9 00:00:22,974 --> 00:00:25,875 streamline billing and payments, and deliver critical insights 10 00:00:25,934 --> 00:00:28,734 when clinicians need it most. That means fewer 11 00:00:28,734 --> 00:00:31,614 clicks, more time for patients, and stronger bottom 12 00:00:31,614 --> 00:00:31,829 lines. 13 00:00:32,630 --> 00:00:35,590 Lines. Practicing medicine is complex, but running a 14 00:00:35,590 --> 00:00:37,850 practice can be that much simpler with athenahealth. 15 00:00:38,549 --> 00:00:42,250 See how simpler is healthier at athenahealth.com. 16 00:00:43,829 --> 00:00:46,070 This is Laura Dierdo with the Becker's Healthcare 17 00:00:46,070 --> 00:00:46,570 podcast. 18 00:00:46,965 --> 00:00:49,045 I'm thrilled today to be joined by Lindsay 19 00:00:49,045 --> 00:00:51,685 Myers, vice president of revenue cycle and HIM 20 00:00:51,685 --> 00:00:53,924 at Chapters Health System. Lindsay, it's a pleasure 21 00:00:53,924 --> 00:00:55,844 to have you on the podcast today. Thank 22 00:00:55,844 --> 00:00:57,364 you so much for allowing me to be 23 00:00:57,364 --> 00:00:58,024 here today. 24 00:00:58,405 --> 00:01:00,479 Absolutely. Now I I'm looking forward to our 25 00:01:00,560 --> 00:01:02,320 conversation because I know there's so much happening 26 00:01:02,320 --> 00:01:04,560 in health care, and particularly important right now 27 00:01:04,560 --> 00:01:06,640 is the revenue cycle and how things are 28 00:01:06,640 --> 00:01:10,000 changing, digitally transforming, and, really, you know, an 29 00:01:10,000 --> 00:01:12,479 engine to making sure the health system is 30 00:01:12,479 --> 00:01:14,694 successful in the future. But before we dive 31 00:01:14,694 --> 00:01:16,534 into that, can you introduce yourself and tell 32 00:01:16,534 --> 00:01:17,915 us a little bit about your background? 33 00:01:18,615 --> 00:01:21,094 Definitely. As you mentioned, I'm Lindsay Myers. I'm 34 00:01:21,094 --> 00:01:23,975 the vice president of revenue cycle and health 35 00:01:23,975 --> 00:01:26,395 information management for Chapters Health System. 36 00:01:27,000 --> 00:01:29,159 I've been in the industry for twenty five 37 00:01:29,159 --> 00:01:31,819 years now with twenty years of leadership experience 38 00:01:31,880 --> 00:01:33,420 in finance and operations, 39 00:01:34,200 --> 00:01:35,880 and I've worked in a number of healthcare 40 00:01:35,880 --> 00:01:39,079 settings over the years, including hospital systems, multi 41 00:01:39,079 --> 00:01:41,579 specialty medical practices, and hospice. 42 00:01:42,724 --> 00:01:44,885 I started my career in 2001 43 00:01:44,885 --> 00:01:47,045 as a budget accountant for a large hospital 44 00:01:47,045 --> 00:01:49,685 system, and then I moved into management roles 45 00:01:49,685 --> 00:01:52,185 in financial planning and decision support. 46 00:01:52,724 --> 00:01:55,045 And my first exposure to revenue cycle was 47 00:01:55,045 --> 00:01:57,145 as a consultant fifteen years ago. 48 00:01:58,049 --> 00:01:59,890 I've also been a CFO for a statewide 49 00:01:59,890 --> 00:02:00,390 nonprofit 50 00:02:00,689 --> 00:02:02,849 and a COO for a three forty b 51 00:02:02,849 --> 00:02:03,909 consulting firm. 52 00:02:04,290 --> 00:02:06,049 And I've worked with Chapters Health System in 53 00:02:06,049 --> 00:02:08,930 various capacities over the last eleven years, first 54 00:02:08,930 --> 00:02:10,310 as a consultant and 55 00:02:10,775 --> 00:02:13,275 then as director of financial planning and analysis, 56 00:02:13,415 --> 00:02:15,254 and now for the last three years as 57 00:02:15,254 --> 00:02:17,754 vice president of revenue cycle and HIM. 58 00:02:18,775 --> 00:02:20,555 I also wanna introduce Chapters. 