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Michael Li

Healthcare Operations Analyst, EHR Source

Contributing Editor at EHR Source

About

Michael Li researches EHR operations, revenue cycle workflows, payer policy, and healthcare technology implementation. His work focuses on the operational details that determine whether an EHR supports clean claims, reliable authorization workflows, practical reporting, and measurable implementation outcomes.

At EHR Source, Michael writes about revenue cycle management, payer operations, prior authorization, denial prevention, vendor evaluation, and implementation governance for clinics, behavioral health organizations, and multi-site provider groups.

Credentials

  • Healthcare operations research
  • Revenue cycle workflow analysis
  • EHR implementation and procurement analysis

Expertise

Revenue Cycle Management Payer Operations EHR Implementation Vendor Evaluation Operational Analytics

Articles by Michael Li

rcm 14 min read

Intro to Revenue Cycle Management: Step-by-Step Guide for Healthcare Teams (2026)

A practical beginner-to-operator guide to RCM: patient access, eligibility, prior auth, coding, claim submission, payment posting, denials, and KPI management.

rcm 12 min read

RCM Front-End Playbook: Registration, Eligibility, and Prior Authorization (2026)

A practical front-end RCM operations guide with step-by-step workflows, role ownership, and daily controls for patient access, insurance verification, and authorization readiness.

rcm 13 min read

RCM Back-End Playbook: Claims, Denials, AR Follow-Up, and Patient Collections (2026)

A detailed back-end RCM guide covering claim submission controls, payment posting and reconciliation, denial work queues, AR strategy, and patient balance collections.

implementation 15 min read

How to Switch EHR Systems Without Losing Your Mind (or Your Data)

Switch EHR systems without data loss: data extraction, parallel running, staff training, and proven strategies to minimize downtime.

implementation 18 min read

RCM Denial Prevention Playbook: Behavioral Health and Primary Care

Denial prevention playbook for behavioral health and primary care with ownership models, root-cause fixes, dashboards, vendor questions, and 90-day controls.

strategy 17 min read

EHR Billing and Practice Management: How Integrated Systems Improve Revenue (2026)

Integrated EHR billing cuts denials and speeds collections. See vendor comparisons, RCM benchmarks, and implementation strategies.

implementation 14 min read

EHR Data Migration: The Complete Checklist for a Clean Transition (2026)

EHR data migration checklist: timelines, cost benchmarks, risk matrices, and data cleanup steps for a clean system transition.

implementation 13 min read

EHR Training That Works: A Practical Staff Readiness Playbook (2026)

EHR training playbook: role-based competency matrices, timeline templates, cost benchmarks, and super-user program design.

strategy 14 min read

EHR and Medical Billing Integration: How to Stop Leaving Money on the Table (2026)

Stop leaving revenue on the table: how EHR-integrated billing reduces denials, speeds reimbursement, and recovers lost revenue.

implementation 15 min read

EHR-Driven Quality Reporting: MIPS, HEDIS, and CMS Stars Made Simple (2026)

How to configure your EHR for quality reporting across MIPS, HEDIS, and CMS Star Ratings — with vendor comparisons, measure tracking, and ROI benchmarks.

implementation 14 min read

Your EHR Is Live—Now What? The 12-Month Post-Go-Live Optimization Roadmap (2026)

12-month EHR post-go-live optimization roadmap: productivity recovery, workflow fixes, governance, KPIs, and ROI measurement.

rcm 22 min read

Revenue Cycle Management Fundamentals: The Complete Guide for Healthcare Organizations (2026)

Revenue cycle management explained end-to-end: patient access, charge capture, claims, payment posting, denials, and A/R — with benchmarks and workflow maps.

rcm 16 min read

Charge Capture and Coding Accuracy: How to Stop Revenue Leakage (2026)

Reduce charge leakage and coding errors: superbill optimization, E/M leveling, modifier accuracy, and charge reconciliation workflows.

rcm 15 min read

Clean Claims Submission: How to Hit 98% First-Pass Rate (2026)

Build a clean claims workflow: eligibility verification, claim scrubbing, clearinghouse configuration, and pre-submission quality controls.

rcm 18 min read

RCM Metrics and KPI Dashboard: What to Track and Where You Should Be (2026)

The 15 RCM KPIs that matter: benchmarks, calculation methods, dashboard design, and how top-performing organizations use data to drive revenue.

rcm 18 min read

Behavioral Health Revenue Cycle: Authorization, Billing, and Collections Guide (2026)

BH-specific RCM challenges: level-of-care authorization, group therapy billing, IOP/PHP coding, 42 CFR Part 2 compliance, and payer-specific rules.

rcm 16 min read

A/R Management and Collections Optimization: Reduce Days in A/R Below 35 (2026)

Optimize accounts receivable: aging analysis, follow-up prioritization, appeal workflows, write-off governance, and collections benchmarks.

rcm 22 min read

Revenue Cycle Management for Residential Treatment Centers (2026)

Complete guide to residential treatment billing: per-diem vs. per-service models, ASAM level billing differences, UB-04 requirements, authorization workflows, census management, MAT billing, and denial prevention for levels 3.1 through 3.7.

rcm 20 min read

Revenue Cycle Management for Growing Group Practices: Scaling from 5 to 50 Clinicians (2026)

RCM scaling guide for growing behavioral health group practices: revenue benchmarks at each stage, billing staff ratios, credentialing bottlenecks, multi-payer complexity, authorization management, and PE-backed integration challenges.

regulatory 18 min read

SAMHSA Grant Cuts 2026: RCM Strategies for Behavioral Health Programs Losing Federal Funding

SAMHSA terminated or reduced over $2 billion in behavioral health grants in 2025-2026. Here is how affected programs can offset lost revenue through billing optimization, payer diversification, and RCM improvements.

regulatory 20 min read

Behavioral Health Value-Based Payment Models: A Practical Guide for 2026

Value-based payment is expanding into behavioral health through CCBHC PPS, BH ACO integration, and payer VBP arrangements. Here is how BH organizations can evaluate, prepare for, and succeed in VBP contracts.

regulatory 17 min read

SDOH Z-Code Screening and Billing for Behavioral Health: 2026 Implementation Guide

CMS is expanding social determinants of health screening requirements and reimbursement. Here is how behavioral health practices can implement SDOH screening, code with ICD-10 Z-codes, and capture new revenue.