Ascending the RCA Next learning curve 

I’ve given dozens of presentations to healthcare finance leaders on RCA Next, the next-generation net revenue reporting system from Kodiak. As I looked out over the attendees at everything from keynote presentations to small-group breakout sessions, I was incredibly excited to see the engagement within the room. 

That’s what made our Kodiak Summit Terrain event in Denver different. The three-day event featured two tracks: one for new RCA users and one for current RCA users transitioning to RCA Next. Each track featured hands-on sessions that let attendees use RCA and RCA Next in a live environment, not simply look up at static slides, screenshots, or wireframes on a big screen. 

Our 117 customer attendees could put their hands on the keyboard and click the buttons themselves. They weren’t just watching. They were actively engaging in the process.  

Another element that made the event successful was the fact that we had our Kodiak specialists who built RCA Next and who understand all the application’s inner workings in the room with them. Attendees could ask our team questions live as they worked with RCA Next. In turn, our specialists could converse with attendees and get instant feedback on their experiences with the application. It was candid and personal for both sides, and, as a result, both were more invested in working together to make RCA Next as good as it can be.  

I led or presented many of the RCA Next sessions. I can honestly say that I learned as much about our customers’ knowledge of RCA Next as they learned about RCA Next itself.  

Here are a few things I learned that I believe are important to share with all our customers beyond those 117 who joined us on-site in Denver at Summit Terrain. 

Top Summit Terrain takeaways

In terms of RCA Next implementation, my favorite question from attendees and the one I heard the most was, “When can we start?” That told me that we were doing something right because they were all energized and eager to learn what they needed to do to get started on RCA Next. 

Relatedly, the second most frequently asked question I received in terms of implementation was, “How long does it take to get started?” Attendees wanted to know what that process looks like. The answer is fluid, as each organization is in a different place. But we were able to have separate, personalized conversations with them about timing. In some cases, it could be as little as three months. For others, it may take up to six months.  

In terms of RCA Next capabilities, features, and functionalities, attendees showed the most interest in the application’s rule builder or rule engine that is embedded into the month-end close workflow. The rule builder lets users customize their month-end close processes using any type or number of parameters they want. Once they set those rules, anything that triggers those rules gets treated the same way each month. Users don’t have to recreate the same out of model or top side adjustments for each month’s process. Like an old commercial used to say, “Set it and forget it.” 

By eliminating the need to set up your own month-end processes and rules twelve times per year, you not only save time, but you also eliminate any human errors and countless hours of non value added time. That leads to a more efficient and accurate close process every month. 

The Kodiak Platform, driven by RCA Next, is designed to be flexible while also having appropriate controls. Flexibility in general was something that came up frequently during Summit Terrain. As we all know, the level of unpredictability of health policy and healthcare reimbursement is higher than it has ever been. The Kodiak Platform and RCA Next are built to help your health system navigate the ever-changing landscape. 

To learn more about RCA Next and Summit Terrain, please read, “We have a platform for that” on our website. And please watch for our upcoming summary of the entire event.