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