Athens, GA – St. Mary’s Health Care System is one of four hospitals in America that will receive recognition this October from Healthcare Financial Management Association for revenue cycle improvement.

The MAP Award (Measure, Apply and Perform) for Performance Improvement in the Revenue Cycle recognizes health care organizations that show improvements made in key revenue cycle performance indicators over three years.  The performance indicators are an established set of standards that financial executives use throughout the country to monitor accounts receivables.  This award, new in 2012, recognizes health care organizations for innovative and effective improvements and the positive impact of those improvements on patient satisfaction.

“We have reached many heights with our operations showing our climb and efforts along the way,” said Julie Pierce, St. Mary’s Patient Financial Services director. “Our business office/revenue cycle team touches every area of our hospital and in so doing has challenged one another to learn how to make our hospital one of the best in the nation.  My team and I are very proud to be a recipient of this award and are honored to work in such a great community here in Athens.”

“Healthcare finance is very complex and getting more complex all the time,” said Marty Hutson, St. Mary’s vice president and chief financial officer. “As a not-for-profit, Catholic healthcare system, we are dedicated to providing care to all who need it and delivering an outstanding level of service to our community.  We do this financially by establishing our goals, analyzing our data, and delivering quality in every aspect of our hospital.”

Winers of this year’s awards will be recognized at HFMA’s MAP Event, Oct. 28-30 in San Diego, Calif.  Pierce and Hutson will be presented with the award at the event.  Pierce also will be a member of the panelist group at this year’s sessions discussing the improvements achieved over the past five years in St. Mary’s revenue cycle operations.

Winners were chosen by the HFMA Advisory Board based on criteria developed by HFMA KPI Task Force and research from the latest Patient Friendly Billing Report, Strategies for a High Performance Revenue Cycle in 2009.  All acute care hospitals in the United States were eligible to enter. 

About HFMA

The Healthcare Financial Management Association (HFMA) provides the resources healthcare organizations need to achieve sound fiscal health in order to provide excellent patient care. With more than 39,000 members, HFMA is the nation’s leading membership organization of healthcare finance executives and leaders. HFMA helps its members achieve results by providing education, analysis, and guidance, and creating practical tools and solutions that optimize financial management. The organization is a respected and innovative thought leader on top trends and challenges facing the healthcare finance industry. From addressing capital access to improved patient care to technology advancement, HFMA is an indispensable resource on healthcare finance issues. hfma.org