Welcome to the May Edition of the MRC Insider Newsletter!

Hello colleague,

May is a wonderful time to slow down, enjoy the warmer weather, and appreciate the people and moments that make our community so special. 🌸

This season brings many reasons to celebrate, from graduations and personal milestones to the everyday support and kindness shared by family, friends, and coworkers. Congratulations to all of our graduates and families celebrating accomplishments big and small! 🎓 Your dedication and hard work are inspiring.

We also want to extend heartfelt appreciation to all mothers, grandmothers, caregivers, and mother figures who give so much of themselves every day. We hope your Mother’s Day was filled with love, joy, and appreciation. 💐

As Memorial Day approaches, we also take time to honor and remember those who served our country with courage and sacrifice. 🌟

And lastly, thank you for being such an important part of our MRC community! We hope you take time this month to enjoy the sunshine, connect with loved ones, and embrace all the beauty this season brings.

MRC Coding & Documentation Tidbits 🩺💻

• May is a great reminder to stay up to date on coding accuracy and documentation best practices to support quality care and compliance.
• Be on the lookout for payer-specific updates and annual coding guidance reviews as we move further into 2026.
• Accurate documentation continues to be key for supporting medical necessity, reducing denials, and ensuring appropriate reimbursement.
• Friendly reminder: small documentation details can make a big difference in coding specificity and audit readiness!

Thank you for all you do each day to support our patients, providers, and teams. Your dedication truly makes an impact.

Wishing you a happy, healthy, and joyful May! 🌷

Warm regards,

🔥 Hot Off The Press!

In her latest article, Amanda Corley, RHIT, CCS, Vice President of Coding Operations at e4health, tackles the very real challenge of navigating the “mid-year marathon” in revenue cycle and medical coding leadership. From decision fatigue to documentation battles, Amanda shares practical, evidence-based strategies leaders can use to stay resilient, focused, and effective during one of the toughest stretches of the year.

💡 A few key takeaways:

✔️ The importance of micro-recoveries and mental resets

✔️ Why radical prioritization matters more than ever

✔️ How celebrating small wins combats burnout

✔️ The underrated power of humor and team connection

If you’re feeling the pressure of the mid-year push, this is a must-read.

🔎To read, please click here.

🚨 Did You Miss It? 🚨

🩺 Thank you to everyone who joined us for an engaging session where we explored key strategies, industry insights, and real-world solutions shaping today’s healthcare landscape. As with all e4health webinars, the discussion focused on sharing practical knowledge and best practices to help organizations navigate evolving challenges and drive stronger outcomes.

Stay tuned for more upcoming sessions as we continue bringing timely insights and actionable guidance to healthcare leaders.

▶️ Click here to watch the webinar recording
 and earn free CEUs in our e4health IQ Center.

Recent MRC Article!

💡 AI is rapidly transforming medical coding and auditing—but speed without governance can introduce new risks at scale. This article explores how organizations can move beyond adoption to ensure AI is used responsibly, with strong oversight, transparency, and human accountability. Learn how leaders can elevate coding quality, strengthen compliance, and position their teams for a future that is both AI-enabled and human-led.

🔎To read, please click here.

Team Spotlight

 I currently work as an auditor and have been with e4health just over one year. I've been in the healthcare industry for 29 years, with experience across the revenue cycle. The big-picture impacts and academic aspects of this career feed my brain, while the team concept feeds my desire to serve others. I abide by the philosophy that auditing is an opportunity and a resource. When not working, my husband and I enjoy being outside year-round (even in Wisconsin!) enjoying Lake Michigan, trees and rolling hills.  

Check out our latest Coding Tip!

🧠Our Education Team wants to make sure you're "In The Know" with our Coding Corner tip series.  This tip comes from e4health Director of Education, Kim Felix, RHIA,CCS.

🔎 Click here to read this valuable Coding Tip!

Employee Engagement Tip!

Host a Virtual Dress-Up Day on Teams or Zoom

Keeping remote and hybrid teams engaged takes creativity, energy, and a little fun. One simple but highly effective idea is hosting a virtual dress-up day during your next Teams or Zoom meeting. Whether it’s “Favorite Sports Team,” “Decades Day,” “Superhero Friday,” or “Crazy Hat Day,” themed dress-up events create moments of connection that help employees feel more engaged and included.

Why It Works

Virtual meetings can easily become repetitive and transactional. Dress-up days break the routine and encourage employees to show personality beyond their job titles.

Benefits include:

• Boosting morale and team spirit
• Encouraging participation and conversation
• Creating shared experiences across remote locations
• Reducing meeting fatigue
• Strengthening workplace culture

Even a small amount of fun can make employees feel more connected to their coworkers and the organization.

Easy Theme Ideas

Here are a few simple themes that work well virtually:

• Pajama Day
• Favorite Movie Character
• Sports Jersey Day
• Decades Theme (80s, 90s, etc.)
• Holiday Colors
• Tropical Vacation
• Crazy Hair or Hat Day
• Team Color Challenge

Choose themes that are inclusive, low-cost, and easy for everyone to participate in.

Tips for Success

Keep It Optional

Participation should always feel fun—not mandatory. Employees engage more when there’s no pressure.

Announce It Early

Share the theme a few days in advance so employees have time to prepare.

