Trends 2025: The demand for interim revenue cycle executives


WittKieffer Principal Adam Burns
Photo: Courtesy WittKieffer
The search for revenue cycle management leaders is ongoing and can be particularly challenging because of the nature of the executives who take on the job, according to one expert.
“These leaders often have a fix-it mentally,” according to Adam Burns, a principal at WittKieffer, an executive search firm for healthcare.
Turnover among these leaders can be high when revenue operations are going smoothly.
“If the revenue cycle function is working perfectly, that’s not exciting,” Burns said. “A lot like the challenge of finding the areas that are broken.”
This makes for a narrow talent pool, creating a dynamic where there’s a fairly tight supply and high demand for leaders with this skill set, Burns said.
Some hospitals and health systems opt to outsource revenue cycle management, rather than take on the challenges of automation, AI and keeping pace with the deeper pockets of payers.
Others turn to interim executives.
“If there’s a vacancy in leadership, or lack of capacity or specialized knowledge, it makes sense to tap an interim leader,” Burns said. “For 2025, we see no end in sight for demand.”
The traditional view of filling leadership roles has shifted over the past five years, he said.
Previously, an opening on the organizational chart was filled as soon as possible. Now there’s less focus on a title and filling a position. Interim revenue cycle leaders are coming in as advisors, sometimes in a parallel search for a permanent new leader or for a certain amount of time.
This often happens when the revenue cycle is implementing a new piece of technology.
Rev cycle needs to keep pace with the technology arms race of payers, who have made massive investments in AI, Burns said.
Because of their more limited resources than payers, providers can’t match IT investment dollar for dollar. They’re always playing catch up. Health systems are struggling against AI-denied claims.
“My advice to them is to find the right person who is the true expert,” Burns said. “They’re looking for a catalyst asking for help. If they’re implementing technology, they’re already working 50-60 hours.”
Physicians and other team members are already fatigued from EHR implementation, he said.
Hospitals are turning to outsourcing for a leader who can take them through the transition.
Often systems are having billing issues and need someone to come in to do a deep assessment after an EHR implementtion, Burns said. Other times there’s broken processes that haven’t been updated.
WittKieffer has built a network of interim leaders. Many of these are older executives who have retired from full-time work but who have the expertise and want to choose when to work.
Hospitals are looking for someone with a proven history of adopting new technologies, who has change management and communication skills, Burns said.
AI is seen as the new frontier for revenue cycle automation, but whatever the solution, Burns said, “the human capital piece is so much more than the technology piece.”
Email the writer: SMorse@himss.org