Rehabbing Your Revenue Cycle

Why I Hired a Software and Systems Engineer as President of My RCM Services and Time Analytics Data Companies, with Dan Loch

Wed, 03 Jun 2026 15:00:00 +0500

In this episode of Rehabbing Your Revenue Cycle Podcast, host Robert Kowalick introduces Daniel Loch, the President of Revenue Cycle Solutions, LLC and Ascend Solutions LLC. The headline: Bob deliberately put a software engineer and systems engineer in the president seat of an RCM, data and time analytics company. Dan's journey started in Chrysler plant-floor systems, a medical records and PM startup, starting RCM services at TriZetto Provider Solutions now Cognizant, running sales at EZClaim, and developing and running iCloud Pro for EZClaim before joining Bob at Revenue Cycle Solutions and Ascend Solutions. In his time at EZClaim, Dan integrated with thousands of healthcare practices doing billing in-house and hundreds of RCM / billing services companies. Robert and Daniel discuss how all those companies struggled with the same problems through similar structures yet none of them had a solution that addressed the root causes of those problems except RCS and Ascend. Revenue Cycle Solutions uses proprietary data and the Ascend Solutions Practice Data Solutions data platform to convert biller experience into business intelligence to quantify Revenue Cycle Complexity (“RCC”) and reduce it through engineering Billing Time Supply models to match wildly varying Billing Time Demand conditions. Dan joined Bob because Bob had developed the only model in healthcare that can align all stakeholders around the right data and common objectives. Working with Bob in RCS and Ascend through a unique time analytics based model driven by proprietary data and an emerging technology was just the right move for Dan at this point in his career and what Bob needed at this stage of business evolution. Inventor Dean Kamen said, every once in a while, a new technology, an old problem and a big idea turn into innovation. That is exactly what is happening at RCS and Ascend. On today’s episode, we discuss how to identify the root causes of revenue complexities and the potential benefits of dynamic time supply models. He highlights the challenges posed by high denial rates and the need for future technological solutions, such as workflow automation and AI integrations. His insights provide practical steps for healthcare providers to lower administrative complexity, improve financial outcomes, and build enterprise value.

With a broad background in software engineering and systems engineering, Daniel Loch has a deep understanding of RCM business processes and operational control systems. Bob and Dan discuss the real sources of problems in the way of getting all the money, fast, and cost-effectively. Bob and Dan walk through why the two main industry-default structures fail, and why a variable time supply model is needed. They discuss their new Billing Time Demand calculator about to be put into action and close on AI: a two-year horizon for practice owners, not ten — and why an RCS and Ascend as an RCM partner that understands the functional realities of healthcare businesses is the best positioned to lead RCM organizations and practices through the AI whirlwind that is underway.

Expect to Learn

-How Revenue Cycle Solutions helps healthcare practices maximize business intelligence and reduce process-based revenue risks.

-How functional intelligence silos contribute to time-demand escalation and how to manage teams effectively.

-Why converting day-to-day biller experience into RCM intelligence is essential to success.

-How regular root cause time analytics and metrics can prevent claim issues.

-Why a time-based approach to data, process and system design today is the required foundation for future enterprise value for healthcare practices.

-Why you’re standing at a fork in the road today with a 2-year horizon to reinvent your healthcare business in the context of AI.

-Why RCS and Ascend are uniquely positioned to lead healthcare from its chaotic, structurally flawed, poor outcome condition today to a streamlined, controlled outcome-based future.

Timestamps:

[00:00] - Teaser

[01:11] - Introduction of guest Daniel Loch

[04:45] - From Software Engineering to an MBA

[13:47] - True Partnership and Data Utilization

[21:17] - Revenue Cycle as a Time-Based Problem

[27:59] - Root Cause Analysis and Self-Inflicted Burden

[33:49] - Fixed Time Supply Versus Variable Demand

[43:30] - Workflow Automation and AI Agents

[54:49] - Closing Thoughts and Final Advice

Follow Daniel Loch on:

👉 LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/daniel ielloch/

Follow Guest’s Companies on:

- Revenue Cycle Solutions, LLC:

👉 LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/revenue-cycle-solutionsllc/

👉 Website - https://revenuecyclesolutionsllc.com/

- Ascend Solutions LLC:

👉 LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/ascend-solutions-llc-co/

👉 Website - https://ascendsolutionsllc.com/

Follow Robert Kowalick on:

👉 LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/robert-kowalick-610502102/

👉 Company Website - https://ascendsolutionsllc.com/

Follow Rehabbing Your Revenue Cycle Podcast:

👉 Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@RehabbingYourRevenueCycle

👉 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RehabbingYourRevenueCycle/

👉 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rehabbingyourrevenuecycle/

How Internal Complexity Breaks Revenue for Healthcare Leaders to Prevent Denials and Delays

Tue, 21 Apr 2026 14:00:00 +0500

In this episode of Rehabbing Your Revenue Cycle Podcast, host Robert Kowalick, Founder & CEO of Revenue Cycle Solutions, LLC and Ascend Solutions, LLC, discusses how and why revenue cycles fail in healthcare practices. Robert explains that failure is usually caused by internally generated complexities, lack of a “revenue cycle team” alignment, and inadequate revenue cycle systems and controls. He emphasizes the importance of reducing complexity, improving collaboration, and understanding billing time demand and the need to balance that with a data driven billing time supply model to achieve better revenue cycle outcomes.

Listeners will learn how revenue cycle complexity drives billing time demand and ultimately determines revenue cycle outcomes. Robert shares real data proving how internal revenue cycle processes, not payers, are the source of poor revenue cycle outcomes. He explains how reducing complexity by optimizing administrative workflows, and aligning teams can improve cash flow, lower costs, and create more stable and scalable healthcare businesses.

Robert Kowalick is a revenue cycle expert who works closely with healthcare providers, especially physical therapy practices. He focuses on helping organizations identify, quantify and ultimately prevent revenue cycle failures through better data as the foundation for focus areas and action plans. His work for many years has centered on reducing revenue cycle complexities to build more efficient and effective revenue cycle operations and ultimately better healthcare businesses.

