Internal Requests
That Get Done
How to stop aged AR from stalling on records, coding fixes, and signatures
A lot of aged AR is not stuck because of the payer.
It is stuck because of an internal item.
Medical records are needed. A coding correction is required. A provider signature is missing. An authorization detail needs to be verified. Clinical documentation is incomplete.
The AR team cannot move the account forward until that one piece is done. So the account sits, and follow-up turns into checking, waiting, and asking again.
This is one of the most common sources of time leakage in aged AR.
Why internal requests stall
Internal requests stall for simple reasons.
The request is not clear. It does not name an owner. It has no due date. It does not explain why it matters. It is not sent to the right place. Or it is written in a way that forces the other team to ask questions before they can act.
Then the AR team spends more time chasing the request than moving the account.
The fix is not more reminders. The fix is a better request.
What a strong request looks like
A strong internal request is short, but complete.
It answers four basic questions.
What is needed. Why it is needed. Where it should be delivered. When it is due.
When those four are present, the receiving team can act without back-and-forth. And the AR team can track progress without guessing.
Why owner and due date matter so much
Many internal requests fail because they are nobody’s job today.
If there is no owner, it will bounce. If there is no due date, it will sit behind louder work. Even good teams struggle when a request is vague, because it is hard to prioritize something that has no time expectation.
A clear owner and due date does not create pressure. It creates clarity.
It also makes it easier to lead. If something is overdue, leaders can step in and remove blockers. Without an owner and due date, nothing is truly overdue, so nothing gets resolved.
A simple way to write the request
You do not need a long message. You need a usable one.
Instead of “Need records for claim,” write it like you are helping the other team finish it in one pass.
Here is the kind of detail that prevents questions:
Identify the account or claim. State what document or correction is needed. Explain the reason in one sentence. Tell them exactly where to send it. Add the due date.
When the request is that clear, the other team does not need to guess what you mean, and you do not need to chase for basic information.
The extra step that keeps aged AR moving
For accounts older than 90 days, add one extra item to the request.
Add what will happen if the due date is missed.
This is not a threat. It is a plan. It helps everyone understand why timing matters.
For example, if the due date passes, the next step might be escalation to a manager, or moving the account to a priority queue, or holding a short decision review. The point is to avoid silent waiting.
How to track internal blockers without creating more work
You do not need a new system to manage this.
Use a simple rule: any aged account blocked by an internal item must have a recorded owner, due date, and next follow-up date.
That last part matters. A request can be due Friday, but the AR team should not “check someday.” Set the next follow-up date in advance. That keeps the account from drifting.
What changes when internal requests improve
When internal requests are clear, several things improve quickly.
Accounts stop stalling for preventable reasons. The AR team spends less time chasing and more time doing progress work. Cross-team conversations get calmer because requests are easier to understand. Managers get earlier visibility when a blocker is not moving. And handoffs get cleaner because the record shows who owns what and when it is due.
This is how you reduce the slow, quiet delays that keep aged AR heavy.
How to start this week
Start small.
Pick one category that blocks a lot of aged accounts, like medical records or coding corrections. Use one standard request format for a few weeks. Then review a small sample weekly and adjust the template based on what still causes questions.
A strong AR system is not only payer follow-up. It is also clean internal coordination that keeps accounts moving without repeated chasing.
Zybex helps teams set simple internal request standards and weekly operating habits so aged AR moves faster, with less rework and fewer delays.