59 00:02:21,415 --> 00:02:24,055 We're known as the largest nonprofit hospice in 60 00:02:24,055 --> 00:02:24,715 the country. 61 00:02:25,240 --> 00:02:27,819 But Chapters Health System is actually a portfolio 62 00:02:28,040 --> 00:02:31,340 of 30 different companies serving patients with advanced 63 00:02:31,400 --> 00:02:33,259 illness throughout The United States. 64 00:02:33,560 --> 00:02:36,199 We have PACE centers, our care new division, 65 00:02:36,520 --> 00:02:39,044 participates in value based care. We have a 66 00:02:39,044 --> 00:02:42,724 Medicare Advantage Plan, and we provided MSO and 67 00:02:42,724 --> 00:02:43,784 consulting services. 68 00:02:44,245 --> 00:02:48,025 We're in Florida, Georgia, DC, Virginia, Maryland, California, 69 00:02:48,245 --> 00:02:49,465 Oregon, and Nevada. 70 00:02:49,925 --> 00:02:51,764 And I work in the hospice division, which 71 00:02:51,764 --> 00:02:54,025 is where we serve more than 36,000 72 00:02:54,120 --> 00:02:55,099 hospice patients annually. 73 00:02:56,199 --> 00:02:58,120 That's amazing to hear. And, you know, what 74 00:02:58,120 --> 00:02:59,340 a a huge accountability 75 00:02:59,639 --> 00:03:02,459 that is, to be, you know, serving patients 76 00:03:02,519 --> 00:03:03,739 at that level of care, 77 00:03:04,280 --> 00:03:05,019 in particular. 78 00:03:05,319 --> 00:03:07,000 Given that position that you are in the 79 00:03:07,000 --> 00:03:09,080 marketplace, what are some of the opportunities and 80 00:03:09,080 --> 00:03:10,574 headwinds that you have in on your eye 81 00:03:10,574 --> 00:03:11,314 on right 82 00:03:12,014 --> 00:03:13,854 now? Value based care would be the first 83 00:03:13,854 --> 00:03:15,875 one. As a hospice provider, 84 00:03:16,655 --> 00:03:19,294 we receive fixed per diem payments. So we 85 00:03:19,294 --> 00:03:22,835 already have decades of experience delivering high quality, 86 00:03:22,895 --> 00:03:24,034 high patient satisfaction, 87 00:03:24,495 --> 00:03:26,879 cost effective care in the home setting. 88 00:03:27,580 --> 00:03:29,439 We've also mastered interdisciplinary 89 00:03:29,979 --> 00:03:30,639 team coordination, 90 00:03:31,099 --> 00:03:33,819 and hospice has always been about individualized care 91 00:03:33,819 --> 00:03:36,299 and meeting the holistic needs of each unique 92 00:03:36,299 --> 00:03:36,799 person. 93 00:03:37,674 --> 00:03:39,914 We're able to deliver care in the patient's 94 00:03:39,914 --> 00:03:42,314 home, whether it's in an urban setting or 95 00:03:42,314 --> 00:03:44,254 in rural settings throughout the country. 96 00:03:44,715 --> 00:03:46,495 And I think that all of these attributes 97 00:03:46,634 --> 00:03:49,354 come together well and align with value based 98 00:03:49,354 --> 00:03:50,174 care arrangements. 