What term describes a series of steps that leads to payment for patients' medical services?

The term that describes a series of steps leading to payment for patients' medical services is the Revenue Cycle. This concept encompasses the entirety of healthcare operations related to capturing, managing, and collecting patient service revenue. It begins with patient registration and continues through the provision of medical services, coding, billing, and ultimately to the collection of payments from patients and insurers.

The Revenue Cycle is critical because it affects the financial health of healthcare organizations. By optimizing each step in the cycle, facilities can reduce billing errors, improve collections, and enhance overall cash flow. Understanding this cycle is especially important for medical coders and billers, as their roles directly influence the accuracy and efficiency of the process.

In contrast, while terms like Payment Process and Billing Process may refer to segments of this cycle, they do not encapsulate its full breadth, which includes patient interaction, claims submission, insurer reimbursement, and payment collection. The Fiscal Cycle generally pertains more to the budgeting and financial planning aspects of an organization rather than the step-by-step process of securing payments for services rendered.