Part two of a two-part series. Click here for part one: Why now is the time to automate AR.
Automating accounts receivable (AR) is no longer a question for healthcare providers — it’s a requirement. But automation alone doesn’t guarantee better outcomes.
As patient responsibility grows and payer reimbursement becomes more complex, cash flow has become increasingly volatile.
Disconnected systems, inconsistent posting, and manual reconciliation continue to slow collections and obscure true AR performance across revenue cycle management (RCM). Even partially automated workflows still rely on reactive follow-up and manual intervention.
That’s how revenue gets stuck.
Healthcare organizations recognize the impact: 84% attribute revenue losses to outdated AR processes.
The solution isn’t adding headcount or bolting on another point solution. It’s automated accounts receivable, technology that replaces friction and fragmentation with connected workflows.
If you’re on the fence, our previous post explains why now’s the time to automate AR. But if you’re ready for relief from the hassles and uncertainty of manual collection, this guide will show you the way.
Why healthcare providers are switching to automated AR
With automated accounts receivable, patient and payer payments don’t stall when staff can’t follow up. Instead of chasing balances, downloading files, or re-keying data, automation keeps cash flowing by connecting systems that weren’t designed to work together.
When AR is automated:
- Payer and patient payments are part of a shared workflow
- Payments are captured, posted, and reconciled with minimal manual effort
- Staff focuses on exceptions and insights — not every transaction
- Access to sensitive data is better controlled so payments are more secure
- Bills are clearer and payments are easier, so practices get paid more
Automated AR enables smart collection: an approach that connects payer reimbursement, posting, and patient billing to fast-track revenue with fewer handoffs, less rework, and a holistic, real-time view of practice AR.
Your automated AR checklist: Getting started with smart collection
For automated AR to pay off, you must fully commit. Use these checklists to evaluate your options. Don’t settle for solutions that don’t check all the boxes.
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Automated patient AR: Stop chasing balances, start capturing payments
Chasing past-due balances is one of the most time-consuming tasks of AR, and it’s become even more difficult as rising deductibles and out-of-pocket costs increase patient financial responsibility. Paper statements, phone tag, and one-off payments slow collections and frustrate both patients and staff.
When payments are easier to make — and you can easily offset fees [link to surcharging blog] that erode profitability — practices collect more, sooner, with fewer touchpoints.
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Automated payer AR: Clear the path to payment
Insurance reimbursement delays are deeply ingrained in healthcare operations, they seem unavoidable. That’s because virtual credit cards, inconsistent EOPs, and manual processing delay posting and push patient billing further out.
Automated AR solutions simplify reimbursement to flush out bottlenecks. When you trade flawed manual processes for smart collection, payer payments arrive faster, and posting is no longer an unlucky team member’s risky side project.
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Automated posting and reconciliation: Reduce the risks of manual processes
Posting and reconciliation aren’t just tedious, they’re extremely vulnerable to human error. Regardless of the risks, only 53% of healthcare organizations have automated AR workflows.
Manual posting blurs accounts receivable visibility and undermines reporting accuracy, making it hard to intervene before issues escalate into lost revenue. Automated posting makes AR insights immediately actionable.
Unlock the full potential of automated accounts receivable
Combining tools like PayerSync and Practice Management Bridge to automate payer and patient payment workflows brings timing, visibility, and accuracy into alignment across the revenue cycle.
When AR is no longer managed in silos:
- Accurate insurance payments arrive faster
- Patient responsibility is determined sooner
- Patient billing becomes transparent and timely
- Exceptions are immediately flagged, not discovered weeks later
Measuring success: Which benchmarks matter most
Automation improves AR performance, but optimization takes it to the next level. Use these benchmarks to surface what’s working across payer and patient AR and where there’s room to improve:
- Days in AR
- Time needed to post payments
- Staff hours spent managing payments
- Percentage of balances collected digitally
Use these metrics to reveal where friction remains, compare performance to industry norms, and understand how automation translates into faster, more reliable revenue.
Turn automated AR into smart collection
Automating accounts receivable doesn’t add busywork or complexity. It removes friction from the revenue cycle, so payments flow freely, data is reliable, and staff spend their time on what matters most.
Practices that embrace smart collection:
- Improve cash flow predictability
- Reduce administrative burden
- Gain better insight into AR performance
- Create a smoother financial experience for patients
- Ease revenue cycle management
With AR automated and collection smarter, healthcare organizations can focus on better patient experiences and a clearer path to growth.
Miss part one of this series? Click here to read it now.
How close is your practice to smart collection?
See how far your current AR processes have progressed — and where automation can unlock smarter, faster collections. Get a clear, no-pressure view of how payments move through your organization today with our fast, free AR audit.