Ep. 56 - Front Office Excellence with Lisa Hoogstra

In this episode of For the Love of Revenue Cycle, host Vanessa Moldovan speaks with Lisa Hoogstra, Senior Director of Revenue Cycle Front Office at Ivy Rehab Network, about why front desk teams are often under-resourced and how that impacts patient experience, billing accuracy, denials, and collections. Lisa explains how front-office work begins before the first visit through scheduling, insurance selection/registration, verification, authorizations, and setting clear financial expectations. She also describes her Front Office Excellence (FOX) program focused primarily on soft skills like communication, customer service, and leading from your seat to build ownership and critical thinking. 00:00 Why Front Office Matters 01:22 Meet Lisa Hoogstra 02:18 From Lab to Front Office 06:19 Before the First Visit 08:42 Hidden Burdens and Misunderstandings 12:42 Introducing the FOX Program 15:46 Building Ownership and Leaders 18:04 Results and Soft Skills Focus 20:35 Start Small Without a Program 26:42 Changing Culture and Respect 28:53 Tech Adoption and Change Management 34:12 Call to Action and Wrap Up