Inside the Practice

AI is rapidly changing medical practice operations—but adopting the latest technology requires more than simply choosing a new tool. In this episode of Inside the Practice, Olivia Wolf and Matt Shortt are joined by Zach Ruhl and Eric Lau of Maia for a conversation about the evolving role of AI in medical coding, clinical documentation, and revenue cycle management.Together, they explore the importance of governance, compliance, human oversight, and thoughtful implementation as practices navigate an increasingly crowded AI landscape. The conversation also examines how AI can support—not replace—healthcare professionals by reducing repetitive work, improving accuracy, preserving institutional knowledge, and allowing teams to focus their expertise where it matters most.For practice leaders wondering how to separate meaningful innovation from the noise, this episode offers a practical look at what responsible AI adoption can—and should—look like in healthcare.

Revenue cycle isn’t just a billing department function—it begins before the patient ever walks through the door and continues until the final balance reaches zero. In this episode of Inside the Practice, hosts Olivia Wolf and Matt Shortt break down revenue cycle as a practice-wide responsibility spanning scheduling, registration, clinical documentation, coding, claims, and collections.They explore common revenue cycle myths, the importance of identifying the root causes behind denials and revenue leakage, and why front-end training and patient experience matter more than many practices realize. The conversation also looks ahead at AI, payer-driven automatic down-coding, revenue integrity, and the need for practices to understand their payer contracts and advocate for appropriate reimbursement.The takeaway: a strong revenue cycle requires more than a strong billing team. It takes informed leadership, clear ownership, good data, the right technology, and an organization-wide commitment to getting the process right from the start.

What separates a practice that simply grows from one that grows sustainably? In this episode of Inside the Practice, hosts Liv Wolf and Matt Shortt sit down to explore the critical role governance plays in the long-term success of physician practices.Together, they discuss how governance models must evolve as practices grow, the difference between leadership and management, and why succession planning can no longer be an afterthought. Matt shares practical insights on building effective boards and committees, developing future leaders, improving communication between physicians and administrators, and creating organizational structures that support—not hinder—growth.Whether you're leading a small physician-owned practice or navigating the complexities of a large multispecialty group, this episode offers practical guidance for strengthening governance, improving decision-making, and building the organizational foundation needed to thrive for years to come.

In this episode of Inside the Practice, Olivia Wolf and Matt Shortt sit down with Joey Rapine and Chris Foley to unpack the complex world of the No Surprises Act (NSA) and the Independent Dispute Resolution (IDR) process. Together, they explore why the legislation was created, how it impacts physician practices today, and the growing challenges providers face when dealing with out-of-network reimbursement, payer negotiations, and arbitration processes. The conversation dives into practical realities for practices—from navigating QPAs and baseball-style arbitration to the operational burden these disputes place on already stretched revenue cycle teams.The group also discusses broader themes shaping healthcare sustainability, including shrinking margins, network adequacy concerns, physician shortages, and the importance of education and advocacy in helping practices recover revenue they’ve legitimately earned.This episode is a valuable primer for practice administrators, physicians, and revenue cycle leaders trying to better understand one of the more complicated areas of healthcare reimbursement today.

In this episode of Inside the Practice, Olivia Wolf and Matt Shortt unpack some of the biggest trends already shaping healthcare in early 2026—including patient access strategies, payer complexity, AI adoption, and organizational culture. Drawing from recent conferences and on-the-ground consulting work in practices across the country, Liv and Matt explore how leaders are navigating physician shortages, evolving patient expectations, and the explosion of healthcare technology vendors. The conversation dives into the promises and pitfalls of AI, the growing importance of trust and transparency in workplace culture, and why intentional leadership—not “the way we’ve always done it”—will determine which practices thrive in the years ahead.This episode is equal parts practical, philosophical, and future-focused—and a reminder that healthcare leaders must stay curious, adaptable, and just rebellious enough to challenge broken systems.