What does accounts receivable refer to?

Accounts receivable refers to the amounts that are owed to a business for services rendered. This is an essential concept in revenue cycle management, as it represents the income that the organization expects to receive for the services provided, effectively reflecting the organization's financial health and cash flow.

When a business provides a service, it typically creates a claim against a patient or a payer for payment. This amount is recorded as accounts receivable until it is collected. Monitoring accounts receivable is crucial for understanding how effectively a business manages its billing and collections processes, and timely collection of these amounts is key to maintaining operational liquidity.

The other options relate to different concepts that do not accurately define accounts receivable. Payments that are pending from patients might be part of the overall accounts receivable but do not encompass the entire definition. Total expenses accrued refers to the costs incurred by the business, which is separate from what is owed to it. Funds kept in trust accounts pertain to different financial management practices and are not linked to the definition of accounts receivable at all.