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The RC Executive Lounge.

Where top healthcare finance leaders share bold strategies to grow revenue and accelerate cash flow. Each episode delivers real-world wins, deep executive insights, and future-focused thinking on agentic AI, denials, payer dynamics, compliance, staffing, and patient experience.

10episodes · 2 seasons 30 to 50 min episodesHosted by ArceeHQ
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Kimberly Scaccia
Season 2 · Episode 438 min · May 2026

From Reactive Denials to Proactive Revenue Protection: AI Prioritization and Leadership in Revenue Cycle

Kim Scaccia shares how she sets strategic priorities at TriHealth under simultaneous pressures from payer delays, regulatory mandates, and staffing constraints, and why sequencing and explicit exclusions matter as much as what gets prioritized. The conversation covers an autonomous and computer-assisted coding initiative she led at Mercyhealth, the importance of phased implementation and psychological safety in surfacing obstacles, and the measurable results: a 5 percent net cash improvement and a 6 to 7 percent increase in HCC capture rates. Kim also discusses the shift from reactive denial management to upstream prevention through agentic AI, the change management framework she uses to build momentum across complex cross-functional teams, and why write-off percentage, not denial rate, is the metric that truly reflects revenue cycle performance.

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Kimberly Scaccia
38 min
Season 2 · Episode 4 · May 1, 2026

From Reactive Denials to Proactive Revenue Protection: AI Prioritization and Leadership in Revenue Cycle

Kim Scaccia shares how she sets strategic priorities at TriHealth under simultaneous pressures from payer delays, regulatory mandates, and staffing constraints, and why sequencing and explicit exclusions matter as much as what gets prioritized. The conversation covers an autonomous and computer-assisted coding initiative she led at Mercyhealth, the importance of phased implementation and psychological safety in surfacing obstacles, and the measurable results: a 5 percent net cash improvement and a 6 to 7 percent increase in HCC capture rates. Kim also discusses the shift from reactive denial management to upstream prevention through agentic AI, the change management framework she uses to build momentum across complex cross-functional teams, and why write-off percentage, not denial rate, is the metric that truly reflects revenue cycle performance.

Kimberly Scaccia · TriHealth
Keisha Downes
34 min
Season 2 · Episode 3 · Mar 16, 2026

Data-Driven Prioritization, Responsible AI, and Operational Transparency in Revenue Cycle Leadership with Keisha Downes

Keisha Downes shares how data-driven prioritization shapes middle revenue cycle strategy across a multi-hospital system, from setting the roadmap to selecting and implementing AI tools. Drawing from her experience at Beth Israel Lahey Health, she walks through a clinical documentation integrity initiative involving a third-party AI tool that scrubs 100% of inpatient encounters, the lesson of starting small rather than over-relying on probability-based technology, and how case mix index serves as the key metric for tracking impact. The conversation covers her view of the path from reactive to proactive denial management through agentic AI, the AI governance framework her organization uses to evaluate vendors and prevent tool sprawl, and her daily practice of monitoring the candidate-for-billing report to clear barriers before they affect AR targets. Keisha also shares her leadership philosophy of radical transparency, her advice to not let perfection be the enemy of good, and how cultivating curiosity in emerging leaders shapes the future of the profession.

Keisha Downes · Beth Israel Lahey Health
Willie Brown
34 min
Season 2 · Episode 2 · Feb 23, 2026

Leading with ROI, Team Alignment, and Strategic Discipline: Building High-Performance Revenue Cycle with Willie Brown

Willie Brown shares an ROI-first framework for setting strategic priorities in a not-for-profit health system under constant staffing and payer pressure. Drawing from his experience leading revenue cycle at Sentara Healthcare, he explains how aligning every initiative to organizational goals, measuring change impact, and building internal leadership capacity shapes everything from technology adoption to team culture. The conversation covers a six-month effort to build a charge reconciliation dashboard internally rather than acquire a vendor solution, the decision-making framework behind that choice, and the measurable outcomes Willie expects across gross revenue, denial rates, and coder productivity. Willie also shares his perspective on agentic AI in authorization management, a registration quality assurance tool his team is developing, and his approach to change leadership through clear communication, change champions, and an authentic open-door policy.