99 00:03:51,030 --> 00:03:53,110 For example, some of these features make us 100 00:03:53,110 --> 00:03:56,150 an ideal partner for ACOs or for health 101 00:03:56,150 --> 00:03:59,769 plans, because we have extensive experience avoiding unnecessary 102 00:03:59,989 --> 00:04:00,489 hospitalizations, 103 00:04:01,189 --> 00:04:01,689 readmissions, 104 00:04:02,469 --> 00:04:04,949 and other costs, while still achieving high patient 105 00:04:04,949 --> 00:04:06,250 satisfaction and quality. 106 00:04:07,064 --> 00:04:08,525 We have opportunities to 107 00:04:09,064 --> 00:04:10,764 collaborate with other stakeholders 108 00:04:11,064 --> 00:04:14,444 outside of the traditional Medicare and Medicaid reimbursement 109 00:04:14,745 --> 00:04:15,245 structures, 110 00:04:15,784 --> 00:04:17,705 and to expand the role of our care 111 00:04:17,705 --> 00:04:20,125 model beyond just the final months of life. 112 00:04:21,069 --> 00:04:23,069 Chapters and its care new company have been 113 00:04:23,069 --> 00:04:24,769 really proactive in this space, 114 00:04:25,229 --> 00:04:27,069 and we plan to continue growing in the 115 00:04:27,069 --> 00:04:29,470 value based care space with an emphasis on 116 00:04:29,470 --> 00:04:31,789 chronic illness and end of life care, even 117 00:04:31,789 --> 00:04:32,689 beyond hospice. 118 00:04:33,214 --> 00:04:35,375 And we wanna be innovative in shaping what 119 00:04:35,375 --> 00:04:36,915 those arrangements look like. 120 00:04:37,455 --> 00:04:40,335 Taking care of patients earlier on upstream is 121 00:04:40,335 --> 00:04:41,395 also an opportunity 122 00:04:42,095 --> 00:04:45,375 for less fragmentation of care and smoother and 123 00:04:45,375 --> 00:04:47,235 sooner transitions to hospice. 124 00:04:48,040 --> 00:04:50,120 And when, ultimately, when you get patients into 125 00:04:50,120 --> 00:04:52,620 hospice earlier, it's a win win for everybody, 126 00:04:53,080 --> 00:04:55,160 because it gives patients and their families more 127 00:04:55,160 --> 00:04:57,480 time to get the full benefit that hospice 128 00:04:57,480 --> 00:04:58,379 has to offer. 129 00:04:58,920 --> 00:05:01,080 The patients get to maximize their quality of 130 00:05:01,080 --> 00:05:03,875 life, and their relationships with their families. 131 00:05:04,334 --> 00:05:06,254 And it also helps us improve our length 132 00:05:06,254 --> 00:05:07,935 of stay and margins. And of course, as 133 00:05:07,935 --> 00:05:08,834 a non profit, 134 00:05:09,214 --> 00:05:10,974 we're fortunate to be able to put that 135 00:05:10,974 --> 00:05:13,634 back into the organization to further its mission. 136 00:05:14,920 --> 00:05:17,819 The other area of opportunity is affiliations. 137 00:05:18,920 --> 00:05:20,920 And in the last several years, Chapters has 138 00:05:20,920 --> 00:05:21,740 been strategically 139 00:05:22,199 --> 00:05:25,580 affiliating with community hospices all over the country. 140 00:05:26,134 --> 00:05:29,495 For example, Cornerstone in Florida, Capital Caring Health 141 00:05:29,495 --> 00:05:30,794 in the DC area, 142 00:05:31,735 --> 00:05:34,394 more recently, Willamette Vital Health in Oregon, 143 00:05:35,095 --> 00:05:37,274 Nathan Adelson Hospice in Las Vegas, 144 00:05:37,814 --> 00:05:40,214 and Hospice of Santa Cruz and Hospice East 145 00:05:40,214 --> 00:05:41,115 Bay in California. 146 00:05:41,889 --> 00:05:43,089 And it's been a little bit of a 147 00:05:43,089 --> 00:05:45,170 whirlwind, but as our CEO has said, our 148 00:05:45,170 --> 00:05:47,350 pace is really determined by market forces. 