The Latest from Vital Signs: Prior Authorization Rules, Payer Contract Renewals and Medical Assistant Hiring Trends

Vital Signs is a monthly newsletter from AdvancedMD highlighting the healthcare industry’s top trends and insights. It’s our way of helping you stay informed.

Last month, the American Medical Association (AMA) revealed most of the physicians they surveyed said that prior authorizations not only delay access to necessary care, but also have a negative impact on patient outcomes. Meanwhile, Medical Economics released a guide to help providers keep up with all of the regulatory changes happening to prior authorization processes. Healthcare Dive reported on a study published in JAMA that showed patients who received hospital-level care at home was linked to better clinical outcomes and decreased emergency department use.

Here’s a recap of everything we learned:

• According to an American Medical Association (AMA) survey, more than 90% of physicians reported prior authorizations delay access to necessary care and negatively affect clinical outcomes overall.
• A third of the practice leaders surveyed by MGMA said that a physician has left their practice in the past year because of burnout, and nearly half said they believed burnout was getting worse.  
• A Medical Economics report on the latest updates to prior authorization rules and regulations included a slideshow highlighting ten significant changes for providers to keep an eye on. The list included an insurer pledge that, by 2027, at least 80% of electronic prior authorization approvals submitted with complete clinical documentation will be answered in real time.
• A study published in JAMA, and covered by Healthcare Dive, revealed patients who received hospital-level care at home not only experienced improved clinical outcomes, but also saw minor decreases in total healthcare costs.
• Physicians Practice published a helpful resource for navigating payer contract renewals, with questions providers should consider to help reinforce a practice’s financial stability, such as: “How do current rates compare with your cost per visit?”
• Medical Economics shared the seven most popular hobbies that physicians swear by, starting with running, cycling and endurance sports.
• Another MGMA survey of practice leaders found that more than 50% of respondents said hiring efforts for medical assistant roles have become more challenging in the past year. “Respondents who said hiring is harder overwhelmingly pointed to a shortage of qualified candidates — often compounded by concerns about experience, work readiness, and training pipeline gaps,” according to MGMA.

Vital Signs is brought to you by AdvancedMD. It’s our way of helping you stay informed on the trends and insights that shape our industry. Each month, we publish a roundup of healthcare headlines so that you are in-the-know when it comes to the topics that matter most to you, your staff, and your patients.