Every multi-location group faces the same structural question: should the revenue cycle run centrally, or should each office own its own? Both models work, and both fail in predictable ways. The right answer is usually a deliberate blend.
The centralized model.
One team runs billing for every location to a single standard. The upside is consistency and visibility — the same process everywhere, and one report across the group. The risk is losing touch with local payer quirks and each office's on-the-ground context if communication is thin.
The per-office model.
Each location runs its own billing. The upside is local nuance and ownership. The downside is the one we see most: collections drift apart office to office, and no one has a group-wide view until the numbers are compared, as covered in standardizing billing across locations.
Most groups do best centralizing the mechanics — verification, submission, AR — while keeping the patient-facing and local relationships at each office.
The blend most groups need.
Centralize the back-office revenue cycle so the process and reporting are consistent; keep scheduling and patient communication local. That combination gives you standardization where it drives collections and nuance where it drives experience. It's the model behind our dental billing for DSOs. Not sure which fits your group? Book a call.