The Healthcare Financial Management Association's Annual National Institute (ANI) kicks off today in Las Vegas where more than 5,000 healthcare financial professionals are expected to gather at the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino.
This year's conference offers more than 80 educational sessions covering management issues including revenue cycle, payment, reimbursement, managed care and compliance.
Today's offerings will include some pre-conference seminars and workshops including a CFO Bootcamp session for providers, which will identity emerging issues for new CFOs and a session on revenue cycle policies where the focus will be on operating in a transparent environment.
HFMA bills the opening reception slated for this evening as a time for introductions and networking.
On Tuesday, the conference will host keynote speaker Steve Case, the former AOL kingpin who is now chairman and chief operating officer of Revolution Health Group. Case will be speaking about what impacts he believes pricing transparency will have on the healthcare industry and in particular will talk about the trend in convenient care clinics.
"Right now the industry is in its early stages and it's less about competition amongst clinics and more about getting the business model right and consumer adoption," Case said. "Like all good things it will take some time, but by providing quality care and consumer convenience I believe convenient care has a place in the industry going forward."
On Wednesday the conference will feature three keynote speakers Richard J. Umbdenstock, president and CEO of the American Hospital Association; James Carville, political consultant and television commentator; and Mary Matalin, Republican activist and television commentator, who will be looking at healthcare policy during this election year.
Thursday's keynote is Tom Peters, best-selling author and business management consultant who will provide his thoughts on how to achieve excellence through leadership in the healthcare arena.
Stan Adams, chief financial officer, John F Kennedy Memorial Hospital, is attending this year's show and says, "In general I hope to gain more insight as to additional best practices specifically in the following areas:
- Revenue Cycle Service tools,
- Outpatient Service financial viability tools
- Emergency Room Point of Service Collection tools and techniques."
The show expects more than 400 vendors will be exhibiting their latest solutions for healthcare financial management.
Eclipsys announced this morning the availability of its new revenue cycle dashboard, which will be showcased at HFMA. Also Emdeon has announced that its assistant patient access solution has earned the Peer Reviewed designation of HFMA.
Next year HFMA: ANI will be held in Seattle from June 14-17.