Answer :
Final answer:
The CFO should use the data to identify patients with the highest balances. This will help prioritize the collection process and focus on recovering the most significant debts first.
so the correct option is A) To identify patients with the highest balances.
Explanation:
The CFO should use the data to identify patients with the highest balances (Option A). By analyzing the patient demographics, the CFO can pinpoint individuals who have outstanding accounts receivables with large amounts. This information will help prioritize the collection process and focus on recovering the most significant debts first.
Option B, determining the most common reasons for delinquency, may require a separate analysis that goes beyond patient demographics. It would involve investigating factors like insurance coverage, medical billing errors, or late payment history.
The CFO can assess the effectiveness of the patient portal (Option C) by analyzing how many delinquent accounts are resolved or paid through the portal. This data can indicate whether the portal is successfully facilitating collections.
Option D, categorizing patients based on their payment history, may also require additional data beyond demographics. This approach involves evaluating individual payment patterns, such as consistently paying on time or frequently being overdue in payments.