Expect to Learn:

-How revenue cycle complexity is the number one driver of billing time demand

-Why most revenue cycle complexities come from internal revenue cycle processes external to the billing process

-Why billing time supply must match billing time demand to keep AR clean and how to know what your billing time supply needs to be

-Why functional silos prevent revenue cycle optimization

-Why reducing complexity is the number one most effective revenue cycle strategy by far for improving revenue cycle outcomes: aligning teams, improving conversion of potential revenue to cash, minimizing days in AR and creating cost effective revenue cycle delivery systems

Timestamps:

[00:00] – Teaser

[00:57] – Defining Revenue Cycle and Understanding If, When, and How Much

[05:12] – Why Healthcare Businesses Are Revenue Cycle Dependent

[09:27] – Universal Objectives of Revenue Cycle Management Explained

[19:33] – How Team Structure and Functional Silos Lead to Failure

[23:18] – Building a Collaborative Culture and Problem Solving Approach

[26:28] – How Complexity Drives Time Demand in Revenue Cycle

[32:50] – Internal Process Errors as the Primary Source of Complexity

[37:35] – Impact of Complexity on Billing Time and Denial Management

[42:33] – Fixed vs Variable Time Supply Models in Billing Operations

[01:09:17] – Final Takeaways on Reducing Complexity and Improving Outcomes

Company LinkedIn:

👉 Revenue Cycle Solutions, LLC - https://www.linkedin.com/company/revenue-cycle-solutionsllc/

👉 Ascend Solutions, LLC - https://www.linkedin.com/company/ascend-solutions-llc-co/

Company Website:

👉 Revenue Cycle Solutions, LLC - https://revenuecyclesolutionsllc.com/

👉 Ascend Solutions, LLC - https://ascendsolutionsllc.com/

Follow Robert Kowalick on:

👉 LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/robert-kowalick-610502102/

Follow Rehabbing Your Revenue Cycle Podcast:

👉 Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@RehabbingYourRevenueCycle

👉 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RehabbingYourRevenueCycle/

👉 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rehabbingyourrevenuecycle/

IT and Systems Compliance and HIPAA Risk in the Era of AI with Live Compliance Founder and President, with Jim Johnson

Wed, 15 Apr 2026 14:00:00 +0500

In this episode of Rehabbing Your Revenue Cycle Podcast, host Robert Kowalick talks with Jim Johnson, the Founder and President of Live Compliance, which specializes in HIPAA compliance management in today’s fast-changing healthcare environment. Jim shares his expertise in helping healthcare organizations identify and mitigate technology and remote workforce HIPAA compliance risks. Robert and Jim discuss how Live Compliance has helped RCS eliminate HIPAA compliance risk after being forced to go 100% remote by COVID. Jim discusses how to safeguard Protected Health Information (PHI) and the potential consequences of a PHI breach. Jim highlights the challenges posed by remote workforces and the need for proper security measures, such as workstation controls and continuous staff training. His insights provide practical steps for healthcare providers to mitigate risks, ensure compliance, and protect PHI effectively.

With over 20 years of experience in technology-based HIPAA compliance, Jim Johnson has a deep understanding of HIPAA regulations and technology risk management. After founding Live Compliance, Jim quickly recognized the growing challenges healthcare organizations face, especially with remote workforces and the increasing use of AI. By focusing on proper compliance strategies, staff training, and effective risk assessments, Jim has helped many healthcare providers safeguard patient information and reduce their risk of potentially business-ending PHI breaches. His expertise has been instrumental in empowering practices to maintain HIPAA compliance, secure sensitive data, and protect their long-term success in a rapidly evolving healthcare landscape.

Expect to Learn

-How Jim Johnson and Live Compliance help healthcare organizations maximize HIPAA compliance and reduce technology-based PHI risks.

-How AI usage introduces new compliance risks and how to manage them effectively.

-How remote workforces introduce new compliance risks and how to manage them effectively.

-Why continuous staff training and testing are essential to maintaining compliance.

-How regular risk assessments and compliance checks can prevent issues before they arise.

-Why a proactive approach to compliance and security ensures long-term stability for healthcare practices.

Timestamps

[00:00:00] - Teaser

[00:03:29] - Introduction to Jim Johnson

[00:05:17] - What is PHI, Really?

[00:15:54] - Workforce as the First Line of Defense

[00:26:20] - Can You Trust ChatGPT with PHI?

[00:41:53] - Top 5 Compliance Must-Haves

[00:45:23] - AI in Revenue Cycle Management

[00:56:09] - Peace of Mind Through Compliance

[00:59:22] - Closing Thoughts

Follow Jim Johnson on:

👉 LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamesvjohnson13

Follow Live Compliance on:

👉 LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/live-compliance

👉 Website - https://www.livecompliance.com/

👉 Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/livecompliance/?hl=en

👉 X - https://x.com/livecompliance

Follow Robert Kowalick on:

👉 LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/robert-kowalick-610502102/

👉 Company Website - https://ascendsolutionsllc.com/

Follow Rehabbing Your Revenue Cycle Podcast:

👉 Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@RehabbingYourRevenueCycle

👉 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RehabbingYourRevenueCycle/

👉 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rehabbingyourrevenuecycle/

The Right Data and How it Drives Automation Strategic Development Selection and Sequencing with Moative Co-Founder and CEO, Ashwin Ramasamy

Tue, 31 Mar 2026 15:00:00 +0500

In this episode of Rehabbing Your Revenue Cycle Podcast, host Robert Kowalick talks with Ashwin Ramasamy, Co-founder and CEO of Moative, a company helping businesses in energy, industrial, and healthcare sectors navigate AI and automation. Ashwin shares his journey of building and selling multiple tech companies before focusing on guiding industries through strategic automation transformations. Robert and Ashwin discuss how they came together to collaborate on RCS’s and Ascend’s joint automation evolution. In a nutshell, PDS is the only RCM data platform providing the “right data”. Ashwin and Robert discuss how PDS’ Revenue Cycle Complexity (RCC) data provides the actionable intelligence needed to integrate and align humans and automations in RCM workflows. AI facilitating RCC reduction while simultaneously expanding billing time supply is the two-pronged attack underway in RCS and Ascend. Robert believes this is the only automation development strategy that makes sense in RCM today and Ashwin agrees. RCC is the counterforce to accomplishing all revenue cycle objectives today. Robert and Ashwin are teaming up to prevent and fix the root causes of financial illness in US healthcare today. The right data, reducing complexities, optimizing processes with human and automation integration, is what is needed to build financially stable and scalable healthcare businesses today and Robert and Ashwin are teaming up to provide the pathway forward.

