WellSky® and Richmond University Medical Center Partnership Accelerates Authorization Turnaround 55 – 60%, Streamlining Care Transitions
Partnership reduces acute length of stay by nearly one day; achieves 95% first submission approval rate within 60 days
Press Release Disclaimer: This is a press release distributed through the XPR Media network. It has not been independently verified by our newsroom.
Through an expanded partnership with WellSky, Richmond University Medical Center (RUMC) has accelerated authorization turnaround times by 55 – 60% and achieved a 95% first submission approval rate within 60 days of implementation, demonstrating how integrated authorization management and physician advisory services can help patients move more quickly to the appropriate next level of care. The collaboration builds on RUMC’s existing use of WellSky CarePort solutions and supports RUMC’s growing authorization workload by reducing manual effort and helping care teams coordinate patient transitions.
As healthcare organizations navigate increasing case volumes and evolving payer requirements, authorization workflows have become more complex and resource intensive. Through this partnership, WellSky extends RUMC’s internal team with dedicated clinical and operational expertise, strengthening the quality, consistency, and timeliness of authorization submissions for in-patient and post-acute care, while reinforcing coordination across care settings and helping prevent authorization-related delays that can extend inpatient stays.
“Authorization management is a critical driver of patient flow, yet it has become increasingly resource-intensive and complex,” said Maureen Harrington, vice president of care coordination and behavioral health at RUMC. “Through our partnership with WellSky, we’ve implemented a more advanced, clinically driven approach to authorization management, allowing our clinical teams to spend more time on patient care.”
Unlike fragmented authorization workflows, WellSky Authorization Management Services combine clinical review, operational support, and technology in a single workflow, supporting authorizations across skilled nursing, inpatient rehab, and long-term acute care settings. Early results show turnaround times from request to final determination have decreased by an average of 55–60%, and over 60% of authorizations are now obtained in under 24 hours, improving both the speed and predictability of authorization decisions and helping patients transition more efficiently to the next appropriate level of care.
By reducing delays in the authorization process, RUMC has been able to support more timely discharge planning and patient progression through the acute care setting. Within 60 days of go-live, RUMC reduced acute average length of stay by 0.75 days while maintaining quality outcomes, reflecting fewer authorization-related barriers to timely patient progression.
Improvements in documentation and clinical review have contributed to a 60% month-over-month decline in denial volume within the program. In parallel, 95% of authorizations for skilled nursing facilities, inpatient rehabilitation facilities, and long-term acute care hospitals are now approved on first submission, reflecting more complete documentation and earlier clinical validation.
“As authorization requirements continue to grow, health systems need more integrated approaches that combine clinical expertise with operational scale,” said Bill Miller, chairman and CEO of WellSky. “By bringing these capabilities together, we’re helping organizations like RUMC transform authorization workflows and enable more timely, coordinated care.”
Together, WellSky CarePort solutions and WellSky Authorization Management Services give RUMC greater visibility and coordination across acute and post-acute settings, helping align authorization workflows with discharge planning and patient transitions.
To learn how WellSky Authorization Management Services can help health systems accelerate authorization turnaround and streamline care transitions, visit our website here.
About WellSky®
WellSky is one of America’s largest and most innovative healthcare technology companies, leading the movement for intelligent, coordinated care. In today’s value-based care environment, WellSky connects providers, payers, health systems, life sciences companies, and community organizations through AI-powered software, analytics, and services. Our solutions help organizations scale smarter, collaborate more effectively, and unlock data-driven insights. The result is better alignment across all dimensions of clinical and social care — supporting better outcomes and lower costs. WellSky serves more than 20,000 client sites — including the largest hospital systems, blood banks, cell therapy labs, home health and hospice franchises, post-acute providers, government agencies, and human services organizations. With more than 40 years of industry expertise further amplified by AI, WellSky anticipates clients’ needs and innovates relentlessly to shape the future of coordinated care. For more information, visit wellsky.com.
About Richmond University Medical Center
Richmond University Medical Center (RUMC) is a not-for-profit healthcare provider serving the ethnically diverse community of Staten Island and its neighbors. We provide premier-quality patient care through a full spectrum of emergent, acute, primary, behavioral health and educational services. We do this in an environment that promotes the highest satisfaction among patients, families, physicians and staff. For more information call 1-718-818-1234 or visit www.rumcsi.org. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and Twitter.
View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260813203578/en/
Media gallery
