PHOENIX, AZ — (Marketwire) — 10/21/11 — Arizona physicians share the same concerns when it comes to prior authorizations. Results from a member survey found on the AOMA website () affirm that this growing trend dictated by health plans, or third party administrators, is quickly becoming an obstruction to caring for patients.
“These preliminary survey results shed light on the barriers and the red tape caused by prior authorizations,” said Jan Zieren, D.O., MPH. a board certified family physician and current AOMA President. “When cost-savings measures appear to ambush patient care time, change treatment plans and create a burden on a physician-s practice, it-s time to a closer look.”
Prior authorizations consistently cause physicians to justify their treatment plans; partly defending a particular service or medication (drug) for a patient. Such interference derails the professional medical opinion of a physician. Some physicians face blatant questions like if a service or medication is -correct- or -truly necessary,- language used by insurers in patient literature.
Most concerning is that prior authorization places individuals with no direct patient contact in the position of decision maker for patients.
An overwhelming number of members surveyed agreed that a new, more simplified process is needed. Highlights from the AOMA survey follow:
Ninety-eight percent surveyed agreed that the prior authorization process interrupts patient care and everyone surveyed agreed it was -important- or -very important- to eliminate it.
Sixty-eight percent of respondents believed that having an automated (electronic) prior authorization process would help manage patient care more efficiently, while 95 percent felt it was -very important- or -important- to streamline the prior authorization process.
An overwhelming 92 percent said that they would prescribe an alternate drug if it meant avoiding the prior authorization and 89 percent reported that they already take such measures.
More than half, 66 percent of the respondents expressed that they have difficulty obtaining prior authorization on 25 – 74 percent of prescription drugs and that 10 percent of prescription drugs are rejected 90 percent of the time.
Finally, the administrative strain on doctor-s office is clear, with 73 percent of respondents reporting that their staff spends 10 hours or more a week, obtaining prior authorizations for drugs or services.
The issue is gaining traction among physicians everywhere. The AOMA results mirror those from surveys conducted with doctors across the nation and by Arizona Medical Association this summer. A national survey earlier this year by the American Medical Association of 2,400 physicians concluded that the prior authorization process poses a problem in patient care.
Contact:
Amanda Weaver, MBA
Executive Director
(602) 266-6699