RCC and the out-of-control billing time inflation it causes are at pandemic levels in US healthcare today. Ashwin and Robert discuss how AI can optimize business operations and revenue cycles by reducing complexity, improving efficiency and effectiveness. Ashwin emphasizes the importance of using the right data to quantify billing time demand and using intelligent AI to prevent complexity and improve time supply and outcomes. He provides insights on how leveraging AI-driven intelligence can create more scalable and efficient businesses in today's competitive landscape.

With years of experience in building and selling tech companies, Ashwin Ramasamy had a strong foundation in technology but needed a deeper understanding of how AI could transform industries. Through his work at Motive, Ashwin has helped organizations use data and AI to reduce operational complexity, optimize business processes, and improve financial outcomes. Motive, RCS and Ascend are positioned to be key players in helping healthcare businesses become more scalable and competitive in a fast-evolving landscape.

Expect to Learn

-Why Robert and Ashwin have come together to create intelligent automation solutions for the Physical Therapy industry and beyond.

-Why data driven workflow automation selection, sequencing and complexity reduction are crucial to maximizing AI investment outcomes.

-Why data driven “humans in the loop” automation integration is the pathway forward and not replacing humans.

-Why AI investments and plans have had such a high failure rate.

-How Robert and Ashwin are strategically building and implementing AI into RCM workflows.

Why AI will not change the need for data quantifying RCM outcomes and automation effectiveness.

Timestamps

[00:00] – Teaser

[01:33] – Introduction & Context

[02:54] – Meet Ashwin Ramasamy

[03:42] – The Core Business Problem in Revenue Cycle

[10:43] – Complexity as the Hidden Cost in Billing

[14:28] – The Problem with EMR & PMS Systems

[18:02] – Redefining Revenue Cycle with AI

[23:52] – Engineering the Billing Time Supply Model

[26:27] – AI’s Role in Reducing Grunt Work and Scaling Intelligence

[34:47] – Quantifying Complexity & Operational Time Inflators

[39:52] – Training AI with Wisdom, Not Just Intelligence

[44:36] – The Road Ahead: Integration Over Replacement

Follow Ashwin Ramasamy on:

👉 LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashwinramasamy/

👉 X - https://x.com/Ashwinizer

👉 Company LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/moative

👉 Company Website - https://www.moative.com/

Follow Robert Kowalick on:

👉 LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/robert-kowalick-610502102/

👉 Company Website - https://ascendsolutionsllc.com/

Follow Rehabbing Your Revenue Cycle Podcast:

👉 Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@RehabbingYourRevenueCycle

👉 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RehabbingYourRevenueCycle/

👉 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rehabbingyourrevenuecycle/

Why the Right Data is as Important in Small Businesses as it is in Big Companies – Jennifer Frigault

Tue, 24 Mar 2026 15:00:00 +0500

In this episode of Rehabbing Your Revenue Cycle Podcast, host Robert Kowalick welcomes Jennifer Frigault, PCC, former SVP of Data and Analytics at Gannett, Inc / USA Today Co., Founder and Executive Coach at Spire Vision Leadership, CEO Coach at Maui Mastermind & Executive Leadership Coach at ExecOnline. Jennifer shares her journey from heading up data initiatives at USA TODAY Co., Inc. to helping small businesses improve financial, team, operations, sales, and marketing outcomes. She explains how her deep understanding of data, from predictive modeling to measuring must have metrics, is crucial for improving business outcomes. With her expertise, Jennifer is now helping clients in industries like healthcare optimize their processes and use data to drive better decisions, reduce complexity, and scale their businesses. Her story highlights the importance of leveraging data to maximize value and improve financial stability in challenging business environments.

With over 20 years of experience in data strategy, Jennifer Frigault built a strong foundation in leading high-performing teams. Jennifer works with clients in various industries, including healthcare, to optimize processes using data. By identifying key areas for improvement and leveraging data for strategic decisions, Jennifer has helped clients increase efficiency, reduce complexity, and drive better financial outcomes. Her work empowers business owners to create more stable and scalable businesses, even in challenging environments.

Expect to Learn

-How Jennifer transitioned from senior vice president of data strategy in a multi-billion-dollar public company to helping small business owners through coaching.

-Why having the right data is crucial for driving smarter business decisions and improving financial outcomes.

-How data enables better decision-making around customer acquisition, marketing channels, and lifetime value.

-How reducing revenue cycle complexity is the catalyst for improving practically every healthcare business outcome that impacts financial performance, stability and scalability all while helping business owners have a life outside of their successful business.

-Why using the right data is key to identifying challenges, optimizing processes, and achieving business growth.

-How aligning teams around common data-driven goals helps create a more stable and scalable business.

