Revenue integrity: Making connections and looking ahead

Thursday, June 9, 2022

Editor’s note: Revenue integrity is transforming into a dynamic field and calls for a creative approach to addressing complex problems. NAHRI Advisory Board member Sarah L. Goodman, MBA, CHCAF, COC, CHRI, CCP, FCS, president/CEO of SLG Inc., in Raleigh, North Carolina, shares her thoughts the rewards and challenges of being in the profession.

NARHI: What is the most rewarding aspect of working in revenue integrity?

Goodman: One of the most rewarding aspects of my role in revenue integrity is the ability to collaborate with others on projects and in providing educational opportunities, such as co-presenting webinars and sessions at the annual Revenue Integrity Symposium.

NAHRI: How has revenue integrity evolved since you first started working in the field?

Goodman: While the term "revenue integrity" is fairly new, the concept has been around for many decades and is finally getting the prominence and recognition it deserves in the revenue cycle arena. Moreover, everything is so much more dynamic and automated now than when I started in the field—which brings its own set of challenges—but has also enhanced many processes along the way.

NAHRI: What has been the greatest benefit of being a NAHRI member and a member of the NAHRI Advisory Board?

Goodman: For me, the greatest benefits have been the friendships I have developed and the ability to pay it forward to those new to the field of revenue integrity.

NAHRI: What are the top issues facing revenue integrity professionals this year?

Goodman: Now that the pandemic is winding down, being prepared for audits is essential, as well as understanding the nuances of the No Surprises Act, changes to critical care and evaluation and management visits for 2022, and which aspects of telemedicine reimbursement will continue beyond the end of the public health emergency.

NAHRI: If you have any type of creative hobby (cooking, model building, scrapbooking, painting, even home restoration or renovation), please share a little bit about it.

Goodman: My undergraduate degree was in the visual arts, particularly oil portraits, calligraphy, and monochromatic still lifes. A few years ago, in a scene right out of a Hallmark Channel movie, the father of a little boy I painted in 1984, knowing only my first name, the hospital where I once worked, and an old address found in a note I had affixed under the backing, tracked me down via LinkedIn. We have kept in touch ever since, and he has been inspired to take up painting as a hobby himself. Although I work in the financial side of healthcare, my art background has been an asset in developing presentations and helping others see the big picture.