The conversations at HFMA Region 5 SES in Greenville felt different this year. Less theory. More candor. More urgency.
More than 600 healthcare finance and revenue cycle leaders came together to talk about what it actually takes to perform right now. The Olympic theme worked because it reflected the moment. Revenue cycle leadership today requires coordination, discipline, and a shared commitment to execution.
The margin for error keeps shrinking.
Margin Pressure Is the Starting Point
The CFO panel set the tone early. Margins remain tight. The shift from inpatient to outpatient continues to reshape revenue streams. Payer behavior grows more complex and less predictable each year. AI-driven denials are increasing in both volume and sophistication.
No one sounded surprised. And no one sounded paralyzed.
Financial discipline, productivity and clear strategic priorities have become foundational expectations. Organizations that treat denial management or cost-to-collect as secondary conversations are feeling the consequences.
Denials have evolved. Covert downgrades, inconsistent payer logic and automated decisioning have raised the stakes. What once lived primarily inside operations now requires coordination across revenue cycle, managed care, compliance and executive leadership. Governance, alignment and leverage matter more than ever.
Culture Shows Up in the Numbers
Culture surfaced repeatedly throughout the conference and for good reason.
In a remote-heavy revenue cycle environment, culture requires intentional design. Psychological safety, clear expectations and visible leadership directly influence productivity and retention. Retention, in turn, affects financial performance in measurable ways.
Organizations outperforming their peers are reinforcing accountability and purpose at every level. When teams understand how their work impacts patients and the sustainability of the organization, engagement improves. Performance follows.
Culture influences operational results whether leaders actively shape it or not.
RELATED: Master Claims Denials: A Checklist for Patient Access Leaders
AI Has to Prove Its Value
AI appeared across nearly every discussion, from physician coding to back-office workflows. What stood out was the practicality of the conversation.
Leaders have grown comfortable with the concept of AI. Their focus now centers on measurable return. Cost to collect. Productivity lift. Reduced administrative burden.
Organizations making meaningful progress are pairing AI with governance, defined use cases and clear accountability. They are tracking impact and adjusting quickly when results fall short. Technology earns its place by improving outcomes and reducing friction inside the revenue cycle.
The Patient Financial Experience Drives Stability
The patient financial experience also received significant attention and the conversation has matured.
Price transparency, accurate estimates, proactive financial assistance and thoughtful automation directly affect both revenue integrity and patient trust. When estimates miss the mark or communication breaks down, the operational impact is immediate. So is the reputational impact.
Leaders who elevate the patient journey from registration through final resolution strengthen both cash performance and long-term loyalty.
Leadership Requires Clarity
One of the highlights for me was co-presenting with Philip Boyce, SVP and Chief Revenue Officer at Baptist Health. We focused on the connection between leadership, culture and patient impact and how those elements influence financial outcomes every day.
Teams perform at a higher level when they understand why their work matters. When leaders consistently connect daily tasks to patient experience and organizational sustainability, engagement strengthens. Accountability becomes clearer. Results improve.
Leadership in this environment demands clarity of expectations, clarity of priorities and clarity of purpose.
The Real Takeaway
HFMA Region 5 SES reinforced what many of us feel daily:
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Healthcare finance requires intentional leadership and disciplined execution
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Silos create friction
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Undefined priorities drain resources
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Technology without measurable impact adds cost instead of value
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Sustainable performance comes from alignment, accountability and a willingness to adjust how the work gets done.
Going for gold in revenue cycle takes focus, coordination and leaders who are willing to make hard decisions in pursuit of long-term stability. Interested in how FinThrive helps revenue cycle leaders achieve their organization's financial goals? Contact us to learn more.
