You cannot improve what you do not measure. Practices that grow collections consistently usually track a short list of RCM metrics every month — then act on the trends.
Start with clean claim rate and first-pass acceptance. If too many claims bounce at the clearinghouse or payer front end, your coding, demographics, or eligibility workflow needs attention before AR work piles up.
Next, watch denial rate by reason code and days in A/R by aging bucket. A rising 90+ day balance often signals slow follow-up or payer-specific friction. Net collection rate helps you see whether contracted amounts are actually being realized.
- Clean claim / first-pass acceptance rate
- Denial rate by category (eligibility, coding, auth, timely filing)
- Days in A/R and % of A/R over 90 days
- Net collection rate
- Cost to collect (or admin hours spent per claim)
Review these metrics in a monthly huddle with clear owners and next actions. Numbers alone do not fix revenue — consistent follow-through does.