American Association of Healthcare Administrative Management - Western
Spring Educational Session
1:00 PM - 4:30 PM Pacific
The Next 5 Years of Healthcare Finance: Why Humans-in-the-Loop Will Win
AI will dramatically change healthcare finance over the next five years, but it will not replace human judgment. As both providers and payers deploy increasingly sophisticated AI, the real challenge won’t be adoption speed. It will be clarity: knowing what to automate, what to question, and when to act. This session explores what is inevitable versus unlikely in AI-driven revenue cycle transformation. We’ll examine where leaders should invest now, where waiting is smarter, and why fully autonomous revenue cycle operations remain unrealistic – and risky. As payer AI evolves just as quickly as provider AI, health system operators must become better at rapid decision-making, prioritization, and action, not just following historic workflow patterns.
A central theme is that humans in the loop are not a compromise – they’re the advantage. Human judgment doesn’t slow AI down; it improves it. The most successful organizations will design roles that get smarter over time, using experienced teams to train, correct, and refine AI systems continuously. Attendees will leave with a clear view of the skills your teams will actually need and a practical framework for navigating AI without chasing hype. The winners won’t be the fastest adopters—they’ll be the clearest thinkers.
Erick McKesson, EVP, Automation & AI Solutions, VisiQuate erick.mckesson@visiquate.com
Erick brings more than 20 years of experience building technology at the intersection of healthcare revenue cycle operations and innovation. He began his career at Epic Systems, where he helped advance early EHR capabilities, including the launch of the Foundation System, the first Single Billing Office, and the first hospital Community Connect installation.
In 2010, Erick joined MultiCare Consulting Services (later McKinnis Consulting Services), where as a Partner, he led the productization and go-to-market of EHR-enabled solutions. Following the firm’s acquisition by Navigant Consulting in 2016, he founded and led Navigant’s first healthcare intelligent automation team and later founded Venddy, introducing an industry-first Intelligent RFP platform.
Erick went on to found and scale Rotera, a healthcare automation and AI company focused on improving revenue, cost, and employee engagement. Rotera was acquired by VisiQuate in 2025, and he now leads product development for VisiQuate’s automation and AI-driven solutions.
Panel Topic:
How are hospitals responding to the coming increase in uninsured and under-insured patients, expected from the passage of the OBBBA? Specifically its cuts to Medicaid funding, Medicaid re-certification & eligibility requirements (and exceptions), and cuts to ACA premium subsidies? What should hospitals do to prepare? We will discuss the impact to Financial Assistance policy
Point of service and pre-service financial screening
Back-end self-pay collection efforts & tools
Eligibility screening of uninsured for Medicaid and other funding sources
Vendor partner solutions
Staff training
Community outreach/education
Insourcing vs outsourcing and more!
Moderator Rudy Braccili Jr. CHFP, Sr Director Revenue Cycle Operations - Keck Medicine of USC
- Sandy Lood, Vice President, Revenue Officer, Cottage Health
- Monica Hicks, Interim Chief Revenue Officer, San Antonio
- James Lee, Senior Director, Patient Financial Services – Children’s Hospital Los Angeles
- Bill Haddad, Founder & CEO CompSpec
- Jennifer Tryfon, Director Patient Collections & Customer Service - Keck Medicine of USC
“People don’t care how much you know, until they know how much you care”.
This core value has been the driving force of James D. Lee Jr.’s 28-year career in the healthcare field. At the
age of 19, James started as a patient transporter for Ronald Reagan UCLA Hospital. It was this start and his
tenacity that led to his quest to seek more and take advantage of all the opportunities that were available. It
wasn’t long before he began climbing the ladder of success within several areas of the Revenue Cycle. He would
spend the next several years working, while receiving promotions to various positions at Ronald Regan UCLA
Medical Center, California Hospital, and Hospital Corporation of America (HCA) before accepting his current
position as Revenue Cycle Director at Children’s Hospital of Los Angeles 2019.
James has maintained the belief that culture defines the work environment. A well-defined culture gives a
competitive advantage, which is the inner workings of a well-oiled machine. It is important for a leader to be a
great listener, create reasonable and clear expectations, make difficult decisions in a fair and just manner, and
to be able to hold people accountable while accepting accountability.
Outside of a strong work ethic and consistent drive to be successful in his career; James is a father of five who
enjoys playing his saxophone, cruising, and spending time with his family.
James’ academic background includes an MBA and a BS in Business Administration from Ashworth College and
an AA Degree in Business Administration from Compton Community College
Monica Hicks is a seasoned healthcare revenue cycle leader with more than two decades of experience driving operational excellence, strengthening payer relationships, and elevating financial performance across complex hospital environments. As Manager of Commercial Accounts at San Antonio Regional Hospital, she oversees non‑government billing, managed care contracts, denial management, and a high‑performing team responsible for delivering accurate, timely reimbursement.
Known for her strategic mindset and collaborative leadership style, Monica has led major process improvements, strengthened audit readiness, and built strong cross‑departmental partnerships that support organizational goals. Her expertise spans contract negotiation, payer compliance, staff development, and system optimization across platforms, including Cerner Millennium, Chancellor, and multiple electronic billing systems.
Beyond her operational impact, Monica is deeply committed to professional community building. She plays an active role in the HFMA SoCal Chapter, contributing to event planning, sponsorship outreach, and chapter engagement initiatives. She is currently pursuing VP‑level opportunities in healthcare revenue cycle management, bringing a blend of technical expertise, relationship‑driven leadership, and a passion for continuous improvement.
Sandy Lood is the Vice President of Revenue Cycle at Cottage Health
Sandy oversees comprehensive revenue cycle operations, including Patient Access, Centralized Scheduling, Health Information Management, Revenue Integrity, Denials Management, Utilization Review, Hospital Billing, Professional Billing, and the PBX Team.
USC Arcadia Hospital – Vance Auditorium
303 W. Huntington Drive
Arcadia, CA 91007
UNITED STATES
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| 4/9/2026 |    |