Case Study: Non-Profit Healthcare Service Center achieves increased productivity and streamlined prior authorizations with Experian Health's Passport Authorizations

Managing growth through automation and integration

A southeast-based, multi-specialty academic non-profit healthcare delivery system with a centralized prior-authorization team supporting 20 health centers and more than 60 clinic locations faced a rising workload (projected 25% growth in authorization volume) driven by more demanding payer requirements and greater patient financial responsibility. Their process was largely manual—phone and fax follow-ups with many non‑value touches—which strained 102 FTEs (including 15 RNs/LPNs), slowed accounts receivable and patient financial counseling, and made it difficult to “do more with less.”

The organization implemented Experian Health’s Passport Authorizations integrated in Epic, using lean methods starting in surgery to automate real‑time authorization pings and reduce manual follow-up. Inquiries now run automatically, freeing staff to focus on patient financial discussions; productivity improved (surgery lead days moved from 6 to 12 in under four months), 10 full‑time surgery employees were reallocated to other teams, user satisfaction rose, radiology rollout is live, and additional service lines are planned.