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Program Content: This presentation will cover some real-world examples of fraud in the healthcare environment.
While illustrative and educational, these cases will hopefully help providers learn to adopt a questioning mind and also
be aware of some of the larger fraud schemes that have happened in Arkansas lately.
Ben Seale, Special Agent, FBI
Peyton Tucker, Supervisory Special Agent, FBI
Program Content: A lot has changed since MS-DRGs were first introduced almost 15 years ago. The list of medical
codes has ballooned, new quality measures were introduced, endless new technologies went live, and to top it all off,
there was a global pandemic.
To put it mildly, it’s been a wild ride. And it’s taken a toll: According to the 2023 AHIMA Health Information
Workforce Survey, two-thirds of survey respondents report understaffing, and three-quarters report high burnout and
employee dissatisfaction.
AI has sparked new hope, but it has also sparked questions that health systems need answered to embrace the new
technology: Will AI replace my CDI team? Is it as accurate? How do we fund it?
The team at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences has been there: Join Terri Meier, CHFP, CRCR, LSSGB,
assistant vice chancellor revenue cycle at UAMS, and Michael Gao, MD, CEO and co-founder of SmarterDx, to learn
how UAMS answered those big questions about AI, as well as how AI can empower CDI teams to do their best work,
reduce manual processes and accurately capture true ROI.
Michael Gao, CEO, SmarterDx*
Terri Meier, AVC Revenue Cycle, UAMS Health*
Paula Alonso, Sr. Director Coding and Revenue Integrity, UAMS Health*
Program Content: : In December of 2020, Congress established a new hospital designation to combat losses of essential
services in rural areas caused by hospital closures. The Rural Emergency Hospital (REH) designation became effective
January 1, 2023. This presentation is designed to help participants understand what led to the creation of the REH, what
it is and how it is paid. We will spend time discussing conditions of participation, payment methodologies and touch on
frequently asked questions and hot topics.
Derek R. Pierce, CPA, FHFMA, Partner, Forvis Mazars*
Michael K. Westerfield, CPA, FHFMA, Partner, Forvis Mazars*
Program Content: A staggering 48% of denied claims are patient access related, according to the latest SSI data,
underscoring the critical need for strategic intervention in this area.
These denials not only result in financial losses but also impact patient satisfaction. Join us to explore actionable
measures, best practices, and the latest industry updates that will empower your team to outsmart eligibility-related
denials. By the end of this session, attendees will be equipped with the knowledge and skills to improve their front-end
processes, ensuring a smooth and efficient patient access experience.
David Mistkawi, Vice President of Access Management Solutions, The SSI Group, LLC (SSI)*
Program Content: In this session, HORNE will discuss the general reimbursement terminology and the general
strategy to approach the Medicare bad debt log. This session will be focused on how Providers can optimize their
Medicare reimbursement through the types of Medicare bad debts that can be claimed on the Medicare cost report.
Clint King, CPA, Partner, HORNE*
Christian Robbins, FHFMA, CSPR, Manager, HORNE*
Program Content: As healthcare providers continue to experience increased costs, payer challenges, reduced staffing
and respond to increased patient expectations, the time has come to consider an internal “Reset” to secure revenue cycle
operations for our future. In this session attendees will learn how Stillwater Medical is realigning its focus on people
and processes.
Tamie Young, FHFMA, Vice President Revenue Cycle, Stillwater Medical*
Program Content: This presentation will share an approach to understanding, managing and working to change the
unique and challenging healthcare financing environment in Arkansas. This approach includes using publicly available
data to paint a clear picture of funding shortfalls, and communication strategies for key stakeholders.
Brent Beaulieu, CFO, Baptist Health*
Program Content: In the ever-changing realm of healthcare, providers confront the roadblocks of payers while
navigating patients’ COB denials. This session is designed to equip attendees with practical strategies and insights to
tackle these challenges head-on, leading to improved financial outcomes and patient experience. During this engaging
session, industry experts will share their experiences and expertise in leveraging partnerships and patient cooperation to
turn patient liability into cash. Participants will discover innovative approaches to clean up self-pay AR and enhance
revenue recovery by identifying creative ways to locate and address COB Denials. The session will explore both
proactive and reactive strategies for managing patient liability. Based on analytical findings, attendees will learn the
importance of a proactive approach in scouting, isolating and preventing COB Denials. By implementing proactive
strategies, attendees can proactively anticipate and address patient liability, leading to improved financial outcomes and
patient satisfaction. Furthermore, this session will address the critical pain point of COB denials, offering process
improvement recommendations to ensure complete resolution. Participants will learn actionable steps to optimize their
COB denial processes proactively and reactively, leading to increased reimbursement and streamlined operations.
Additionally, attendees will see how one multi-state health system handled their current dilemma using alternate patient
engagement strategies, allowing them to work upstream and manage the concurrent process. This interactive and
informative session will empower revenue cycle team members to refine their self-pay AR management approach using
a comprehensive blend of proactive and reactive strategies. They will leave with practical takeaways and actionable
strategies that can be implemented within their organization, enabling them to unlock revenue potential, improve patient
financial experiences, and achieve sustainable financial success.
Derek Johnson, Director, RCM Consulting, R1*
Crystal Koehn, Manager, Self-Pay, RCM Consulting, Providence*
Program Content: If you’ve ever asked yourself “Is there a better way to work” then this presentation is for you. The
productivity tool you didn’t know you had is at your fingertips, and participants will leave this session ready to
empower their teams in a way they didn’t know was possible. The best part of all, your innovation won’t get lost, but
rather unleashed.
Geneva Schlabach, CEO, Vispa*