Healthcare Blog
The latest in all things RCM, Electronic Health Records, Radiology Information Systems, Practice Management, Medical Billing, Value-Based Care, & Healthcare IT.
As the company’s Laboratory Services Business Development Manager, Jim has 30 years’ experience in LIS and financial systems including 20 years as the owner of CSS (Avalon LIS). With a Bachelor’s degree in information technology from Rowan University, Jim has worked / consulted with over 500 labs in the US and internationally in improving their LIS and financial solutions. Jim is genuinely people-oriented and civic-minded; he’s the former Mayor of Northfield NJ and is currently on the town’s council.
Medical Billing / RCM | RCM | Laboratory
By:
Jim O'Neill
July 21st, 2025
As we hit the midpoint of 2025, laboratories across the country are facing a critical question:
Medical Billing / RCM | Laboratory
By:
Jim O'Neill
July 17th, 2025
Diagnostic labs operate at the intersection of science, regulation, and financial complexity. In today’s climate of razor-thin margins and heightened payer scrutiny, effective lab billing services are no longer optional—they’re fundamental to lab survival and scalability.
Learn why patient engagement is a necessity and how you can master it within your practice.
Medical Billing / RCM | RCM | Laboratory
By:
Jim O'Neill
July 15th, 2025
The regulatory landscape for clinical laboratories is rapidly evolving. With CMS increasing improper payment audits, MACs tightening enforcement, and commercial payers revising medical necessity and frequency rules, 2025 is shaping up to be one of the most compliance-intensive years ever for lab billing.
Medical Billing / RCM | RCM | Laboratory
By:
Jim O'Neill
July 10th, 2025
For clinical laboratories, time is money—literally. When claims take 72 hours or longer to reach the payer, the revenue cycle slows, aging AR builds, and downstream denials increase. In an environment where margins are shrinking and payers are tightening scrutiny, slow claims submission is a silent killer of cash flow.
Medical Billing / RCM | RCM | Laboratory
By:
Jim O'Neill
July 3rd, 2025
For labs, the margin between profitability and loss often comes down to billing. Lab services are reimbursed at lower rates than ever, yet the cost of doing business keeps rising. Between complex payer rules, coding nuances, and frequent denials, it’s easy to lose thousands per month without realizing it.
Medical Billing / RCM | RCM | Laboratory
By:
Jim O'Neill
July 1st, 2025
At a time when labs are operating on tight margins, revenue leakage is more dangerous than ever. Clinical laboratories, particularly those specializing in pathology, toxicology, molecular diagnostics, and genetic testing, are losing 20% to 40% of total billable revenue—and often don’t even know it.
Medical Billing / RCM | AI | Laboratory
By:
Jim O'Neill
April 8th, 2025
Today’s overall healthcare landscape – including laboratories – is driven by data, speed, and accuracy. That’s why artificial intelligence (AI) has rapidly emerged as a transformative force in laboratory billing, helping to streamline administrative tasks, improve efficiency, and optimize revenue cycle performance.
Medical Billing / RCM | RCM | Laboratory
By:
Jim O'Neill
December 4th, 2024
Laboratories that offer specialized services such as molecular testing and Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) encounter unique challenges that demand equally specialized solutions.
By:
Jim O'Neill
December 9th, 2020
COVID-19 has produced fertile ground for hundreds of labs that are opening, hoping to ride the testing wave. But the fertile soil in and of itself doesn’t necessarily produce a successful crop. It requires thought, attention, and TLC for the planting to be fruitful.
Medical Billing / RCM | Practice Management
By:
Jim O'Neill
October 7th, 2020
In the intricate world of clinical laboratory management, the implementation of effective billing software is a cornerstone for operational success. However, navigating the complexities of common problems in clinical laboratory management often leads to a series of pitfalls that can undermine the efficiency and financial health of these critical healthcare services. This blog post delves into four prevalent mistakes laboratories make during the billing software implementation process. By addressing these issues, labs can enhance their billing for lab services, ensuring a smoother, more efficient billing cycle that benefits both the laboratory and its clients.