Urgent Care Case Study: 690% Higher Revenue Per Patient

How Lister Helped a Los Angeles Urgent Care Group Increase Revenue Per Patient by Up to 690%

Client Profile

A growing Urgent Care Group operating three centers in the Los Angeles region was facing increasing pressure on collections, aging receivables, and payer-related delays. While patient volumes remained healthy, significant revenue was being trapped in the revenue cycle due to claim processing bottlenecks, unresolved insurance balances, and operational inefficiencies. The organization partnered with Lister to manage the end-to-end billing process and improve financial performance across all three locations.

The Challenge

When Lister began supporting the organization, revenue captured per patient was significantly below potential. At the same time, several operational and payer related challenges were impacting collections and cash flow:

Long Claim Processing Delays

Major payers including Global Care IPA and Healthcare LA IPA were taking more than 60 business days to process claims. Since these payers represented a significant portion of the centers’ patient population, the delays created a substantial buildup in Accounts Receivable across all locations.

Limited Access to Insurance Representatives

The billing team experienced difficulty obtaining claim status updates and payment resolutions from multiple insurance companies. Outstanding claims remained unresolved for extended periods, delaying reimbursement and increasing AR balances.

Documentation and Coding Bottlenecks

Provider signatures and coding clarifications were not always completed in a timely manner, slowing claim submission and payment cycles.

Inconsistent E&M Charge Structures

The centers were using payer-specific billed amounts for Evaluation & Management services, resulting in inconsistencies that affected reimbursement optimization.

Highlight in inset “IPA were taking more than 60 business days to process claims.”

Lister’s Approach

Rather than simply working AR, Lister focused on improving every step of the revenue cycle to maximize reimbursement per patient encounter.

Strengthening Claim Submission Processes

The centers followed a three-day charge entry process after the date of service. During

implementation, Lister identified several workflow gaps that contributed to delayed processing and reimbursement.

Working closely with clinic leadership, Lister established:

Daily review of pending charge logs
Faster resolution of coding clarifications
Timely completion of provider signatures
Improved coordination between billing and clinical teams

As a result, claims moved through the revenue cycle more efficiently and with fewer delays.

Resolving Payer Processing Issues

Lister conducted extensive follow-up efforts with major IPA payers and established direct

communication channels with payer representatives.

Through continuous escalation and claim tracking, Lister successfully:

Accelerated processing of delayed claims
Reduced pending claim inventories
Resolved long-standing reimbursement bottlenecks

The payer processing issues that began in 2021 were fully resolved, resulting in substantial AR reduction across all three centers.

Recovering Outstanding Insurance Payments

For payers that were difficult to contact through traditional channels, Lister developed alternate escalation paths and secured direct points of contact. Outstanding unpaid and underpaid claims were systematically reviewed and pursued until payment was received.

Optimizing E&M Billing Practices

During a billing review, Lister identified opportunities to standardize Evaluation & Management billed amounts.

The revised approach:

Improved charge consistency
Reduced reimbursement variation
Enhanced collection opportunities across payers

Creating a Culture of Accountability

To ensure continuous improvement, Lister implemented:

Weekly Client Assistance Logs
Bi-weekly operational review meetings
Regular AR management discussions
Timely Health Plan versus IPA claim follow-up
End-to-end revenue cycle oversight

This collaborative approach helped maintain momentum and sustain results.

The Results

Revenue Per Patient Increased by Up to 690%

One of the most significant outcomes was the dramatic increase in revenue captured from each patient visit.

Total Accounts Receivable Reduced by 70%

As payer issues were resolved and follow-up processes strengthened, overall AR declined significantly.

Period / Total Closing AR

January 2022 / $2.52 Million

December 2025 / $747,749

Result: “70% reduction in total AR”

Insurance AR Reduced by 71%

Focused payer management and disciplined claim follow-up generated substantial improvements in insurance collections.

Result: “71% reduction in Insurance AR”

90+ Day AR Reduced by 91%

One of the clearest indicators of revenue cycle health is the amount of AR aged beyond 90 days.

Result: “91% reduction in aged receivables”

Key Outcomes

Revenue Per Patient increased by up to 690%
Total AR reduced by 70%
Insurance AR reduced by 71%
90+ Day AR reduced by 91%
Major payer processing delays fully resolved
Improved claim submission efficiency
Stronger collaboration between clinic and billing teams
Improved cash flow and financial visibility

Conclusion

This engagement demonstrates that improving Revenue Per Patient is not simply about increasing charges, it’s about maximizing reimbursement through disciplined revenue cycle management. By resolving payer bottlenecks, improving operational workflows, strengthening AR follow up, optimizing billing practices, and partnering closely with clinic leadership, Lister helped this multi-location Urgent Care Group dramatically improve financial performance. The result was a healthier revenue cycle, stronger collections, lower AR, and revenue per patient growth of more than 5X across all locations. For healthcare organizations seeking to improve profitability without increasing patient volume, this case study illustrates the impact of a proactive, data-driven revenue cycle strategy.

Healthy patient volumes don’t always translate into healthy financial performance. As this case study demonstrates, meaningful revenue growth often comes from optimizing the revenue cycle, not increasing the number of patients you see. Through disciplined billing workflows, proactive payer management, strategic A/R follow-up, and continuous reimbursement optimization, Lister helps urgent care and primary care practices maximize collections from every patient encounter. If your practice is collecting less than it should or struggling with aging receivables, request a complimentary Revenue Leakage Assessment. We’ll identify opportunities to improve reimbursement, strengthen cash flow, and help your revenue cycle perform at its full potential.

Why Healthcare Providers Choose Lister?

20+ years as Trusted RCM Partner.
5 M+ claims in Urgent Care, Primary Care & Family Practice.
98% First Pass Acceptance Rate.
<5% Initial Claim Denial Rate.
<10% Over 90 Days AR.
Working with one of the largest Urgent Care Brands in the US.
HIPAA Compliant & Secure processes.

Let's Find the Revenue You're Missing

Whether you’re looking to reduce aged A/R, improve reimbursement, recover unpaid claims, or strengthen your entire revenue cycle, our specialists are ready to help.

Complete the form below to schedule your complimentary Revenue Leakage Assessment (Worth $750) and discover practical opportunities to improve your financial performance.