Schweiger Dermatology Group

Founded by Dr. Eric Schweiger in 2010, Schweiger Dermatology Group is one of the fastest-growing dermatology practices in the United States. With more than 170 offices across eight states, the group has experienced rapid expansion through acquisitions and organic growth. As part of their commitment to providing high-quality, patient-centered care, Schweiger continuously looks for ways to streamline operations, enhance the patient experience, and improve financial performance.

Most businesses can only imagine the kind of sustained robust growth achieved by Schweiger. But as a company grows, so do the complexities and challenges of revenue cycle management (RCM). For Schweiger, a decentralized RCM function proved to be inadequate as the group entered its phase of rapid expansion.

Notably, the organization struggled to manage a sizable array of payer contracts—more than 200 and growing. “In particular, we found it difficult to model out these contracts and determine whether we were receiving the full, appropriate reimbursement,” explains Yta Toribio, Schweiger’s Sr. Vice President of Revenue Cycle Management. “We saw a lot of revenue leakage as a result.” Further compounding this challenge, she adds, Schweiger lacked an in-house analytics team that could process complex RCM data. “In the absence of this internal capability, we needed a data and analytics solution without a steep learning curve—and we needed it fast.”

Schweiger acted decisively to transform the management of its revenue cycle by partnering with Viewgol, which was acquired by TruBridge. Specifically, the organization implemented TruBridge Ambulatory RCM solutions and tapped into TruBridge’s data analytics expertise. TruBridge RCM solutions are designed to address billing, coding, collections, and all other facets of the revenue cycle, from patient registration to payment, helping to ensure timely and complete reimbursement for services rendered.

Time was of the essence in resolving Schweiger’s RCM opportunities. Fortunately, TruBridge RCM technology is an EHR/practice management solution agnostic, so it could be quickly and seamlessly integrated with Schweiger’s existing systems. This expedited the process of gaining meaningful data insights, leading to faster—and more informed—strategic decision-making.

By centralizing and streamlining many crucial RCM functions, from authorizations to patient access, Schweiger has significantly improved operational efficiency, while reducing revenue leakage.

Partnering with TruBridge has yielded substantial and measurable results for Schweiger, starting with days in accounts receivable (AR). “Our days in AR have been reduced from more than 40 when I started here to under 25 days this year,” says Toribio. In addition, the combination of centralized processes and enhanced data analytics enabled the group to accelerate cash flow and reduce the initial denial rate from 7% to 5%.

Better data analytics also equipped Schweiger to recover significant revenues that were previously lost due to the inefficient management of payer contracts. In one instance, Schweiger recovered $526,000; other potential recoveries include $475,000 (in dispute at the time of publication) and $465,000 (in review), according to Toribio. Supported by TruBridge, Schweiger also has gained the ability to respond more quickly to an ever-changing healthcare landscape.

This has been particularly valuable during times of crisis, such as in the aftermath of the Change Healthcare cyber attack, when access to real-time data allows Schweiger to adjust its strategy on the fly and prevent potential losses.

Schweiger is growing at a rate of over 20% per year, through a mix of organic growth and practice acquisitions. The practice currently has 170 locations with over 500 providers. The group’s leadership understands the importance of making sure that operational efficiency, financial health, and patient care are not compromised with this growth. Toribio believes that Schweiger’s RCM function is on a solid footing, thanks in part to the partnership with TruBridge, and that the organization is well-equipped to continue building on its legacy as one of the nation’s fastest-growing and most innovative dermatology groups.