AMTC25: Clinical Excellence and Workflow Clarity

The 2025 Air Medical Transport Conference (AMTC25) has a distinct character compared to many healthcare gatherings. The industry is close-knit, with organizations that (despite being competitors!) share experiences, exchange lessons learned and approach the field with a sense of collective identity.

Many of the sessions this year focused on clinical practice and patient care, which remains the heart of air medical work. From pediatric critical care transport to complex trauma response, the emphasis on skill, readiness, and clinical excellence was clear and appropriate.

However, threaded throughout the conference were a set of conversations that signal an emerging shift in how air medical programs think about operational sustainability, documentation, and revenue alignment. These topics are not replacing clinical focus; rather, they are becoming increasingly recognized as foundational to supporting and sustaining the clinical mission.

Interested in learning more?  Schedule a chat with me.

Common Theme: Workflow Maturity Needed

Across the sessions, one predominant theme emerged: many air medical business workflows are still built on individual memory, experience, and informal coordination. This model has worked because the people doing the work are highly skilled - but reliance on “hero employees” is increasingly unsustainable.

Staffing dynamics, payer scrutiny, and operational complexity now require more structured workflow design and clearer handoffs. Sustainable operations depend on repeatable, well-governed processes. Having shared workflow definitions that cross departments help reduce variability and risk.

The part of the puzzle left unanswered in many of these sessions: how to accomplish this, both from a logistical and cultural perspective.

Below are my takeaways from three sessions that emphasize this need:

Clinical Documentation and Revenue Cycle Understanding

“Billers and Clinicians: An Unlikely Friendship” highlighted a familiar challenge: clinicians document to reflect care accurately and safely, while reimbursement decisions depend on how clearly medical necessity is communicated to external reviewers. When documentation styles vary between individuals or bases, billing teams spend significant energy reconstructing context after the fact.

Key emphasis:

• Shared documentation expectations improve clarity
• Feedback loops between clinical and billing teams reduce denials
• Consistency matters more than volume of documentation
  

Practical Applications of AI in Air Medical Workflows

The session on AI focused on practical use rather than abstract future-state projections. Organizations are testing small, targeted AI models to support workflow tasks such as analyzing dispatch narratives, understanding causes of missed flights, and reviewing documentation. These approaches work best when workflows are already structured; where processes rely heavily on tacit knowledge, AI tends to reflect variability rather than reduce it.

Key emphasis:

• Small, task-specific AI models > broad predictive engines
• AI supplements judgment rather than replacing it
• Workflow standardization is a prerequisite for meaningful AI adoption 

No Surprises Act Observations & Reimbursement Implications

The NSA-focused session underscored a broader reality: financial sustainability now depends on clear alignment between clinical documentation and revenue cycle processes. Even for programs not deeply involved in dispute resolution, medical necessity communication affects reimbursement predictability.

Key emphasis:

• Clear narrative documentation supports reimbursement
• Clinical, QA, dispatch, and billing coordination is increasingly necessary
• Sustainability and financial stability now intersect with clinical workflows

Note: Macedon helps teams scale their RCM processes with automation, such as with our No Surprises Act Automation software.

Our Perspective

Macedon’s work in healthcare operations aligns with what surfaced at AMTC. In other provider settings, we have seen that operational clarity, documentation consistency, and thoughtful workflow automation strengthen both clinical and financial outcomes. The technology matters, but only after the workflow is well understood and intentionally designed.

• Workflow first, technology second
• Automation should carry complexity, not create it
• Clear roles and repeatable handoffs are foundational to sustainability
  

This is why we offer a Workflow Performance Assessment for free - to help start the work of evaluating and aligning your process before any technology is even introduced.

Conclusion

AMTC reaffirmed the strength of the air medical community and its commitment to clinical excellence. The emerging shift is not away from that mission, but toward building workflows that reliably support it. As the field continues to evolve, programs that align documentation, clarify operational processes, and introduce automation where it reduces burden will be well positioned to sustain the critical work they do.

Interested in continuing the conversation or learning more about how our services can help you improve your workflows?  Schedule a chat with me.