Timestamps

[00:00] – Teaser

[03:22] – Jennifer’s Background: Data Strategy & Analytics Evolution

[04:14] – The Role of Data in Scaling a Business

[05:43] – Optimizing Patient Acquisition and Retention

[07:42] – The Business Challenges in Physical Therapy

[10:38] – Squeezed Margins and Rising Costs in Healthcare

[13:16] – Using Data to Optimize Revenue Cycle Efficiency

[16:29] – Expanding Services to Increase Client Lifetime Value

[17:50] – The Core Business Must Be Solid Before Expansion

[19:49] – Coding Optimization for Better Revenue

[24:11] – Time Analytics and the 400% Efficiency Variance

[26:22] – Reducing Complexity in Billing to Improve Cash Flow

[29:15] – Identifying Root Causes of Billing Delays

[32:21] – Balancing Billing Time Supply and Demand

[35:35] – Connecting Teams Through Data Visualisation

[38:04] – Overcoming Data Overload and Analysis Paralysis

[40:08] – The Role of Marketing in Profitable Business Growth

Follow Jennifer Frigault, PCC on:

👉 LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/jenniferfrigault/

Company LinkedIn:

👉 Spire Vision Leadership - https://www.linkedin.com/company/spirevisionleadership/

👉 Maui Mastermind - https://www.linkedin.com/company/maui-mastermind/

👉 ExecOnline - https://www.linkedin.com/company/execonline/

Company Website:

👉 Spire Vision Leadership - https://spirevisionleadership.com/

👉 Maui Mastermind - https://mauimastermind.com/

👉 ExecOnline - https://www.execonline.com/

Follow Robert Kowalick on:

👉 LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/robert-kowalick-610502102/

👉 Company Website - https://ascendsolutionsllc.com/

Follow Rehabbing Your Revenue Cycle Podcast:

👉 Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@RehabbingYourRevenueCycle

👉 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RehabbingYourRevenueCycle/

👉 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rehabbingyourrevenuecycle/

Are Your Revenue Cycle Metrics Keeping Up with Healthcare Complexity? with Robert Kowalick - Part 2

Tue, 17 Mar 2026 15:00:00 +0500

If you haven't listened yet, start with Part 1 and then continue with Part 2 of this episode of Rehabbing Your Revenue Cycle, where host Robert Kowalick, Founder & CEO of Revenue Cycle Solutions, LLC and Ascend Solutions, LLC, explains how understanding and tracking essential revenue cycle metrics provides the strategy for improving healthcare business financial outcomes. Our systems must provide the essential raw data from which meaningful metrics and analytics can be created. RCM, like any other critical business pillar, needs strategic planning and focus areas that map into every revenue cycle task that impacts if, when, and how much providers are paid. In Revenue Cycle businesses, most team members do not understand their roles in the context of Revenue Cycle Objectives. Robert discusses how he has created the structure to provide this essential data story. Robert also shares real-world examples and practical strategies for reducing complexities in revenue cycles and why this needs to be the central focus of all RCM operations. By creating the right data, metrics, and analytics, processes can be optimized, and healthcare businesses can enhance cash flow and build more financially stable and scalable businesses.

As a top physical therapist with years of experience as a private practice owner, Robert transitioned into revenue cycle management after building and selling his own multi-location physical therapy practice. He now focuses on helping other healthcare providers optimize their businesses through a better data foundation, time analytics, and process optimization. Robert's expertise in both patient care and business operations has allowed him to create effective systems and strategies for improving revenue cycle performance. In this episode, Robert gets into the details of Revenue Cycle must have metrics and sets the stage for the next episode when Robert interviews Jennifer Frigault, the former head of data and strategy for USA Today Networks.

Expect to Learn

-How understanding and tracking key revenue cycle metrics can improve financial outcomes for healthcare practices

-Why raw data and simple calculations are the foundation for creating more meaningful metrics and analytics

-What raw data, calculations, metrics, and analytics are must-haves for any revenue cycle-dependent healthcare business

-Why aligning all team members across the entire revenue cycle organization is critical to success, and how to do it.

-How optimizing revenue cycle processes through data-driven insights can lead to a more profitable and scalable healthcare business.

Timestamps:

[00:00] – Teaser

[01:11] – Gross Value of a New Patient as a Core Revenue Metric

[03:45] – Patient AR vs Insurance AR: Must-Have Relative Metrics

[06:51] – Measuring Time of Service Collection Shortfalls Per Visit

[11:28] – Identifying Complexity by Function and Location

[15:55] – Volume vs Production: Why Scale Alone Misleads

[20:53] – AR Audit Frequency Based on ADO Score Condition

[23:50] – Categorizing AR by Authorization, VOB, and Registration Errors

[27:10] – Claim Break Rate: Open Claims Relative to Production

[29:34] – Front Office Contribution to Claim Break Rates

[31:40] – AR Follow-Up Score and Denial Rate Measurement

[36:30] – 96% of Revenue Cycle Problems Originate Outside Billing

[39:59] – Converting Data into Actionable Intelligence Each Month

[42:27] – Expanding Complexity Tracking Beyond the Billing Function

[43:05] – Future Episodes on AI, Data, and Revenue Cycle Innovation

Company LinkedIn:

👉 Revenue Cycle Solutions, LLC - https://www.linkedin.com/company/revenue-cycle-solutionsllc/

👉 Ascend Solutions, LLC - https://www.linkedin.com/company/ascend-solutions-llc-co/

Company Website:

👉 Revenue Cycle Solutions, LLC - https://revenuecyclesolutionsllc.com/

👉 Ascend Solutions, LLC - https://ascendsolutionsllc.com/

Follow Robert Kowalick on:

👉 LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/robert-kowalick-610502102/

Follow Rehabbing Your Revenue Cycle Podcast:

👉 Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@RehabbingYourRevenueCycle

👉 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RehabbingYourRevenueCycle/

👉 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rehabbingyourrevenuecycle/

Are Your Revenue Cycle Metrics Keeping Up With Today’s Growing Healthcare Complexities with Robert Kowalick - Part 1

Tue, 10 Mar 2026 09:00:00 +0500

In this episode of Rehabbing Your Revenue Cycle Podcast, host Robert Kowalick, Founder & CEO of Revenue Cycle Solutions, LLC and Ascend Solutions, LLC, discusses the importance of must-have revenue cycle management metrics. Robert explains how understanding key metrics is essential to improving financial outcomes in healthcare organizations. He emphasizes the critical need to have the right raw data from which calculations and metrics can be transformed into powerful analytics to guide planning and actions in healthcare businesses. Listeners will learn about innovative new metrics and analytics like ADO Score, Objective Risks Scores, Payer Mix Scores, Coding Scores can provide actionable intelligence for improving revenue cycle performance. Robert also shares real-world examples and practical strategies for reducing complexities in revenue cycles and why this needs to be the central focus of all RCM operations. By creating the right data, metrics and analytics, processes can be optimized, and healthcare businesses can enhance cash flow, and build more financial stable and scalable businesses.