Add Recognition

Consider small prizes for categories like:

• Most Creative
• Funniest Outfit
• Best Team Spirit
• Best Background + Outfit Combo

Encourage Photos

Capture screenshots (with permission) and share them in internal newsletters, Teams channels, or company social posts.

Tie It Into Team Meetings

Start meetings with a quick “show and tell” or vote for favorite looks to encourage interaction.

Make Remote Work More Human

Employee engagement doesn’t always require large budgets or complicated programs. Sometimes, a simple themed Zoom or Teams dress-up day can create laughter, spark conversations, and strengthen team relationships. A connected workplace is built through shared experiences—and a little fun goes a long way.

🚨 Audit Pressure is Rising Across Healthcare 

 As AI-assisted coding tools and technology-enabled workflows continue to evolve, hospitals are facing increased denial pressure, documentation scrutiny, and audit complexity - all while trying to maintain compliance, coding quality, and revenue integrity.

That’s why experienced audit talent matters more than ever. ✅

🌟 e4health’s audit professionals bring deep expertise across academic medical centers, Level I trauma centers, large health systems, and complex specialty environments. Our teams help organizations strengthen audit readiness, reduce denial risk, improve documentation integrity, and proactively identify operational gaps before they become larger financial issues.

💡Recent insights from Gina Stewart, MBA, BSN, RN, CCDS, CCS explore how healthcare organizations can take a more proactive, data-driven approach to audit readiness and coding quality:

🔹 Elevating Coding Audits: Click Here

🔹 Strengthening Audit Readiness in a High-Pressure Environment: Click Here

A focused 100-chart external audit identified more than $32K in positive financial impact - averaging $323 per encounter reviewed and projecting an ROI exceeding 229%.

When scaled across the annual discharge volume of an organization, even small improvements in coding accuracy and capture of clinical complexity can translate into millions in recoverable revenue opportunity while strengthening compliance and reimbursement integrity. 📈

🌟 Featured Industry News 🌟

🚨 ALERT for OB & Revenue Cycle Teams 🚨

💡 One of the biggest changes to maternity CPT coding in decades is officially on the horizon. 👶📋 Beginning in 2027, the longstanding global obstetric package is expected to be eliminated and replaced with a far more detailed, phase-based coding structure.

✅ That means:

🔹 Antepartum, delivery, and postpartum care will no longer be reported under one bundled global code

🔹 Prenatal and postpartum services will largely shift to E/M coding

🔹 Delivery and related procedures will be reported separately

🔹 Documentation specificity and provider attribution will become more critical than ever

🔹 Team-based maternity care models will be more accurately reflected in reimbursement structures

This is a MASSIVE shift for:

🏥 Hospitals

👩‍⚕️ OB providers

💰 Revenue Cycle teams

📊 Coding & CDI professionals

🧾 Compliance leaders

The current maternity package structure has remained largely unchanged since the 1990s, making this one of the most significant maternity coding overhauls we’ve seen in years.

To help organizations prepare, the AMA and AHA are offering a FREE webinar on June 2nd to preview the upcoming CPT® 2027 maternity care restructure.

📅 Tuesday, June 2

⏰ Noon CT

🎓 Even if you can’t attend live, the AMA typically provides on-demand access afterward.

If your organization touches maternity services in any way, this is absolutely worth getting on your radar NOW. ⏳ We’ll continue monitoring updates and guidance closely to help ensure a smooth transition ahead of implementation. 🔗 Registration link: Click Here 

📰 Industry News: Coding & Auditing Updates

🧾 Hospital Revenue Cycle Teams Face Growing AI ‘Arms Race’ With Payers

A recent Becker’s Hospital Review article highlights how healthcare providers are increasingly struggling to keep pace with payer AI tools that are accelerating claim denials and reimbursement scrutiny. Revenue cycle leaders say hospitals are rapidly investing in predictive analytics, denial prevention technologies, and automation to reduce administrative burden and protect financial performance. 🔗 Source

🧾AI Is Delivering Measurable Gains in Denials Management and Revenue Cycle Efficiency

Becker’s Hospital Review recently reported that AI is generating measurable improvements in denial management, coding productivity, and workflow automation across healthcare revenue cycle operations. Industry leaders say organizations are seeing faster response times, reduced manual work, and improved reimbursement performance as AI becomes more deeply embedded into existing RCM processes. 🔗 Source

🧾 Revenue Cycle Leaders Say Automation and AI Are Top Priorities for 2026

According to Becker’s Hospital Review, healthcare revenue cycle leaders are prioritizing automation, AI, and workflow optimization in 2026 as payer complexity and financial pressures continue to intensify. Leaders say technology investments are helping reduce reliance on manual processes, improve reimbursement accuracy, and strengthen long-term revenue cycle sustainability. 🔗 Source

Coding Humor 

Looking to enhance operational efficiency, maximize reimbursement, and reduce denials? Schedule a brief discovery call by clicking here to fill out a short form, and our team will reach out to assist you!

Check out some of our latest blog posts, articles, and education from our other services:

Health IT:  AI in the Revenue Cycle - What Actually Works

HIM:: Case Study: Rapid, Multi-Service Data Integrity Support for a Regional Health System

CDI: Click here to register for the upcoming CDI Roundtable!

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