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In the intricate world of healthcare, where every moment counts and every dollar matters, a unique leadership role is emerging at the crossroads of clinical practice and financial operations. Dr. Carla Haack, VP/Chief Financial Informatics Officer at Emory Healthcare, embodies this shift, championing the need for clearer communication between clinicians and revenue cycle teams.<br /> Haack, who started her career as a general and gastrointestinal surgeon, never envisioned herself stepping into a role that intertwined finance and informatics. However, the challenges brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic and the financial strain it imposed on healthcare institutions propelled her into a new mission: ensuring clinicians receive proper credit for the work they do, not just in the operating room, but in the financial documentation that sustains their institutions.<br /> Podcast<br /> Healthcare organizations took a financial hit in the wake of the pandemic, but for Haack, a troubling question lingered. “My colleagues and I felt like we were busier than ever, yet the financial numbers weren’t aligning,” she recalled. The disconnect led her to investigate deeper, uncovering critical gaps between the clinical teams and the revenue cycle process.<br /> Traditionally, physicians have distanced themselves from financial concerns, seeing them as administrative burdens beyond their scope. Haack, however, took a different approach. “We were deeply siloed to our own detriment,” she explained. Clinicians did not fully understand the financial impact of their work, and revenue cycle teams struggled to interpret medical documentation in a way that ensured optimal reimbursement.<br /> <br /> Her realization came at a pivotal time for Emory Healthcare, which was transitioning from Cerner to Epic. This shift provided an opportunity to bridge communication gaps and establish clearer documentation processes.<br /> Haack’s ability to see beyond the operating room and into the broader operational challenges of healthcare delivery set her apart. She credits her surgical training for instilling in her a problem-solving mindset. “Surgeons are fixers. We see a problem, and we want to solve it,” she said.<br /> Her journey into financial informatics, however, was not entirely by choice. Personal circumstances required her to take a step back from the operating room, allowing her time to explore administrative and revenue cycle meetings. What she found was an immense opportunity to clarify and optimize financial workflows. “A little can go a long way,” she noted, highlighting how minor documentation adjustments could have significant financial impacts.<br /> Breaking Down Barriers Between Clinicians and Finance<br /> One of the greatest hurdles Haack encountered was the entrenched mindset among physicians that financial matters were outside their domain or that they were already functioning at maximum capacity on clinical issues. But, with a little education, that is starting to change.<br /> “If I don’t ensure my documentation aligns with insurance requirements, my patient could end up with a bill they can’t afford,” she said, emphasizing that financial literacy among clinicians is an essential component of patient advocacy.<br /> Haack believes that medical education must integrate more financial awareness to better prepare future physicians for the realities of modern healthcare. “We do ourselves a huge disservice by remaining ignorant of the rules of engagement that dictate how our field operates,” she said.<br /> Technology as an Ally in Revenue Cycle Management<br /> As health systems increasingly integrate AI into clinical workflows, Haack sees a valuable role for automation in easing documentation burdens. “AI can assist in ambient listening, helping create notes and optimizing them for coding purposes,” she explained. By incorporating these tools, clinicians can maintain focus on patient care while ensuring their work is properly recorded and rei...

healthsystemCIO.com

Anthony Guerra

“It’s About Getting Paid Accurately for the Work We are Doing” – Emory’s Chief Financial Informatics Officer Talks about The Goals of Her Unique (But Perhaps Growing) Role

MAR 27, 202544 MIN
healthsystemCIO.com

“It’s About Getting Paid Accurately for the Work We are Doing” – Emory’s Chief Financial Informatics Officer Talks about The Goals of Her Unique (But Perhaps Growing) Role

MAR 27, 202544 MIN

Description

<p>In the intricate world of healthcare, where every moment counts and every dollar matters, a unique leadership role is emerging at the crossroads of clinical practice and financial operations. Dr. Carla Haack, VP/Chief Financial Informatics Officer at Emory Healthcare, embodies this shift, championing the need for clearer communication between clinicians and revenue cycle teams. Haack, [&#8230;]</p> <p>Source: <a href="https://healthsystemcio.com/2025/03/27/emorys-chief-financial-informatics-officer-talks-about-the-goals-of-her-unique-but-perhaps-gr/">“It’s About Getting Paid Accurately for the Work We are Doing” – Emory’s Chief Financial Informatics Officer Talks about The Goals of Her Unique (But Perhaps Growing) Role</a> on <a href="https://healthsystemcio.com">healthsystemcio.com - healthsystemCIO.com is the sole online-only publication dedicated to exclusively and comprehensively serving the information needs of healthcare CIOs.</a></p>