Celebrating Patient Access: The Unsung Heroes of the Revenue Cycle
What is the first thing you see when you walk into a hospital or a clinic? Every April, the healthcare community comes together to recognize one of the most essential yet often under-appreciated components of revenue cycle management (RCM): Patient Access. Established in 1982 by the National Association of Healthcare Access Management (NAHAM), Patient Access Week honors the professionals who serve as the front line of the patient experience.
What Is Patient Access?
Patient Access is more than just a department—it's the entry point to care. These professionals handle a wide range of responsibilities, including:
Scheduling and pre-registration
Insurance verification and authorizations
Financial counseling and cost estimates
Point-of-service collections
Demographic and insurance data accuracy
Without our Patient Access teams, downstream processes—like billing, coding, and claims—are prone to errors, delays, and denials.
Why Patient Access Matters in RCM
The work done in Patient Access sets the tone for a patient’s financial and care journey. Errors at this stage lead to denied claims, delayed payments, and poor patient satisfaction. Accuracy and empathy here ripple throughout the entire revenue cycle.
A well-trained Patient Access team can:
Reduce denials by verifying insurance and authorization requirements up front
Accelerate payments through clear financial conversations and upfront collections
Improve satisfaction by guiding patients through a confusing process with clarity and care
The Business Case for Celebration
Recognizing Patient Access isn't just good for morale—it’s strategic. Celebrating these professionals during National Patient Access Week helps:
Increase job satisfaction and retention in a high-turnover area
Educate teams across the revenue cycle about their impact
Reinforce the connection between financial success and patient-first service
There are so many ways to celebrate Patient Access Week and show appreciation for the hardworking teams behind the scenes, plus who doesn’t like a party?
Here are some ideas of how you can highlight your amazing Patient Access team:
You can highlight team members in your internal newsletters, sharing heartfelt thank-you messages or engaging spotlight videos on social media, or even hosting a special lunch or recognition event to bring everyone together. Providing professional development opportunities can be another meaningful way to invest in your team, helping them grow in their roles. You could also feature a “Day in the Life” of a Patient Access representative to shed light on the essential work they do every day. No matter how you choose to celebrate, taking the time to recognize these incredible professionals goes a long way in making them feel valued!
Looking Ahead
Even as automation continues to move healthcare Revenue Cycle Management, Patient Access will remain a critical pillar in shaping the patient experience and financial outcomes. Let’s give them the spotlight they deserve—not just this week, but year-round.