Better urgent care revenue cycle management

How urgent care clinics can get paid faster and increase patient pay yield

The fast pace of running an urgent care practice makes keeping revenue flowing smoothly a challenge. Between delayed claims, denied payments, and complex billing workflows, even small inefficiencies can add up quickly.

athenaOne® for Urgent Care simplifies urgent care revenue cycle management (RCM) and automates key billing tasks, helping urgent care clinics get paid faster and boost patient pay yield (PPY) — all while freeing staff to focus on patient care instead of chasing payments.

Dr. Tony Euser, physician owner of Advanced Urgent Care, knows this firsthand. After transitioning back to athenaOne, his clinics saw measurable improvements in billing efficiency and overall financial performance — insights that can help any urgent care operator optimize revenue and reduce administrative burden.*

The problem: revenue challenges in urgent care

Specialty EHRs built for urgent care can be tempting. They promise a platform tailored to the fast pace of walk-in visits and on-the-spot care. But those “urgent care-only” systems often come with hidden trade-offs: delayed claims, lower PPY, and extra administrative friction slows rather than speeds up revenue.

That’s what Dr. Euser discovered when he left athenaOne in 2018 for a competing urgent care solution. Within just 18 months, his organization lost millions in revenue. What seemed like a better fit on the surface revealed costly gaps in billing and revenue management, leaving the practice and its staff under mounting financial strain.

The Solution: how athenaOne streamlines urgent care RCM

By 2019, Dr. Euser understood that the urgent care-only system wasn’t delivering. He decided to return to athenaOne in a move he describes as “coming home.” Immediately, athenaOne helped streamline workflows, accelerate claims, and improve PPY.

Unlike specialty platforms that look good on the surface but struggle under pressure, athenaOne offered what Dr. Euser’s clinics needed: a single system strong enough to manage complex billing and keep finances steady. The experience showed that the right technology partner isn’t just about urgent care-specific features — it’s about end-to-end support that sustains revenue and enables growth.

Key financial performance gains 

Dr. Euser’s decision to return to athenaOne quickly translated into measurable results for his clinics.

Dr. Euser credits athenaOne’s automation tools for much of this improvement: “The card-on-file automation is slick — it helped us dramatically raise patient pay yield while reducing the burden on our staff.”

For his clinics, these improvements meant less staff stress, stronger cash flow, and the confidence to expand urgent care services.

Why athenaOne revenue cycle management software works for urgent care 

athenaOne isn’t just another EHR — it’s a full platform designed to help urgent care clinics operate efficiently while maximizing revenue. Dr. Euser found that its combination of automation, flexibility, and expert support made all the difference.

AI RCM claims scrubbing & faster payments

athenaOne’s AI-powered claims engine checks and corrects claim data before submission, helping prevent denials and accelerate reimbursements. This helped Dr. Euser reduce delays and time reworking claims, freeing staff to focus on patient care.

Flexible, customizable workflows 

Unlike rigid urgent-care-only systems, athenaOne adapts to each clinic’s unique workflows. This flexibility supports hybrid urgent care and primary care operations, allowing clinics to expand services without disrupting billing or patient management.

Dedicated revenue cycle management services and customer success managers (CSMs) 

Every urgent care client is paired with a dedicated CSM who helps set goals, track performance, and troubleshoot issues. These experts provide ongoing guidance, ensuring clinics get the most out of the platform.

Scalability for multi-clinic expansion

As practices grow, athenaOne scales with them. Whether it’s handling multiple locations, more providers, or increased patient volume, the platform supports complex operations without adding administrative burden.

Coming back to athenahealth wasn’t just about features — it was about having a system and workflows that let our clinics grow confidently and focus on patients, not paperwork.
 

-Dr. Tony Euser of Platte River Medical Clinic, part of Advanced Urgent Care

Lessons from Dr. Euser

What can urgent care operators learn from Dr. Euser’s experience? One major lesson is that the right technology partner should make day-to-day operations smoother, not just offer flashy tools.

“We succumbed to the siren song of an urgent care software package,” Dr. Euser said. “We didn’t realize what we had with athenahealth until we came back.” His experience reinforced the importance of having systems and workflows that reliably support billing, collections, and patient care — in other words, look beyond features and focus on outcomes.

For Dr. Euser, success wasn’t about quick fixes. It was about building processes that sustain growth, ensure consistent revenue, and give staff confidence to focus on patients rather than paperwork.

Sustainable growth starts with the right technology

Dr. Euser’s experience shows that the right technology partner can transform urgent care operations. It streamlines urgent care revenue cycle management, boosts PPY, and supports multi-location growth.

The key takeaway: it’s not about chasing flashy software. Success comes from choosing a platform and building processes that maximize revenue, reduce administrative burden, and support long-term growth.

As Dr. Euser reflects, “Coming back to athenahealth wasn’t just about features — it was about having a system and workflows that let our clinics grow confidently and focus on patients, not paperwork.”

Ready to get paid faster and boost PPY? Discover how athenaOne for Urgent Care can help your clinic achieve faster urgent care RCM, higher PPY, and scalable, sustainable operations.