149 00:05:47,970 --> 00:05:50,129 So in addition to the economies of scale 150 00:05:50,129 --> 00:05:52,449 that come from a shared services model for 151 00:05:52,449 --> 00:05:55,110 revenue cycle, finance, IT, and compliance, 152 00:05:55,904 --> 00:05:57,925 Another benefit of that consolidation 153 00:05:58,305 --> 00:06:01,024 is that Chapters has been able to amass 154 00:06:01,024 --> 00:06:03,685 a lot of intellectual capital through these affiliations. 155 00:06:04,625 --> 00:06:06,305 And that's put us in a position to 156 00:06:06,305 --> 00:06:07,845 be able to offer consultative 157 00:06:08,145 --> 00:06:10,564 and MSO type services to other providers. 158 00:06:11,370 --> 00:06:12,430 As far as headwinds, 159 00:06:12,810 --> 00:06:15,470 some of the challenges that we're actively managing 160 00:06:15,610 --> 00:06:16,110 are 161 00:06:16,730 --> 00:06:19,389 an anticipated increase in unfunded patients. 162 00:06:20,009 --> 00:06:22,649 So as a nationwide health system, especially in 163 00:06:22,649 --> 00:06:25,050 revenue cycle, we deal with the nuances of 164 00:06:25,050 --> 00:06:27,444 multiple different state Medicaid programs. 165 00:06:27,985 --> 00:06:30,544 And as a nonprofit, we serve patients regardless 166 00:06:30,544 --> 00:06:31,925 of their ability to pay. 167 00:06:32,384 --> 00:06:33,985 And we all know that the one big 168 00:06:33,985 --> 00:06:36,704 beautiful bill act is ultimately going to impact 169 00:06:36,704 --> 00:06:38,564 Medicaid coverage for a lot of people. 170 00:06:39,139 --> 00:06:42,339 It's difficult to quantify the exact impact that 171 00:06:42,339 --> 00:06:44,020 these changes are going to have in each 172 00:06:44,020 --> 00:06:46,100 of our various markets, but the bottom line 173 00:06:46,100 --> 00:06:49,000 for us is that Medicaid changes mean that 174 00:06:49,220 --> 00:06:51,460 the number of unfunded patients is likely to 175 00:06:51,460 --> 00:06:53,699 increase and these people are still going to 176 00:06:53,699 --> 00:06:54,360 need care 177 00:06:54,694 --> 00:06:56,214 and that's likely to take a toll on 178 00:06:56,214 --> 00:06:57,354 our operating margin. 179 00:06:58,134 --> 00:07:00,055 My team in revenue cycle is going to 180 00:07:00,055 --> 00:07:02,935 continue to collaborate with other departments upstream to 181 00:07:02,935 --> 00:07:05,334 make sure that we're optimizing our workflows to 182 00:07:05,334 --> 00:07:06,394 maximize revenue. 183 00:07:07,430 --> 00:07:10,790 And we're also implementing technology to increase collections 184 00:07:10,790 --> 00:07:12,970 to help offset the impact of 185 00:07:13,350 --> 00:07:15,689 increasing charity care and bad debt. 186 00:07:16,470 --> 00:07:18,944 For example, our IT department has helped develop 187 00:07:19,105 --> 00:07:22,305 timely reporting that allows us to identify trends 188 00:07:22,305 --> 00:07:23,845 and take action more quickly. 189 00:07:24,625 --> 00:07:27,504 And we're also exploring more automation in the 190 00:07:27,504 --> 00:07:30,064 area of eligibility, which is gonna be important 191 00:07:30,064 --> 00:07:31,764 with frequent Medicaid changes. 