Unlike interim leaders, who temporarily fill vacant roles, on-demand leaders are brought in for specific projects, such as electronic medical record implementations.
“In [mergers and acquisitions], I’d say it could be the most in-demand request next year,” Mr. Burns said. “With a new administration that historically approved more hospital M&A deals leading to more consolidation, we think that activity is going to pick up.”
Beyond technical expertise, Mr. Burns emphasized three essential qualities in on-demand leaders: the ability to manage change, influence stakeholders and remain action-oriented.
On-demand leadership in revenue cycle management
Patrick McDermott, currently advising Walmart’s health division on revenue cycle modernization as a consultant, has held on-demand leadership roles at Toledo, Ohio-based ProMedica, Akron (Ohio) Children’s, San Diego-based Scripps Health and Lawrence General Hospital in Massachusetts.
Though the projects varied, his objective in each position was to provide a fresh pair of eyes on current processes, evaluating technology use, assessing workflow efficiency and ensuring the right talent was in place, Mr. McDermott told Becker’s.
“There’s usually a sweet spot [in leadership] where you can get a lot of work done, and then you start moving into more of a status quo,” he said. “The on-demand leader is immediately put into that sweet spot where he or she can get a lot of work done in a very short period of time.”
This rapid intervention allows organizations to enter what he called an “acceleration phase,” implementing meaningful improvements at a faster pace.
For revenue cycle management, Mr. McDermott outlined four key areas that define success: upgrading technology, executing efficiency, continuously improving and nourishing a strong workplace culture.
Since revenue cycle functions are complex and interwoven, he stressed that execution and improvement should involve breaking down the processes into their granular steps.
“Those things should take place simultaneously,” he said. “You’re executing day to day in the processes with proper quality and productivity, but then you’re also continuously improving the process. They should never be separate.”
Beyond optimization, on-demand leaders in revenue cycle management play a crucial role in stewarding culture. Mr. McDermott noted that they often collaborate with IT, managed care contracting, human resources and compliance teams.
With hospital finance experiencing high turnover, the need for experienced on-demand leaders is increasing, he said.
“There are always performance improvement initiatives that are underway,” Mr. McDermott said. “They have to continue to be supported and managed.”
