Here is why two health systems recently ended their revenue cycle management partnerships:
1. St. Louis-based SSM Health and UnitedHealth Group's Optum ended their administrative partnership around inpatient care management, digital transformation and revenue cycle management after the two organizations were not able to meet "mutually agreed-upon expectations."
In an Aug. 21 internal memo shared with Becker's, SSM President and CEO Laura Kaiser told the system's hospital care management and RCM teams that the termination was a difficult decision but was "in the best interest of our patients, families and team members."
The partnership was announced in October 2021 and formally began in early 2022. The deal included the hiring of about 2,100 SSM employees by Optum. She said the health system would extend employment offers to Optum employees supporting SSM Health ministries.
2. Roseville, Calif.-based Adventist Health rehired IT and RCM staff members it had outsourced to Oracle. The health system and Oracle agreed in March to end their IT staffing contract, effective Jan. 13. As a result of this, Adventist began a transition process to take responsibility for its clinical and revenue cycle application support with the goal of retaining the Oracle employees it once outsourced to the company.
"The decision to transition these valued employees to Adventist Health will give us the ability to prioritize future work based on our mission and financial objectives," a spokesperson for Adventist told Becker's.