8 AUGUST 2025IN MY OPINIONThe Human Element in Medical Billing and Revenue CycleThrough this article, Olivia Wolf emphasizes the importance of integrating human values into healthcare administration. Despite advancements in AI, she argues that the essence of healthcare remains deeply personal and should be reflected in every aspect of its business operations. Wolf advocates for a more human-centric approach to revenue cycle management, highlighting that medical coders and billers play a crucial role in translating medical documentation into the language required by insurers. She stresses the need for continuous education and appreciation of the work done by these teams, which directly impacts the quality of care patients receive.By Olivia Wolf, Director of Business Development Strategy, Southcentral FoundationReflecting on my journey as a healthcare executive over the last 20+ years and looking at current trends across all areas of our healthcare system, I often come back to the need to return humanity to healthcare. This idea--when discussed--is usually in the context of clinical operations and the delivery of care. Today, I want us to consider how the return of humanity can be thought of in the context of the business of healthcare, specifically in our revenue cycle operations.I have long rejected the idea that `it's not personal, it's business.' Healthcare leadership needs to remember that it is both personal and business. This is true not only because healthcare is a humanities-based profession but because our workforce consists of people. I don't believe the emergence of AI will ever entirely remove the human element of medicine. In fact, I believe people will best leverage AI, and the rise of AI should be the cause of an even more concentrated focus on the humanities. Connecting on a human level and elevating the meaning behind our work is as important as the work itself, if not more so. Language is a vital part of the human connection. It shapes everyday Olivia Wolf
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