As a top physical therapist and years of experience as a private practice owner, Robert transitioned into revenue cycle management after building and selling his own multi-location physical therapy practice. He now focuses on helping other healthcare providers optimize their businesses through a better data foundation, time analytics and process optimization. Robert's expertise in both patient care and business operations has allowed him to create effective systems and strategies for improving revenue cycle performance. In this episode, Robert explains how building a foundation of data and data analytics is key to business improvement. Sequencing matters - build the foundation first to reduce complexity and enhance scalability. Stay tuned for part 2, where we’ll explore solving the challenges of revenue cycle complexity to build a more efficient and profitable practice. Parts 1 and 2 of this episode provide the context for the next episode when Robert interviews Jennifer Frigault, the former head of data and strategy for USA Today Networks.

Expect to Learn

-How understanding and tracking key revenue cycle metrics can improve financial outcomes for healthcare practices

-Why raw data and simple calculations are the foundation for creating more meaningful metrics and analytics

-What raw data, calculations, metrics and analytics are must haves for any revenue cycle dependent healthcare business

-Why aligning all team members across the entire revenue cycle organization is critical to success and how to do it.

-How optimizing revenue cycle processes through data-driven insights can lead to a more profitable and scalable healthcare business.

Timestamps:

[00:00] – Teaser

[01:40] – The Four Phases of Revenue Cycle and Today’s Focus

[04:23] – Why Raw Data Is the Foundation of Every Meaningful Metric

[06:38] – Structuring Payer Classes Correctly to Improve Visibility

[11:28] – Relative Metrics: Connecting Payer Mix to Days in AR

[15:38] – Why Revenue Per Visit Can Drop Even When Things Are Going Well

[24:04] – How AI Will Redefine Healthcare Administrative Roles

[32:01] – Calculating Average Days Outstanding and Introducing the ADO Score

[41:04] – Revenue Per Visit Score: CPT Coding and Payer Mix

Company LinkedIn:

👉 Revenue Cycle Solutions, LLC - https://www.linkedin.com/company/revenue-cycle-solutionsllc/

👉 Ascend Solutions, LLC - https://www.linkedin.com/company/ascend-solutions-llc-co/

Company Website:

👉 Revenue Cycle Solutions, LLC - https://revenuecyclesolutionsllc.com/

👉 Ascend Solutions, LLC - https://ascendsolutionsllc.com/

Follow Robert Kowalick on:

👉 LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/robert-kowalick-610502102/

Follow Rehabbing Your Revenue Cycle Podcast:

👉 Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@RehabbingYourRevenueCycle

👉 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RehabbingYourRevenueCycle/

👉 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rehabbingyourrevenuecycle/

Building Scalable PT Practices: The Revenue Cycle Management and Marketing Connection

Wed, 04 Mar 2026 15:00:00 +0500

In this episode of Rehabbing Your Revenue Cycle Podcast, host Robert Kowalick is joined by Chad Madden, Founder of Madden & Gilbert Physical Therapy and Co-Founder of Breakthrough, a physical therapy practice marketing company. Chad shares his journey from a physical therapy startup to a large practice with six offices and over 10,000 visits a month.

Chad had a deep understanding of patient care but needed an education in owning a practice. He discusses how developing standardized systems and controls based on data helped him scale successfully. Chad discusses how it was critical to understand the financial aspects of being a business owner and credits Robert with helping him understand and implement many revenue cycle based metrics. Chad explains how he used marketing strategies, such as reactivation emails and professional referrals, to generate demand and fill patient schedules.

His story shows how physical therapy practice owners can use the right data and optimized systems to grow their business, improve financial outcomes, and create a scalable operation despite industry challenges. Chad mastered improving the elements of his practice that ultimately determine practice valuations, and after successfully scaling, Chad had a successful exit from his practice, selling to a large national PT consolidator. Chad and Robert’s business journeys share many similarities.

Expect to Learn

-How Chad grew his physical therapy practice from 48 visits a week to over 2,800 visits a week.

-Why building systems and understanding financials are key to scaling a successful practice.

-How marketing strategies like reactivation emails and professional referrals can drive patient demand and fill schedules.

-How revenue cycle systems and process optimization founded on great data are essential to overall profitability and scalability.

-Why having the right data to manage clinician performance and patient conversion is also essential for growth.

-How aligning marketing and revenue cycle strategies can help practice owners build a scalable and sustainable business.

Timestamps

[00:00:00] - Teaser

[00:01:38] - Introduction & Purpose of the Conversation

[00:04:05] - Defining Scaling and Chad’s Early Journey

[00:11:46] - The Five Ways to Acquire New PT Patients

[00:17:04] - Why EMR Marketing Tools Don’t Cut It

[00:23:43] - Budgeting for Growth: The 10% Rule

[00:30:36] - Market-Message-Media Match in Rural vs. Urban Areas

[00:34:03] - Connecting Revenue Cycle to Marketing Investments

[00:38:29] - Graduation Rate as the New NPS

[00:50:30] - Using Data to Optimise Therapist Performance

[00:58:57] - Targeting High-Value Patients with Smart Marketing

[01:08:51] - Financial Systems and Therapist Engagement

[01:10:06] - Final Thoughts

Follow Chad Madden on:

👉 LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/chadmadden

👉 Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/chad.madden/

👉 Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/chadmaddenpt/

👉 X - https://x.com/maddenpt

Websites:

👉 Breakthrough - https://maddengilbertphysicaltherapy.com/

👉 Madden and Gilbert Physical Therapy - https://getbreakthrough.com/

Company LinkedIn:

