Welcome to “Revenue Cycle Optimized,” where you will find exclusive insights and practical advice to optimize and transform your healthcare practice’s financial health and operations.

Stuart Newsome, CPCO, hosts a lineup of industry leaders – healthcare executives, frontline professionals, tech innovators, and more – to unpack key strategies for optimizing every aspect of the revenue cycle. Think everything from patient access improvements and workflow enhancements to advanced coding practices and effective claims management strategy. We also highlight the impact of AI and automation in transforming these processes.

This podcast is brought to you by Infinx. Visit https://www.infinx.com for more information about their services and resources.

To learn more visit the show page: https://www.healthcarenowradio.com/programs/revenue-cycle-optimized/

Revenue Cycle Optimized

The Hidden Hazards of Surgical Prior Auth

Prior authorization for surgical procedures continues to be one of the most frustrating and costly hurdles in the revenue cycle. In this episode, Bo Bowman and Stuart Newsome unpack the hidden hazards that routinely derail authorizations—before a procedure is even scheduled. Drawing on firsthand experience and fresh examples from real-world surgical workflows, they explore the most common pitfalls, including failure to prove medical necessity, inaccurate procedural coding, insufficient documentation, and timing missteps. They also touch on the role automation and AI can play in supporting human teams—helping to surface missing requirements, flag coding mismatches, and push authorizations forward before deadlines hit. Whether you’re on the clinical side, in operations, or supporting from RCM or technology, this session will give you a clearer path forward and arm you with the awareness needed to avoid denials, delays, and administrative fatigue.

Revenue Cycle Optimized: The Hidden Hazards of Surgical Prior Auth

RCM Leadership That Gets Results in Coding Teams

Managing a coding team in today’s revenue cycle landscape is no small task—especially when that team is remote, the claims are complex, and the pressure is high. In this session, Jessica Watson, Facility Coding Manager at Infinx, joins host Stuart Newsome for an unfiltered look at what makes an RCM coding leader effective. Jessica shares how she balances performance metrics with coder wellbeing, builds a culture of transparency and accountability across remote teams, and addresses common pitfalls like documentation ambiguity, productivity burnout, and denial patterns. Jessica breaks down what it really takes to build trust, accuracy, and efficiency in a modern coding department. Whether you’re leading a coding team or just want to understand what “good” looks like in the world of facility coding and revenue cycle management, this episode delivers real-world tactics and frameworks you can use today.

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Revenue Cycle Optimized: RCM Leadership That Gets Results in Coding Teams

Prior Auth Reform Pledge and What Comes Next

On June 23, 2025, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and CMS Administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz announced a voluntary pledge from major U.S. health insurers to reform prior authorization (PA) processes. This initiative aims to reduce administrative burdens and improve timely access to care for millions of Americans. On this episode, we delve into the specifics of the announcement, examine the historical context of prior authorization reforms, and discuss the real-world implications for healthcare providers and patients. We’ll also explore how these changes align with ongoing conversations we’re having with clients and what steps providers can take to prepare for the evolving landscape.

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Revenue Cycle Optimized: Prior Auth Reform Pledge and What Comes Next

Faxed orders, scanned attachments, and inbox folders shouldn’t be the reason prior authorizations are delayed. Yet for many radiology groups, that’s still the case. Manual document capture creates friction at the front of the process—forcing staff to rename, sort, and route incoming faxes before a prior auth can even begin. In this episode, we explore how automating document capture accelerates the entire prior authorization workflow. From identifying STAT orders to extracting key order details and triggering auth submissions, we’ll walk through how imaging centers are using AI-driven tools to minimize lag, reduce errors, and scale operations without burning out staff. Joining us is Charulata Nevatia, a healthcare product leader with deep experience in workflow automation. She’ll share what high-performing radiology groups are doing differently and what steps you can take to modernize intake and boost auth readiness.

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Revenue Cycle Optimized: From Fax to Future in Radiology Prior Authorization Workflows

CMS is rolling out prior authorization for traditional Medicare. This Office Hours panel breaks down what the WISeR model means for providers, how AI is involved, and what steps to take now—whether you're in a test state or watching for what's next.

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Revenue Cycle Optimized: Medicare Fee for Service Meets Prior Authorization

Radiology groups face mounting pressure to maintain payer alignment, grow their footprint, and stay financially viable—but often, one of the most critical operational functions is still stuck in the shadows: credentialing. Join Rebecca Bairnsfather and Peggy Kelly—two industry veterans now part of the Infinx family—for a candid, behind-the-scenes look at why credentialing and enrollment processes are breaking down under the weight of today’s complexity. With experience managing credentialing operations for thousands of providers across multiple states, they’ll share real stories, actionable strategies, and a no-fluff assessment of the tools, tech, and expectations that define this often-overlooked function.

Find all of our network podcasts on your favorite podcast platforms and be sure to subscribe and like us. Learn more at www.healthcarenowradio.com/listen

Revenue Cycle Optimized: Why Credentialing Breakdowns Are Costing Radiology Groups Millions

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Healthcare NOW Radio and Podcast Network offers discussions on the latest developments and trends impacting the industry including: health tech, health IT, healthcare innovation, healthcare policy, healthcare data security, telehealth, interoperability, biotech, med tech, value-based care, pharma, healthcare compliance, and much more. Shows are hosted by industry thought leaders. Guests are a "who's who" across the healthcare spectrum.  The listening audience is predominantly physician and hospital-based, and the healthcare industry at large.

Revenue Cycle Optimized: The Hidden Hazards of Surgical Prior Auth

Healthcare NOW Radio Podcast Network