December Blog: Year End Conversations That Strengthen Your Revenue Cycle

December always arrives with two very different energies. On the one hand, teams are tired. On the other hand, leadership is focused on closing the year strong. Most organizations are working to collect everything possible, reduce expenses, eliminate waste, and protect fourth quarter performance. There is constant pressure to end with healthy numbers and begin the new year with momentum.

This is also when the relationship between Finance and Operations becomes the most visible. The revenue cycle does not succeed only through daily workflows. It succeeds when there is clear communication across the entire organization, especially from the CFO’s office. Every team wants alignment on budgets, forecasts, and actual results. Yet alignment rarely happens without intentional conversations, transparency, and a shared understanding of what the numbers truly mean. These topics appear simple. They are not. Budgets and forecasts are only as strong as the communication behind them.

A strong CFO does more than calculate numbers. A strong CFO helps leaders understand how to use those numbers to guide decisions, improve performance, and drive the business forward. When Finance and Operations work together, organizations make better choices about staffing, technology, investment, and strategy. When they do not, the revenue cycle suffers.

As year end approaches, the most important question is simple. Is your organization talking about the right things?

Below are the top ten conversations that should be happening right now and how each one directly strengthens your revenue cycle operation.

Top Ten Year End Conversations That Strengthen Your Revenue Cycle

1. Final cash projections and realistic collection expectations

Teams need clarity on what is still collectible in December and what should be carried into January. Realistic projections protect credibility and support accurate forecasting.

2. Clean up of unproductive AR

Aged AR is often inflated with claims that will never convert. Removing the noise provides a clean baseline and enhances the accuracy of KPIs and operational insights.

3. Root causes of denials that affected performance

Now is the time to examine the denials that dragged down results this year. Understanding patterns allows organizations to create targeted prevention strategies for the next twelve months.

4. System and technology optimization

Many organizations pay for powerful tools that remain unused. Year end is the ideal moment to evaluate workflow features, automation, reporting capabilities, and overall system effectiveness.

5. Staffing mix, productivity, and alignment

Evaluate the structure of your teams. Identify skill gaps, productivity challenges, and assignment mismatches. The right people in the right roles lead to stronger throughput and collections.

6. Vendor performance and value

Whether coding, billing, collections, eligibility, or technology, every vendor partnership should be reviewed for measurable value. Your spend must match your outcomes.

7. Payer trends and reimbursement behavior

If payers have shifted policies, slowed payments, or added administrative hurdles, internal processes and expectations must shift as well. Year end is when these adjustments are most visible.

8. Budget to actual analysis across the full year

Understanding variances is essential. Knowing where and why you missed or exceeded budget informs better planning and sharper decision making in the new year.

9. Forecasting that reflects operational reality

Financial forecasts must be grounded in true operational capacity, historical performance, and planned investments. Unrealistic forecasts create frustration and misalignment.

10. Strategic priorities for the coming year

Every organization should enter January with clarity on what matters most. Focus accelerates financial and operational performance and keeps teams aligned from day one.

Closing Thought

Year end can feel like a sprint, but it is also a moment for clarity. The strength of an organization is not determined by Finance alone or by Operations alone. It depends on every leader who is entrusted with a significant role and a significant salary. It is imperative that Finance understands the business well enough to recognize where alignment exists and where it does not. When Finance operates as a strategic partner, guiding conversations, identifying gaps, and keeping a relentless focus on making the organization stronger, the entire revenue cycle benefits. These conversations are not simply financial housekeeping. They are the foundation of operational excellence and long term success.