> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://www.practiceownersguide.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# The numbers that matter

> The one-page KPI sheet for a practice: production, collections, AR aging, denial rate, and the operational vitals.

You can run a practice on one page of numbers, reviewed monthly. More
dashboards than this usually means less attention per number.

## The money four

| KPI                   | Healthy                            | What it catches                                              |
| --------------------- | ---------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------ |
| Production            | Trend vs. plan                     | Schedule holes, provider capacity                            |
| Collection rate (net) | 96-99% of *collectible* production | Leaky billing; measure against contracted rates, not charges |
| Days in AR            | Under 30-35                        | Slow claims, unworked denials                                |
| AR over 90 days       | Under 10-15% of AR                 | The write-off pile forming                                   |

## The revenue-cycle vitals

Denial rate by payer (over \~5-8% means an upstream fix,
[work your denials](/guides/work-your-denials)), clean-claim rate from your
clearinghouse, and patient collection rate at time of service
([patient responsibility](/guides/patient-responsibility)).

## The operational vitals

No-show rate (under \~5-8% with [reminders](/guides/front-desk-stack)),
new patients per month, schedule utilization, and hygiene/recall reactivation
if you're dental.

## The habit

Same hour every month: pull the sheet, compare to last month and last year,
pick the one worst number, and fix its upstream cause. The KPIs are outputs;
the fixes are always process
([month-end close](/guides/month-end-close) produces the clean inputs).

## Related

* [Bookkeeping and the tax calendar](/guides/bookkeeping-and-tax-calendar)
* [Month-end close for a practice](/guides/month-end-close)
* [Work your denials](/guides/work-your-denials)
* [Patient responsibility](/guides/patient-responsibility)
* [What "reconciled" means](/concepts/reconciliation)