Patient access teams get financially smart in a tight economy

Hospitals can't escape layoffs these days, and they're not adding many jobs any time soon.

Bureau of Labor Statistics data released Friday say hospitals added only 300 payroll jobs across the entire nation, compared to 16,800 jobs in May 2008, and 8,700 jobs in May 2007.

So what are hospitals doing about it, especially on the front end where accurate registrations and upfront collections can mean the difference between a denial and a full return on a patient bill?

They are getting smarter, more technologically savvy, and analyzing their payer mix and what each entity requires.

Read the full story by HealthLeaders Media's Dom Nicastro.