Payment denials and delays are a common occurrence with an estimated 9% of charges ($262 billion) are initially denied. This article, published in The Hospitalist, provides an overview of the U.S. healthcare payment system, revenue cycle management and types of denials, and outlines the role of physician advisors and hospitalists in preventing and combating denials.

Under current fee-for-service payment model, healthcare providers face financial pressures, which are further exacerbated by payment denials and delays. Read this article understand the denial types and causes, and to learn about a disciplined, data-driven and team-based approach to reduce denials.

If you are a hospital administrator or a hospitalist leader, you most likely have an early discharge measure included in your hospitalist team performance scorecard. Despite its prevalence in judging hospitalist team performance, I find this measure to be the most misunderstood and misused. So, before you include an early discharge measure in your scorecard, take time to understand it.