Eric Enriquez     

Chief Risk Officer
Sacramento Native American Health Center

Forum Agenda
Thursday, May 7

8:00   REGISTRATION AND WELCOME COFFEE

8:55   OPENING REMARKS & PROGRAM WELCOME

9:00   EXECUTIVE DISCUSSION: LEVERAGING AI & ANALYTICS TO ENHANCE REVENUE CYCLE & FINANCE
Explore how leading organizations are using AI and advanced analytics to scale revenue cycle operations; augmenting teams, reducing labor dependency, and improving accuracy without removing the human element. This executive-led discussion will examine how to prioritize high-impact use cases (e.g., coding, CDI, and revenue integrity), build a practical decision framework for evaluating solutions, and drive measurable ROI through disciplined vendor selection and proof-of-concept validation. Join peers to discuss how to balance people, process, and technology while upskilling teams, managing change, and building a sustainable, future-ready operating model.
Tami Mc-Masters Gomez, Executive Director, Mid-Revenue Cycle, Coding & HIM
UC Davis Health

10:00   NETWORKING & COFFEE BREAK

10:30   PREVENTATIVE MEASURES TO REDUCE & MANAGE DENIALS
This discussion group will delve into the root causes of claim denials, ranging from coding errors and documentation deficiencies to lack of prior authorization and eligibility issues. Through interactive discussion, attendees will collaborate on preventative strategies aimed at addressing these underlying causes and minimizing denial rates. This discussion group will also explore best practices for denial management, including the implementation of robust processes for claim tracking, follow-up, and appeals
Alexander Forbis, Associate Director, RN Denials Management, Banner Health   

11:15   NETWORKING & COFFEE BREAK

11:45   DRIVING MARGIN THROUGH REVENUE INTEGRITY: BRIDGING THE GAP BETWEEN DENIALS, BILLING, & CONTRACTING 
Driving margin through revenue integrity requires tight alignment between billing, denials management, and managed care to address gaps between expected and actual reimbursement.  We will examine how organizations can build governance structures that connect contract modeling, charge capture, and denial insights to proactively identify revenue leakage and respond to evolving payer behavior. Attendees will gain perspective on aligning clinical workflows, ownership models, and cross-functional accountability to move from reactive denial management to strategic margin protection.
Kristien Karmarkar, Executive Director, Revenue & Billing Integrity, Stanford Children’s Hospital

12:30   LUNCHEON

1:45   ALIGNING MANAGED CARE STRATEGY WITH ORGANIZATIONAL OBJECTIVES
Misalignment between managed care strategy and broader organizational priorities can quietly erode margin, growth, and patient access. This discussion will explore how leading organizations are aligning contracting strategies, payer relationships, and reimbursement models with enterprise goals around service line growth, clinical operations, and financial performance. Attendees will share approaches to strengthening collaboration between finance, revenue cycle, and managed care teams to drive more coordinated, data-informed decision-making.
Rylan Smith, COO, WoundCare Advantage

2:30   NETWORKING & COFFEE BREAK

3:00   REDUCING FRONT-END ERRORS THROUGH LEADERSHIP & ACCOUNTABILITY
Front-end errors remain a leading driver of denials, rework, and patient friction, often rooted in gaps in ownership and accountability. We will focus on how strong leadership, clear performance expectations, and real-time feedback loops can improve registration accuracy, eligibility verification, and upfront financial clearance. Attendees will share strategies for building a culture of accountability across access teams to reduce downstream revenue leakage and operational inefficiencies.
Eric Enriquez, Chief Risk Officer, Sacramento Native American Health Center

3:45   NETWORKING & COFFEE BREAK

4:15   BUILDING A HIGH PERFORMING FINANCE & REVENUE CYCLE TEAM
Effective population health programs require alignment across clinical, financial, and operational teams to truly improve outcomes while controlling cost. This discussion will explore how organizations are structuring data, care models, and payer partnerships to better manage risk, close care gaps, and reduce avoidable utilization. Attendees will share practical approaches to scaling these programs while demonstrating measurable impact on quality and total cost of care.
Mukesh Sanghvi, Vice President & Controller
RUSH UNIVERSITY HEALTH SYSTEM

5:00   NETWORKING & COFFEE BREAK

5:30  RETHINKING FINANCIAL SUSTAINABILITY: BUILDING A RESILIENT REVENUE MODEL BEYOND TRADITIONAL REIMBURSEMENT
This discussion group will focus on designing and implementing population health management programs that improve patient outcomes while controlling costs. Participants will share best practices for care coordination, risk stratification, and leveraging data to drive measurable results across populations.
Amber Williams, CEO, Janus of Santa Cruz

6:30   PROGRAM CONCLUSION