👉 Breakthrough - https://www.linkedin.com/company/getbreakthrough

👉 Madden and Gilbert Physical Therapy - https://www.linkedin.com/company/madden-pt

Follow Robert Kowalick on:

👉 LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/robert-kowalick-610502102/

👉 Company Website - https://ascendsolutionsllc.com/

Follow Rehabbing Your Revenue Cycle Podcast:

👉 Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@RehabbingYourRevenueCycle

👉 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RehabbingYourRevenueCycle/

👉 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rehabbingyourrevenuecycle/

The Patient Payment Systems for Clinic Owners to Reduce AR and Train Teams with Jean and Debbie

Wed, 18 Feb 2026 15:00:00 +0500

In this episode of Rehabbing Your Revenue Cycle Podcast, host Robert Kowalick sits down with Debbie Powell, Co-Founder and Owner, and Jean Weatherly, Director of Administration, at HealthActions Physical Therapy and Fitness, to discuss one of the most common revenue leaks in private practices today: patient cost shares. Together, they share how their clinic successfully improved cash flow by optimizing their patient financial responsibility policies and processes. Even though patient payments account for over 18% of HealthActions revenue, patient AR accounts for less than 1% of their total AR. Once armed with proper data, Debbie and Jean strategically updated policies and implemented best practices that focused on staff training, patient communications, systems integrations and consistent execution in each of their 11 offices to collect millions from patients per year with no patient AR over 30 days old! Debbie and Jean have created a more profitable and streamlined business, even in the face of rising patient cost shares and industry challenges.

With decades of experience in physical therapy private practice, Robert was able to help HealthActions identify opportunities to improve the financial outcomes of their business. Patient financial responsibility policies and processes are one of the most common under performing revenue cycle functions in a practice. Debbie and Jean are living proof that better data opens the door to better processes, better outcomes and a better business. Their commitment to creating efficient systems and a strong team culture has helped their practice grow, resulting in greater financial stability and long-term success.

Expect to Learn

-How Debbie and Jean improved their practice's financial performance through better data, better processes and better revenue cycle outcomes.

-Why training the entire staff, front office, back office and clinicians is key to collecting patient cost shares at the time of service and eliminating patient accounts receivable.

- Why using data to track the impacts of policy and procedure changes is critical to optimization efforts.

-Why effective patient financial responsibility policy and process have a huge impact on reducing revenue cycle complexity and billing time demand.

-Why patient payments that average almost 20% of practice revenue is the lowest hanging fruit to capture when searching for ways to improve practice financial performance.

-How teamwork across all roles in a practice as measured by common revenue cycle objectives is essential for improving revenue cycle outcomes and building greater financial stability.

Timestamps

[00:00] – Teaser

[00:59] – Introduction

[04:11] – The Journey of Change

[08:58] – Revenue Trends in Physical Therapy

[15:43] – Building Effective Systems

[18:24] – Benchmarking Success with Data

[22:23] – Collecting at the Front Desk

[29:21] – The Role of Patient Experience

[31:01] – Credit Card on File & Post-Discharge Balances

[34:05] – Documentation, Auditing & Incentives

[37:05] – Closing Thoughts

Follow HealthActions Physical Therapy on:

👉 LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/healthactionspa/

👉 Website - https://healthactionspt.com/

👉 Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/HealthActions/#

Follow Robert Kowalick on:

👉 LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/robert-kowalick-610502102/

👉 Company Website - https://revenuecyclesolutionsllc.com/

Follow Rehabbing Your Revenue Cycle Podcast:

👉 Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@RehabbingYourRevenueCycle

👉 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RehabbingYourRevenueCycle/

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How Reducing Revenue Cycle Complexity and Optimizing Coding Distribution Added $32 Per Visit with Petra Pirc

Wed, 11 Feb 2026 15:00:00 +0500

In this episode of Rehabbing Your Revenue Cycle Podcast, host Robert Kowalick sits down with Petra Pirc, Owner of Physical Therapy Plus, an outpatient physical therapy practice with locations in New Mexico. Petra shares her journey from being a staff therapist to taking over the long-established PT clinic she worked in just before the COVID-19 pandemic. She explains how partnering with Revenue Cycle Solutions (“RCS”) helped solve her financial struggles by improving her revenue cycle outcomes. Her evolution started with having access to the data she needed to understand her present condition and what was reducing revenue and increasing costs. The RCS data identified root causes of claims issues and opportunities to improve clinician coding and the practice payer mix. Once armed with better data, Petra was able to optimize processes internal to her practice and improve her financial outcomes. Petra's story highlights how practice owners can use data to increase revenue per visit, reduce billing complexity, and build a more stable and scalable business despite today’s industry challenges.

With more than two decades of experience as a physical therapist, Petra Pirc had a deep understanding of patient care but needed more expertise as a business owner. After taking over Physical Therapy Plus in late 2019, Petra quickly faced the challenges of running a practice during the COVID-19 pandemic. Through her partnership with RCS, Petra was able to focus on becoming a more knowledgeable and effective practice owner. Using the RCS approach of better data, facilitating better processes and outcomes, Petra was able to gain better control over the things that determined her financial outcomes. Her hands-on approach and commitment to using data to optimize her practice operations have helped her boost revenue per visit by $32, reduce days in AR, and create excess cash flow that could be used to be more competitive as an employer and ultimately strengthen the long-term success of her practice.

Expect to Learn

-How Petra transitioned from staff therapist to practice owner and navigated the challenges of COVID-19.