192 00:07:32,819 --> 00:07:35,959 Another headwind that we're dealing with is workforce 193 00:07:36,020 --> 00:07:36,520 shortages, 194 00:07:36,980 --> 00:07:38,199 labor price inflation, 195 00:07:38,580 --> 00:07:41,379 and the mass retirement of health care staff 196 00:07:41,379 --> 00:07:44,600 at a time when population trends are driving 197 00:07:44,819 --> 00:07:47,080 an increase in demand for hospice services. 198 00:07:48,134 --> 00:07:50,375 So across the hospice industry, we have labor 199 00:07:50,375 --> 00:07:53,735 shortages and we also compete with hospitals, staffing 200 00:07:53,735 --> 00:07:56,055 agencies, home health, and other providers for the 201 00:07:56,055 --> 00:07:56,795 same staff. 202 00:07:57,335 --> 00:07:59,095 So even though this is a major challenge 203 00:07:59,095 --> 00:07:59,915 and a headwind, 204 00:08:00,229 --> 00:08:02,470 we do have an advantage and that the 205 00:08:02,470 --> 00:08:03,529 incoming workforce 206 00:08:04,069 --> 00:08:06,149 wants to feel a sense of purpose and 207 00:08:06,149 --> 00:08:07,449 a connection to mission. 208 00:08:07,910 --> 00:08:10,310 And as a nonprofit that's well established in 209 00:08:10,310 --> 00:08:12,470 the communities that we serve, we're able to 210 00:08:12,470 --> 00:08:13,850 offer that sense of purpose. 211 00:08:14,314 --> 00:08:16,154 Plus, we have a culture that's earned numerous 212 00:08:16,154 --> 00:08:17,214 awards and recognition. 213 00:08:18,074 --> 00:08:20,794 I have over a 130 FTEs on my 214 00:08:20,794 --> 00:08:22,954 team, and we have a very diverse workforce 215 00:08:22,954 --> 00:08:24,654 that's spread out across the country. 216 00:08:25,115 --> 00:08:27,729 We've also just gone through multiple murders, so 217 00:08:27,729 --> 00:08:30,050 it's a testament to the great culture that 218 00:08:30,050 --> 00:08:32,450 we've developed that everyone is so aligned with 219 00:08:32,450 --> 00:08:34,450 our mission and that we have such cohesive 220 00:08:34,450 --> 00:08:34,950 teams. 221 00:08:35,409 --> 00:08:37,649 We're able to attract and retain top talent 222 00:08:37,649 --> 00:08:39,429 and minimize turnover costs. 223 00:08:40,434 --> 00:08:42,355 That's amazing to hear and, you know, really 224 00:08:42,355 --> 00:08:45,095 valuable information when you're thinking about how to 225 00:08:45,235 --> 00:08:46,774 head into the future and, 226 00:08:47,475 --> 00:08:49,955 see where where you can provide the most 227 00:08:49,955 --> 00:08:52,055 value to patients as well as the organization. 228 00:08:52,799 --> 00:08:55,600 Now, how are you thinking about growth and 229 00:08:55,600 --> 00:08:57,360 really adding more of that value? What does 230 00:08:57,360 --> 00:08:58,879 the future look like for you and how 231 00:08:58,879 --> 00:08:59,440 are you, 232 00:09:00,000 --> 00:09:01,940 providing that strategy to your teams? 233 00:09:02,960 --> 00:09:05,139 In my role, we've had to scale rapidly. 234 00:09:05,360 --> 00:09:07,440 We have doubled in size in just a 235 00:09:07,440 --> 00:09:08,179 few years. 236 00:09:08,634 --> 00:09:10,475 So when I think about growth in my 237 00:09:10,475 --> 00:09:13,754 role, I'm primarily occupied with making sure that 238 00:09:13,754 --> 00:09:16,495 the revenue cycle and the HIM infrastructure 239 00:09:16,954 --> 00:09:19,054 are in place to expand rapidly, 240 00:09:19,595 --> 00:09:21,995 while not having cash flow delays or falling 241 00:09:21,995 --> 00:09:22,815 out of compliance. 