10 ways to reduce the burden of prior authorizations

Primary care providers rank prior authorizations over and over as one of the greatest frustrations in clinical practice. Aimed at reducing unnecessary or unwarranted spending, the practice of requiring prior authorizations has been blamed by clinicians for delaying or preventing needed care and adding yet another layer of administrative burden to the practice of medicine. “This is probably the most burdensome problem a practice has,” saidRobert M. Tennant, MA, director of health information technology policy and the Medical Group Management Association (MGMA). “It can delay care, and it’s frustrating for both the practice and the patient. It’s the only administrative action that really impacts patient care.”Read on to find out how you can pare back this burden in your practice.