Case Study: Adirondack Medical Center

Challenge

Adirondack Medical Center (AMC), a 97-bed acute care hospital in Saranac Lake, New York had an unexpected vacancy in their central business office. As accounts receivables continued to grow, the business office staff of 14 were floundering without leadership and solid procedures in place.

Solution

HealthTech provided a consultant to review existing work flow processes as well as staff, and made recommendations to improve cash flow, increase employee productivity and ensure compliance with regulatory and industry standards. The consultant also created a 90-day, 46-step action plan. The plan was approved by the hospital finance board, chief executive officer and chief financial officer, along with a request that HealthTech provide the consultant's services as an interim business office director.

HealthTech placed the consultant as interim business office director at the hospital and began managing accounts receivables. During this time, HealthTech's interim business office director identified additional areas of improvement in internal processes, and implemented strategies to increase productivity and cash flow.

"It was so important to get the business office back on track because we operate on such razor thin margins," said Chandler Ralph, chief executive officer at Adirondack Medical Center. "HealthTech was incredibly responsive to our needs — operations did not skip a beat."

Results

During the three month period in which HealthTech's interim business office director served, the hospital's A/R days were reduced by six days and cash collections increased by more than $800,000. Staff training was provided and patient complaints were reduced. In that time period, the hospital's leadership was able to interview several candidates and placed a permanent business office director.