-Why obtaining the right data is the most important first step in improving practice financial outcomes

-How the right data enables optimization of CPT coding and payer mix, which can significantly raise revenue per visit

-How reducing revenue cycle complexity results in stronger and faster conversion of provider time into cash, prevents leaving money on the table, and reduces the cost of getting paid

-Why the right revenue cycle data is key to identifying revenue risks and making smarter strategic decisions

-How collaboration between all the roles in a practice around common revenue cycle goals can create a more stable and scalable business

Timestamps

[00:00] – Teaser

[02:21] – Buying the Clinic Just Before COVID Hit

[04:33] – Surviving COVID and Securing PPP Loan

[08:14] – In-House Billing Struggles and Learning by Doing

[11:14] – Data, CPT Coding, and Rebuilding After the Pandemic

[15:21] – Looking at Petra’s Data Over the Past Three Years

[20:59] – Optimizing Revenue Cycle and Payer Mix

[28:44] – Payer Mix Optimization and Dropping Low-Paying Plans

[34:19] – Billing Time Demand vs Time Supply Explained

[36:16] – Reducing Claim Errors and Improving Efficiency

[01:00:56] – Petra’s Advice to Practice Owners

Follow Petra Pirc, on:

👉 LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/ptplusnm/

Company LinkedIn:

👉 Physical Therapy Plus - https://www.linkedin.com/company/ptpinc/

Company Website:

👉 Physical Therapy Plus - https://ptplusnm.com/

Follow Robert Kowalick on:

👉 LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/robert-kowalick-610502102/

👉 Company Website - https://revenuecyclesolutionsllc.com/

Follow Rehabbing Your Revenue Cycle Podcast:

👉 Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@RehabbingYourRevenueCycle

👉 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RehabbingYourRevenueCycle/

👉 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rehabbingyourrevenuecycle/

Revenue Cycle Complexity: The Root Cause of Poor RCM Outcomes

Tue, 03 Feb 2026 15:00:00 +0500

In this episode of Rehabbing Your Revenue Cycle Podcast, host Robert Kowalick, Founder & CEO of Revenue Cycle Solutions, LLC and Ascend Solutions, LLC, explores what he calls the "Revenue Cycle Complexity Black Hole." He explains how and why healthcare revenue cycles are experiencing a pandemic of preventable complexities, weakening the financial health of healthcare organizations. Robert explains the many causes of Revenue Cycle Complexity (RCC) and how to quantify them while providing objective proof that reducing RCC improves every objective RCM outcome measure. Listeners will learn how it is the RCC within the claims volume that determines Billing Time Demand, not the volume itself. RCC can inflate the most critical billing task times by as much as 4000%! Listeners will learn why reducing RCC should be the #1 focus of every revenue cycle management system, process, and function. Robert explains how to transform any billing team from back office task doers into powerful revenue cycle intelligence data generators providing the insights needed to reduce even the largest and most damaging Revenue Cycle Complexity Black Holes. With years of data coming from millions of claims, Robert explains how individual errors and omissions across systems, administrative workflows, and payer processes feed the RCC Black Hole so it can consume your time and financial resources while reducing RCM effectiveness. Like any problem worth solving, Robert shares why understanding and measuring RCC is the first step to reducing it. Using clear examples and real client case studies, Robert shows how reducing complexity can lead to reductions in AR, faster payments, improved revenue, improved billing efficiency, lower billing costs, and ultimately a more valuable business. Stay tuned for future episodes that will identify must-have RCM metrics that break down the sources of complexity and quantify your RCC Black Hole and how to reduce its damaging impact on your healthcare business.

Expect to Learn

-Why revenue cycle complexity is the biggest hidden challenge in healthcare revenue cycles

-How quantifying RCC and its impact on billing time demand reveals staffing shortfalls at the task level, which causes outcomes to suffer

-Why converting the medical biller’s daily experience into RCC data is the most effective way to improve RCM outcomes

-Why fixed billing time supply models fail, and why aligning billing time supply with billing time demand is required to create better cash flow, faster payments, and lower costs

-Why reducing RCC is the most effective strategy for creating a more financially stable, more scalable, more efficient, and more profitable healthcare business

Timestamps:

[00:00] – Teaser

[00:01:02] – Defining Revenue Cycle Complexity as a Black Hole

[00:09:31] – How Billing Time Demand Is Shaped by Every Function

[00:11:32] – Matching Billing Time Supply to Time Demand

[00:24:34] – Why ADO Score Is the Key Outcome Metric

[00:30:18] – Using the Biller's Tasks to Create Useful Data

[00:56:50] – The True Cost of High Complexity on Billing Time

[00:58:24] – Comparing Low vs High Complexity Billing Outcomes

[01:03:04] – Real Practice Case Study: PT Plus

[01:06:24] – Real Practice Case Study: Summit Physical Therapy

[01:11:08] – What’s Coming Next

Company LinkedIn:

👉 Revenue Cycle Solutions, LLC - https://www.linkedin.com/company/revenue-cycle-solutionsllc/

👉 Ascend Solutions, LLC - https://www.linkedin.com/company/ascend-solutions-llc-co/

Company Website:

👉 Revenue Cycle Solutions, LLC - https://revenuecyclesolutionsllc.com/

👉 Ascend Solutions, LLC - https://ascendsolutionsllc.com/

Follow Robert Kowalick on:

👉 LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/robert-kowalick-610502102/

Follow Rehabbing Your Revenue Cycle Podcast:

👉 Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@RehabbingYourRevenueCycle

👉 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RehabbingYourRevenueCycle/

👉 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rehabbingyourrevenuecycle/

How Time-Based Billing Intelligence Data Becomes the Basis for Reducing Revenue Cycle Complexity and Improving Revenue Cycle Outcomes (Part 2)

Tue, 13 Jan 2026 15:30:00 +0500

If you missed it, check out Part 1, then continue with Part 2 of this episode of Rehabbing Your Revenue Cycle, where host Robert Kowalick, Managing Member & CEO of Revenue Cycle Solutions, LLC and Ascend Solutions, LLC, shares his journey from hospital-based physical therapist to building a multi-location practice and launching a data-driven billing company. Drawing from more than 20 years in healthcare, Robert explains why many revenue cycles fail and how focusing on billing time demand, complexity, and outcomes can lead to better financial results. He introduces the core ideas behind his unique approach to revenue cycle management and outlines how turning billers into data sources helps fix problems at the root. This episode sets the foundation for healthcare providers who want to grow stronger, more efficient, and more valuable businesses.