242 00:09:23,490 --> 00:09:26,070 So my focus has been primarily on systems, 243 00:09:26,210 --> 00:09:27,429 processes, and automation. 244 00:09:28,370 --> 00:09:31,169 And there's so much that impacts collections that 245 00:09:31,169 --> 00:09:34,610 happens upstream from revenue cycle. So our success 246 00:09:34,610 --> 00:09:37,034 depends a lot on our collaboration with other 247 00:09:37,115 --> 00:09:39,995 areas like intake and admissions and clinical teams 248 00:09:39,995 --> 00:09:41,134 and medical services. 249 00:09:41,834 --> 00:09:43,375 Also, in hospice, 250 00:09:43,914 --> 00:09:45,774 we have sequential billing requirements, 251 00:09:46,315 --> 00:09:48,315 which means that if we have one claim 252 00:09:48,315 --> 00:09:50,315 that's held up, the subsequent claims are held 253 00:09:50,315 --> 00:09:50,975 up too. 254 00:09:51,299 --> 00:09:54,100 So one bottleneck and process can hold up 255 00:09:54,100 --> 00:09:55,320 huge amounts of money. 256 00:09:56,019 --> 00:09:58,919 And also with growth comes additional complexity. 257 00:09:59,539 --> 00:10:02,100 So as we continue to merge and integrate 258 00:10:02,100 --> 00:10:03,080 with new affiliates, 259 00:10:03,665 --> 00:10:06,004 there's a lot of process mapping and evaluation 260 00:10:06,465 --> 00:10:09,345 and standardization that takes place, as well as 261 00:10:09,345 --> 00:10:12,404 learning new state regulations and new service lines. 262 00:10:13,345 --> 00:10:16,079 So we are constantly expanding our capacity in 263 00:10:16,079 --> 00:10:18,799 terms of both volume and expertise as well, 264 00:10:18,799 --> 00:10:20,720 in order to handle all the growth. As 265 00:10:20,720 --> 00:10:21,699 far as value, 266 00:10:22,240 --> 00:10:25,199 the value that the revenue cycle brings is 267 00:10:25,199 --> 00:10:27,139 financial stability and sustainability, 268 00:10:28,225 --> 00:10:30,225 so that we can continue to deliver care 269 00:10:30,225 --> 00:10:32,404 to chronically ill and end of life populations. 270 00:10:33,264 --> 00:10:35,605 And I think that value comes from continuing 271 00:10:35,664 --> 00:10:39,345 to innovate and automate processes to upscale our 272 00:10:39,345 --> 00:10:42,325 people and, to collaborate with all the stakeholders 273 00:10:42,465 --> 00:10:44,039 who can impact the revenue cycle. 274 00:10:45,000 --> 00:10:47,320 That's fascinating to hear. You know, I know 275 00:10:47,320 --> 00:10:49,799 revenue cycle is such an important engine for 276 00:10:49,799 --> 00:10:52,120 a health system right now and has a 277 00:10:52,120 --> 00:10:52,679 lot of, 278 00:10:53,240 --> 00:10:56,360 importance there, but, you know, many hospitals and 279 00:10:56,360 --> 00:10:58,919 and systems across the country and providers in 280 00:10:58,919 --> 00:10:59,419 any, 281 00:11:00,004 --> 00:11:02,164 aspect of the continuum are looking at some 282 00:11:02,164 --> 00:11:04,725 financial challenges in the next year. So from 283 00:11:04,725 --> 00:11:06,485 your perspective, what do you see as being 284 00:11:06,485 --> 00:11:09,225 one risk or investment that's still worth making 285 00:11:09,605 --> 00:11:12,404 even though, you know, potentially, purses are tightening 286 00:11:12,404 --> 00:11:13,384 across the board? 