Key Takeaways from HFMA Annual Conference 2025

This year’s HFMA Annual Conference provided a clear overview of the challenges and opportunities for health systems in revenue integrity and clinical documentation. Discussions with healthcare finance leaders, CDI professionals, and technology partners highlighted several key trends and themes, including:

1. Denials Still Dominate the Conversation – Particularly MedNec and DRG Downgrades

Denials related to medical necessity and DRG downgrades continue to weigh heavily on finance teams. Presenters shared that despite extensive efforts, many organizations struggle to prevent denials that stem from incomplete or unclear clinical documentation. This underscores the critical need for technology that not only detects potential issues earlier but also drives real-time clinical validation.

Iodine’s Clinical Intelligence Engine addresses this head-on by integrating AI directly into documentation workflows. Our pre-bill, CDI, and denial prevention tools automatically identify documentation gaps that could trigger denials – helping organizations reduce revenue leakage before claims ever hit the payer. The ability to prioritize high-risk cases and surface targeted clinical insights is a game changer for CDI and revenue integrity teams.

2. Workforce Challenges Are Intensifying – and Automation is No Longer Optional

Workforce shortages and skill gaps were a major concern echoed throughout the conference, with many organizations asking: “Do we have the right people in the right roles?” and “How can we sustain operations as staffing challenges worsen?”

Iodine’s platform empowers existing teams by automating repetitive, low-value tasks and highlighting the highest-priority documentation issues. By amplifying human expertise rather than replacing it, our AI-driven workflow solutions help health systems do more with less – improving productivity while reducing clinician burnout. The consensus is clear: automation isn’t just an efficiency play, it’s becoming essential for workforce resilience.

3. AI Adoption is Necessary but Complex 

Everyone agrees AI is a necessity, but the challenge lies in knowing which AI solutions to trust and invest in. At HFMA, leaders expressed a desire for AI tools that are clinically intelligent, transparent in their reasoning, and designed to integrate smoothly into existing workflows.

This is where we come in. Our Clinical Intelligence Engine isn’t a black box – it’s designed to provide explainable, evidence-based recommendations that clinicians and CDI specialists can trust. Combined with seamless workflow integration, this enables faster adoption and measurable outcomes. The market is crowded, but Iodine’s focus on clinical rigor and user-centric design positions us as a clear leader in AI-driven revenue cycle transformation.

Looking Forward

HFMA confirmed what we already know: healthcare organizations are grappling with intense pressure around denials, workforce capacity, and the AI revolution. Our solutions not only tackle these challenges, but also position our clients to thrive in an increasingly complex environment.

If you didn’t have a chance to meet us at HFMA or want to explore how Iodine’s Clinical Intelligence Engine can help you improve documentation accuracy, reduce denials, and boost team efficiency, reach out to schedule a personalized demo.

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