With a background in physical therapy and a strong focus on solving business problems, Robert Kowalick brings years of hands-on experience to revenue cycle management. After starting his career in a hospital system, he launched and grew a successful seven-location practice before selling it and turning his in-house billing team into a full-service company. Motivated by the need to improve billing outcomes for other providers, Robert developed a data platform that tracks billing time and complexity to uncover root causes of poor performance. His mission is to help healthcare practices improve revenue, reduce waste, and build more scalable and profitable businesses through better use of data.

Expect to Learn

-Why most healthcare practice revenue cycle outcomes are broken and how they impact provider income underperform expectations.

-Why quantifying revenue cycle complexities and their impact on understanding billing time demand, billing process efficiency, and effectiveness, and time supply is the most important missing information in a healthcare practice that can improve cash flow and efficiency.

-How and why converting the biller’s experience into billing intelligence data identifies all opportunities for revenue cycle process optimization helps reveal hidden problems in the revenue cycle.

-How reducing revenue cycle complexities from any source across systems, payers, and processes leads to better revenue cycle business outcomes.

-How better revenue cycle data and metrics drive optimizations that allow you to build. Why treating your billing team like a data source is key to building a more scalable and profitable practice.

Timestamps

[00:00] – Recap of Part 1

[00:37] – The Starting Point & The Billing Time Puzzle

[02:57] – Defining Revenue Cycle Functions and Their Impact

[05:21] – Turning Billers into Data Generators

[07:55] – The Daily Reality and Frustrations of Billers

[10:58] – The Need to Control Revenue Cycle Complexity

[12:11] – The Goal: Balance Time Demand & Supply

[16:31] – Quantifying Complexity with Data

[18:02] – 78% of Problems Originate Outside Billing

[23:40] – The 40x Time Variance in Denial Management

[26:11] – Upcoming Episodes and Topics

[32:38] – Case Study: Transforming Practice Value in 9 Years

[36:11] – Who This Model Can Help

Company LinkedIn:

👉 Revenue Cycle Solutions, LLC - https://www.linkedin.com/company/revenue-cycle-solutionsllc/

👉 Ascend Solutions, LLC - https://www.linkedin.com/company/ascend-solutions-llc-co/

Company Website:

👉 Revenue Cycle Solutions, LLC - https://revenuecyclesolutionsllc.com/

👉 Ascend Solutions, LLC - https://ascendsolutionsllc.com/

Follow Robert Kowalick on:

👉 LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/robert-kowalick-610502102/

Follow Rehabbing Your Revenue Cycle Podcast:

👉 Website: https://revenuecyclesolutionsllc.com/

👉 Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@RehabbingYourRevenueCycle

It’s About Time: How Time-Based Billing Intelligence Data Can Maximize the Value of Your Practice (Part 1)

Tue, 13 Jan 2026 15:00:00 +0500

In this launch episode of Rehabbing Your Revenue Cycle, host Robert Kowalick, Managing Member & CEO of Revenue Cycle Solutions, LLC and Ascend Solutions, LLC, introduces the purpose and vision behind the show. Robert shares his journey from running a successful seven-location physical therapy practice to building a data-driven revenue cycle management company. He explains how years of working with thousands of providers revealed a common issue in healthcare: broken revenue cycles. This episode covers how understanding billing time demand, reducing complexity, and using better data can help providers improve cash flow, increase efficiency, and grow their business with confidence.

With a background as a licensed physical therapist and over 20 years in healthcare, Robert Kowalick brings deep experience in both patient care and business operations. He began his career in a hospital system before starting and growing his own multi-location physical therapy practice. After selling that business, Robert turned his focus to revenue cycle management, building a company that helps other providers improve billing results through better data and time analytics. Stay tuned for part 2, where we’ll cover how most revenue cycles are broken and why solving billing complexity is key to creating a stronger, more profitable healthcare business.

Expect to Learn

Why most healthcare practice revenue cycle outcomes underperform expectations

Why quantifying revenue cycle complexities and their impact on billing time demand, billing process efficiency, and effectiveness is the most important missing information in a healthcare practice.

How capturing the biller’s experience into billing intelligence data identifies all opportunities for revenue cycle process optimization.

How reducing revenue cycle complexities from any source leads to better revenue cycle outcomes.

How better revenue cycle data and metrics drive optimizations that allow you to build a more scalable and profitable practice.

Timestamps

[00:00] – Teaser

[01:06] – Why This Podcast Exists and What to Expect

[04:50] – Root Causes of Billing Problems in Healthcare

[09:13] – Why Helping Other Practices Is Harder Than Expected

[17:10] – What Revenue Cycle Really Means for Providers

[19:55] – The Balance Between Time Demand and Time Supply

[26:02] – Applying the Physical Therapy Mindset to Business

[35:04] – Creating a Billing Model That Prioritizes Outcomes

Company LinkedIn:

👉 Revenue Cycle Solutions, LLC - https://www.linkedin.com/company/revenue-cycle-solutionsllc/

👉 Ascend Solutions, LLC - https://www.linkedin.com/company/ascend-solutions-llc-co/

Company Website:

👉 Revenue Cycle Solutions, LLC - https://revenuecyclesolutionsllc.com/

👉 Ascend Solutions, LLC - https://ascendsolutionsllc.com/

Follow Robert Kowalick on:

👉 LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/robert-kowalick-610502102/

Follow Rehabbing Your Revenue Cycle Podcast:

👉 Website: https://revenuecyclesolutionsllc.com/

👉 Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@RehabbingYourRevenueCycle

New Episode Coming Soon!

Fri, 02 Jan 2026 09:00:00 +0500

Is your billing process healthy, or is it holding your practice back?

Introducing Rehabbing Your Revenue Cycle, the new podcast for PT and OT owners ready to turn data into dollars.

Join host Robert Kowalick, founder of Ascend Solutions, as he moves beyond the "billing service" mindset to introduce Billing Intelligence. Each episode reveals how to use time-based data to slash payment delays, eliminate operational risks, and maximize a practice's total value.

It’s time to stop guessing and start growing.

Rehabbing Your Revenue Cycle. Coming soon to all major podcast platforms.