Willie Brown · Sentara Healthcare
Blake Evans
38 min
Season 2 · Episode 1 · Jan 21, 2026

Building a High-Performance Revenue Cycle: Alignment, Automation & Cash Flow

Blake Evans shares a system-level perspective on what it takes to build and sustain a high-performance revenue cycle inside a complex, multi-hospital academic health system. Drawing from his journey from frontline patient access to enterprise revenue cycle leadership, he explains why alignment across access, mid-cycle, and back-end functions is the foundation for financial stability, scalability, and patient trust. The conversation explores how Rush has unified revenue cycle operations under a single strategy, balanced optimization with patient financial experience, and scaled performance through intentional automation. Blake outlines how denial prevention, patient financing, and financial assistance must be approached holistically, with early transparency, clear communication, and advocacy for patients at every step of the financial journey. Blake also offers a grounded view on AI and agentic automation in healthcare RCM, separating real opportunity from hype. He emphasizes disciplined adoption, risk management, and leadership practices that prioritize communication, cross-functional collaboration, and trust while navigating large-scale change.

Blake Evans · Rush University System for Health
David Kelly
47 min
Season 1 · Episode 6 · Dec 17, 2025

From Denials to Patient Financing: The Path to a Touchless Revenue Cycle

David Kelly shares a community-hospital perspective on how revenue cycle leaders can balance patient engagement, financial sustainability, and operational discipline in an increasingly constrained healthcare environment. Drawing on his dual responsibility for ambulatory operations and revenue cycle performance, he explains why patient trust, eligibility accuracy, and front-end execution have become foundational to long-term RCM success. The conversation explores how denial prevention, patient financing, and financial assistance programs fit into a broader strategy focused on yield rather than volume. David discusses why eligibility has overtaken claim submission as the most critical revenue cycle transaction, how resource constraints force difficult prioritization decisions, and why some patient-facing initiatives must be sequenced carefully despite their clear value. David also walks through a zero-balance review initiative that delivered meaningful recovered revenue by partnering with a specialized vendor, highlighting lessons in vendor selection, implementation complexity, and performance measurement. He closes with a pragmatic view on AI and automation in RCM, emphasizing cautious adoption, realistic timelines, and leadership grounded in transparency, trust, and mission alignment for independent community hospitals.

David Kelly · Mary Rutan Health
Taya Gordon
34 min
Season 1 · Episode 5 · Nov 14, 2025

Leading with Data: Taya Gordon on Transforming RCM, Denials Management & AI Adoption

Taya Gordon shares a data-first leadership framework for transforming revenue cycle performance amid staffing constraints, payer pressure, and operational complexity. Drawing from her experience as a fractional CRO, she explains why evidence-based prioritization must anchor RCM strategy and why organizations must address root causes rather than symptoms. The discussion covers denial prevention, patient financing, and financial assistance as critical levers for improving cash flow and patient understanding, along with a pragmatic view on AI adoption that balances administrative relief, compliance, and workforce transformation.

Taya Gordon · Atlas & Perpetual Healthcare Consulting
Sandra Lood
37 min
Season 1 · Episode 4 · Oct 24, 2025

Shaping the Future of RCM: Leadership Lessons and Vision

Sandy Lood shares a practical operating approach for how revenue cycle leaders set priorities in an environment defined by growth, regulatory pressure, and constant execution tradeoffs. She explains why alignment with executive leadership comes first, followed by disciplined problem statements and data-driven prioritization that focuses on quality, not volume, to protect both patient experience and downstream denials. The conversation goes deep on two strategic fronts: denial prevention and patient financial engagement. Sandy outlines how to move from denial management to denial prevention by fixing foundational reporting and remittance mapping, then choosing a focused starting point by payer, department, or root cause. She also describes how organizations can lead with compassion while building reliable financial assistance and payment plan workflows that reduce friction for patients with high-deductible coverage. Sandy closes with a candid implementation lesson from autonomous outpatient coding, highlighting the importance of clear scope, defined success metrics, and realistic change management when introducing AI into revenue cycle operations.