287 00:11:14,080 --> 00:11:15,940 We're investing in our people. 288 00:11:16,799 --> 00:11:19,620 And because we are the biggest nonprofit hospice 289 00:11:19,679 --> 00:11:21,759 and because of our aggressive growth over the 290 00:11:21,759 --> 00:11:22,820 last few years, 291 00:11:23,279 --> 00:11:26,580 we are constantly needing to identify and implement 292 00:11:26,720 --> 00:11:28,259 scalable process improvements. 293 00:11:29,195 --> 00:11:31,434 So being so large, there's often not really 294 00:11:31,434 --> 00:11:33,595 a template to follow. We tend to be 295 00:11:33,595 --> 00:11:34,495 fairly unique. 296 00:11:35,195 --> 00:11:37,455 Therefore, we're relying on the agility 297 00:11:38,154 --> 00:11:40,554 and the innovation of our team members to 298 00:11:40,554 --> 00:11:42,335 design new ways of doing things. 299 00:11:42,839 --> 00:11:44,600 And the risk is that if you under 300 00:11:44,600 --> 00:11:47,879 invest in people, turnover rises, morale drops, the 301 00:11:47,879 --> 00:11:51,319 quality of care suffers, and ultimately, the financial 302 00:11:51,319 --> 00:11:52,860 performance is going to deteriorate. 303 00:11:53,639 --> 00:11:55,559 And that's why our mission has been taking 304 00:11:55,559 --> 00:11:57,799 care of patients and taking care of those 305 00:11:57,799 --> 00:11:58,459 who do. 306 00:11:59,105 --> 00:12:01,345 We've earned the, the great places to work 307 00:12:01,345 --> 00:12:04,245 designation for eight consecutive years now. 308 00:12:04,625 --> 00:12:07,424 We've been recognized by Forbes and by USA 309 00:12:07,424 --> 00:12:09,825 Today, and we've received numerous other awards and 310 00:12:09,825 --> 00:12:11,524 recognition for our culture. 311 00:12:12,779 --> 00:12:13,220 And, 312 00:12:13,660 --> 00:12:15,980 one of the aspects of investing in people 313 00:12:15,980 --> 00:12:17,759 is also investing in technology. 314 00:12:18,700 --> 00:12:20,139 So I know a lot of people would 315 00:12:20,139 --> 00:12:22,160 respond to that question about investment, 316 00:12:22,620 --> 00:12:23,440 with AI. 317 00:12:24,154 --> 00:12:26,154 So I would just add that AI has 318 00:12:26,154 --> 00:12:29,835 tremendous potential to streamline workflows, especially in revenue 319 00:12:29,835 --> 00:12:30,815 cycle and HIM. 320 00:12:31,595 --> 00:12:33,595 But when we look at AI, the idea 321 00:12:33,595 --> 00:12:36,415 is to liberate our teams from the mundane, 322 00:12:36,795 --> 00:12:37,295 repetitive, 323 00:12:37,759 --> 00:12:40,259 and administratively burdensome tasks, 324 00:12:40,720 --> 00:12:42,799 so that they can focus on connecting with 325 00:12:42,799 --> 00:12:45,279 patients and connecting with families, which is something 326 00:12:45,279 --> 00:12:48,019 that, you know, AI can't do and redeploying 327 00:12:48,159 --> 00:12:49,860 them to higher value tasks. 328 00:12:50,894 --> 00:12:52,414 Got it. That makes a lot of sense, 329 00:12:52,414 --> 00:12:54,815 you know, and, it is really interesting to 330 00:12:54,815 --> 00:12:57,615 think about how you can leverage technology and 331 00:12:57,615 --> 00:13:00,334 and, really become more efficient there. Before we 332 00:13:00,334 --> 00:13:02,174 wrap up, I am curious. Anything else you 333 00:13:02,174 --> 00:13:03,695 wanted to mention in looking at some of 334 00:13:03,695 --> 00:13:06,360 the best opportunities for yourself professionally when you're 335 00:13:06,360 --> 00:13:07,660 looking at growth in the future? 