What are the hidden administrative costs of prior authorization delays on patient outcomes?
- Prior authorization slows care and creates hidden costs like wasted time, extra appointments, cash-flow delays, and patient harm.
- Clinics spend 12–16 hours weekly on 39–43 PA requests, costing thousands per year in staff time and overhead.
- Administrative burdens include rework, appeals, burnout, turnover, and care abandonment due to delays or denials.
- Delays in approvals directly impact patient outcomes—especially for chronic or urgent conditions—making PA a patient safety issue.
- Industry trends like insurer reforms, automation, and policy oversight are reshaping PA, but come with both opportunities and risks.
- Clinics can reduce the burden by tracking PA metrics, using ePA tools, prioritizing urgent cases, measuring harm, and partnering with payers—with Practolytics offering support to drive savings and faster care.