Maximizing Year-End Surgery Revenue in Ortho Practices

December is one of the busiest—and most financially important—months for orthopedic practices. Deductibles have been met, patients are motivated to complete procedures before benefits reset, and schedules fill fast with last-minute surgical cases. For practices, this creates a rare opportunity: a concentrated burst of surgical volume paired with strong reimbursement potential.

But high volume only pays off if the practice can document efficiently, bill cleanly, and collect quickly.

Here’s how orthopedic groups can optimize year-end surgery workflows—and how Phoenix Go and Phoenix Ortho’s Open PM help ensure nothing falls through the cracks.

1. Why December Surgeries Matter for Revenue Performance

Patients who have already met their deductibles are far more likely to move forward with procedures they’ve postponed earlier in the year. That means:

• Higher surgical volume

• Accelerated revenue cycles

• Stronger year-end cash flow

• More predictable post-op follow-up schedules

But increased volume also brings operational pressure. Clinics must coordinate pre-op documentation, surgical clearance, protocols, imaging, orders, authorizations, and communication across multiple systems—unless they’re using an orthopedic-specific platform designed to simplify the process.

2. Quick, Accurate Pre-Op Documentation with Phoenix Go

Pre-operative documentation is often the bottleneck that slows down scheduling. With Phoenix Go:

Orthopedic-Specific Templates & Stacked Protocols

Phoenix Go’s Stacked Protocols link pathology → diagnosis → exam findings → plan of care with associated codes and orders. This means:

• Faster creation of pre-op notes

• Automated inclusion of appropriate protocols and documentation

• Fewer clicks and less dictation

• Clear alignment between documentation and billable encounters

Seamless Surgical Prep

Clinics can quickly:

• Add imaging

• Generate pre-op packets

• Add orders such as injections, diagnostic tests, PT, DME

• Pull forward the patient’s relevant exam and history

By reducing time spent preparing charts, physicians and staff can schedule more cases—and keep the surgical calendar as full as possible.

3. Better Post-Op Notes = Cleaner Collections

Post-op documentation is essential for:

• Compliant global billing

• Clear justification of follow-up care

• Preventing revenue leakage

• Speeding up claims processing

Phoenix Go streamlines post-op visits with:

• Fast, protocol-driven documentation tools

• One-click access to previous surgeries, implants, imaging, and notes

• Quick documentation tools built specifically for orthopedics

This ensures that every case—simple or complex—is documented completely and consistently.

4. Stronger Collection Performance with Open PM

Even the best documentation won’t drive revenue unless the billing engine is powerful and accurate.

Open PM (Phoenix Ortho's PM) excels during peak surgical months because it delivers:

High Collection Rates & Clean Claims

• Orthopedic-specific edits reduce denials

• Claims go out faster because documentation syncs directly from Phoenix Go

• Clear rules for global periods and follow-ups

• Clean claim generation that accelerates payment

Visibility Across the Entire Revenue Cycle

Open PM helps staff track:

• Authorizations

• Surgical charges

• Global periods

• Payment timelines

• Outstanding patient balances

With more surgeries in December, this visibility prevents revenue from getting lost in the year-end rush.

5. The Advantage of Having Everything Connected

When documentation and practice management work together, practices get:

• Faster scheduling

• Quicker chart prep

• More accurate coding

• Cleaner claims

• More predictable cash flow

With Phoenix Go + Open PM, clinics can confidently increase surgical volume without worrying about overload or missing revenue.

6. Tips for Orthopedic Practices Closing Out the Year Strong

Here are a few best practices for December:

• Identify patients who delayed surgery earlier in the year and contact them proactively.

• Ensure benefits and deductible status are verified early to speed scheduling.

• Batch surgical clearances using Phoenix Go’s templates to save administrative time.

• Leverage Stacked Protocols to keep pre- and post-op documentation consistent.

• Send out claims daily to avoid holiday backlogs.

• Review all global periods and ensure follow-ups are on the schedule.

A small operational push in December can make a significant impact on annual revenue totals.

Don't miss out... December Is an Opportunity—Make the Most of It!

End-of-year surgical demand creates a natural surge in revenue potential. With Phoenix Go’s fast pre- and post-op documentation tools and Open PM’s proven collections performance, orthopedic practices can capture every dollar they’ve earned—without overwhelming their staff.

Work smarter, finish the year stronger, and walk into January with momentum.  Schedule a 1:1 to see for yourself!