336 00:13:09,000 --> 00:13:11,500 We're going to continue to grow and innovate 337 00:13:11,559 --> 00:13:13,799 in the value based care space with the 338 00:13:13,799 --> 00:13:15,799 emphasis on chronic illness and end of life 339 00:13:15,799 --> 00:13:16,299 care. 340 00:13:17,160 --> 00:13:20,455 And also our collaborations and affiliations with other 341 00:13:20,455 --> 00:13:23,115 providers continue to transform the organization 342 00:13:23,495 --> 00:13:25,575 and bring in new talent and ideas, as 343 00:13:25,575 --> 00:13:27,274 well as the economies of scale. 344 00:13:27,654 --> 00:13:30,375 So I think the opportunities are new payment 345 00:13:30,375 --> 00:13:33,289 models that are well aligned with the delivery 346 00:13:33,289 --> 00:13:34,589 models that we've developed, 347 00:13:35,289 --> 00:13:38,970 and continued strategic affiliations with other organizations that 348 00:13:38,970 --> 00:13:40,190 have similar values. 349 00:13:41,370 --> 00:13:43,529 In revenue cycle, that's, you know, a double 350 00:13:43,529 --> 00:13:46,809 digit growth industry, and I would say that 351 00:13:46,809 --> 00:13:47,789 our opportunities 352 00:13:49,164 --> 00:13:52,204 are to enhance our analytical capacity and our 353 00:13:52,204 --> 00:13:54,225 processes to support those things. 354 00:13:55,004 --> 00:13:57,324 Absolutely. I know double digit growth is a 355 00:13:57,324 --> 00:13:59,824 huge, huge goal, and so it'll be 356 00:14:00,125 --> 00:14:02,639 great to to see how you tackle that 357 00:14:02,639 --> 00:14:04,639 in the next year and truly come out, 358 00:14:04,960 --> 00:14:07,040 you know, on top. Lindsay, thank you so 359 00:14:07,040 --> 00:14:08,720 much for joining us on the podcast today. 360 00:14:08,720 --> 00:14:10,559 This has been a really great conversation, and 361 00:14:10,559 --> 00:14:12,240 I look forward to connecting to you again 362 00:14:12,240 --> 00:14:13,815 soon. Thanks so much, Laura. 363 00:14:16,375 --> 00:14:17,034 At athenahealth, 364 00:14:17,414 --> 00:14:20,075 we know your ambulatory practice wants healthier, 365 00:14:20,534 --> 00:14:23,335 a healthier business, healthier care teams, and healthier 366 00:14:23,335 --> 00:14:23,835 patients. 367 00:14:24,294 --> 00:14:26,460 But the complexities of modern health care tech 368 00:14:26,540 --> 00:14:28,460 make it hard for you and your care 369 00:14:28,460 --> 00:14:30,399 teams to focus on what matters most. 370 00:14:30,779 --> 00:14:33,920 That's where athenahealth can help. Our AI native 371 00:14:33,980 --> 00:14:37,519 all in one solutions reduce administrative burdens, streamline 372 00:14:37,580 --> 00:14:40,300 billing and payments, and deliver critical insights when 373 00:14:40,300 --> 00:14:41,475 clinicians need it most. 374 00:14:42,034 --> 00:14:44,615 That means fewer clicks, more time for patients, 375 00:14:44,674 --> 00:14:46,214 and stronger bottom lines. 376 00:14:46,914 --> 00:14:50,115 Practicing medicine is complex, but running a practice 377 00:14:50,115 --> 00:14:51,975 can be that much simpler with athenahealth. 378 00:14:52,674 --> 00:14:56,375 See how simpler is healthier at athenahealth.com.