Advancing a Modern RCM Operation
University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas faced a familiar challenge: strong revenue cycle operations hampered by manual, repetitive work across fragmented systems. The solution wasn't just better technology. It required a true partner who understood healthcare operations.
Strong Operations Held Back by Manual Work
Michael Laukaitis, Director of Revenue Cycle Analytics, Accounting and Quality Assurance at UT Southwestern, describes the situation before automation:
"Our revenue cycle operations were solid, but a lot of the processes were manual and time consuming. Staff were spending hours every day on repetitive tasks across multiple systems."
The issues went beyond time. Data consistency suffered. Processes varied across teams. Systems didn't talk to each other. Scaling became difficult. Most importantly, staff spent their days on work that could be automated rather than high-value analysis and improvement.
Finding the Right Partner
UT Southwestern knew they needed more than a vendor selling software. They needed a collaborator who understood both the technical side of automation and the daily realities of healthcare revenue cycle operations. "We wanted a true collaborator. Someone who understood healthcare revenue cycle complexity, compliance requirements, and the realities of daily operations," Laukaitis explains.
The evaluation focused on three key criteria:
A Collaborative Implementation
The rollout wasn't one-size-fits-all. Tarpon worked alongside UT Southwestern to design automations tailored to their specific environment. "We didn't end up with just working automations, but we built a stronger internal capability and shared framework for thinking about process improvement," says Laukaitis.
The collaborative approach delivered two outcomes: functional automations that solved immediate problems and and strengthened internal skills to plan and manage automation going forward.
Results: $1.5M in Labor Savings
Over two years of partnership, UT Southwestern built 32 automations across 20 different revenue cycle processes. The anticipated value for 2025 alone reaches $1.5 million in labor savings. Thousands of manual hours were eliminated. Error rates dropped. Staff shifted focus to higher-value work like trend analysis and process improvement.
But Laukaitis points to an equally important cultural shift:
"Our teams now see automations as an enabler, something that helps them do their job better, not just something that replaces them. That mindset shift has been huge."
The initiative also strengthened collaboration between analytics, operations, and leadership. Teams now speak the same language around process improvement and technology. "Everyone's now aligned on using data and automation to make informed proactive decisions rather than just reacting to problems," Laukaitis notes.
Looking Ahead: The Next Evolution
UT Southwestern isn't standing still. The next phase moves beyond task automation to agentic AI systems that can make intelligent decisions. "Our next step is going to be agentic AI systems that can not only execute tasks but make intelligent decisions. That's where the future of our revenue cycle is heading," explains Laukaitis. This evolution from basic automation to intelligent decision-making represents the natural progression of the partnership with Tarpon Health.
Advice for Other Revenue Cycle Leaders
For organizations considering automation, Laukaitis offers straightforward guidance:
"Start simple, start small, but start now. Pick a few high-impact areas, prove the value, and use those wins to build momentum."
He emphasizes the human element matters as much as the technology: "Don't underestimate the human side of it. Invest in training, communicate openly, and help your teams understand that automation is here to make their work easier and more meaningful."
Making Transformation Real
UT Southwestern's automation journey shows that meaningful transformation requires more than good technology. It demands a partner who understands your operations, collaborates on solutions, and helps build internal capability.
The results speak for themselves: $1.5 million in anticipated labor savings for 2025, 32 automations deployed across 20 processes over two years, and a foundation for the next generation of intelligent automation.
Most importantly, staff now focus on work that matters while automation handles the repetitive tasks that once consumed their days.