Sandra Lood · Cottage Health
Charles O. Frazier, MD
44 min
Season 1 · Episode 3 · Oct 14, 2025

Ambient AI for Healthcare: Reducing Denials, Improving Patient Trust

Dr. Charles O. Frazier shares a clinician-led perspective on how ambient AI is reshaping healthcare delivery, patient experience, and revenue cycle outcomes. He explains why documentation burden has become one of the most significant drivers of physician burnout, and how ambient AI can restore focus on patient connection while improving the completeness and accuracy of clinical notes. The conversation explores how higher-quality documentation directly impacts claim integrity, coding accuracy, and denial reduction. Dr. Frazier walks through Riverside Health's evaluation and selection of an ambient AI solution, emphasizing the importance of deep EHR integration, workflow alignment, and provider trust when implementing AI at scale. Dr. Frazier also discusses the broader evolution toward agentic AI in healthcare, where intelligent systems actively support clinical decision-making, revenue cycle workflows, scheduling, and patient billing interactions. He highlights measurable outcomes from ambient AI adoption, including reduced burnout, improved patient experience, increased diagnostic capture, and strong financial return. The episode closes with leadership lessons on governing AI responsibly, managing organizational change, and finding the right balance between innovation, risk, and mission in complex healthcare environments.

Charles O. Frazier, MD · Riverside Health
Garrick Stoldt
41 min
Season 1 · Episode 2 · Sep 7, 2025

Innovation for Impact: Bridging Health Equity and Financial Sustainability

Garrick Stoldt shares how healthcare finance leaders set strategic priorities when payer behavior, Medicaid policy shifts, and operational constraints collide. He explains why many systems have to return to back-to-basics operating discipline, while still investing selectively in innovation that improves revenue cycle performance and protects financial sustainability. The conversation then dives into a digital Medicaid and charity care initiative designed to reach uninsured and underserved patients at scale. Garrick outlines the operational problem, how manual tracking led to missed opportunity, and why enabling mobile-first document capture and automated filing materially improved identification, throughput, and audit readiness, especially as presumptive eligibility timelines tighten. Garrick also discusses where AI and automation can create real value across healthcare RCM, from insurance verification bots to faster detection of shifting payer denial patterns. He closes with leadership lessons on change management, vendor skepticism, and the mindset required to stay ahead as technology reshapes hospital business models.

Garrick Stoldt · St. Peter’s Healthcare System
Sandra Gubbine
39 min
Season 1 · Episode 1 · Aug 19, 2025

Bridging the Gap: AI and Digital Tools for Equitable Health Access

Sandra Gubbine shares how revenue cycle leaders should set priorities in a healthcare environment that is constantly shifting. She explains why sustainable process design and disciplined resourcing matter more than reactive firefighting, and why saying no is often the highest-leverage decision, especially during major revenue cycle system transitions. The conversation explores where patient financing and financial assistance programs fit into the RCM roadmap, including the reality of medical debt constraints and the importance of partnering with patients through payment plans and charity care pathways. Sandra also reframes denials as a broader set of payer behaviors, including record requests, payment delays, and DRG downgrades that can quietly create millions in revenue leakage. Sandra then walks through a digital initiative to reach uninsured and underserved populations, with lessons on vendor partnership, due diligence, and implementation discipline. She closes with a practical view of agentic AI in revenue cycle, using it to prioritize work for follow-up teams and proactively guide patients into Medicaid or financial assistance, and a leadership principle that compounds: self-reflection as the foundation for trust and change.

Sandra Gubbine · AtlantiCare
Looking for shorter clips?

Watch shorts from the show.

Browse 60 to 90 second clips organized by topic, season, and guest. Perfect for sharing with your team or on LinkedIn.

Browse all shorts
Sandra Gubbine
1:48Moving Beyond Firefighting in Revenue Cycle Leadership
Sandra Lood
1:07Why Autonomous Outpatient Coding Was Harder Than Expected
Taya Gordon
1:12How Agentic AI Lifts Administrative Burden in Revenue Cycle
Go deeper

From conversation to strategy.

Executive Guide

The Executive Guide to Reducing Claim Denials with Agentic AI

A deep dive into denial prevention strategies, framework for evaluating AI vendors, and board-ready talking points.

Read the guide
Executive Guide

The Financial Engagement Playbook with Agentic AI

Practical frameworks for earlier patient financial conversations, proactive outreach strategies, and ROI-ready talking points.

Read the guide
Executive Guide

The Executive Guide to Financial Assistance with Agentic AI

A step-by-step playbook for automating eligibility screening, improving charity care capture, and reducing uncompensated care.

Read the guide
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