BATON ROUGE, La., Feb. 22, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Thanks to a new relationship with Availity, LLC (“Availity”), Amedisys, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMED), one of the nation’s leading home health, hospice and personal care providers, is processing authorizations more efficiently – and less costly.

Previously, Amedisys processed every authorization for managed care claims manually, through either a website or a phone call, requiring 15 to 20 minutes per claim. As a result, authorizations often took too long to complete, thus raising administrative costs and at times, delaying patient care.

To address those longstanding challenges, Amedisys forged a relationship with Availity, the nation’s largest real-time health information network. Availity electronically synthesizes and shares data in real-time between providers and health plans nationwide. This is their first foray in home health.

The automated approach has brought Amedisys numerous advantages. It not only quickens authorizations but also lowers administrative costs. Such benefits can produce a ripple effect. Each authorization at Amedisys now takes only seven minutes to process compared to the 15 minutes required by manual-based processes, enabling clinicians to visit patients sooner and Amedisys to be reimbursed faster. 

Amedisys is the first provider in the home health industry working with Availity to utilize electronic authorizations. While Amedisys is only using this technology with one payor at this time, it is working to expand to others. The transition to Availity was made possible after Amedisys implemented Homecare Homebase software.

“This is an example of the kind of innovation that changes the game for everyone involved,” said Amedisys President and CEO Paul Kusserow. “We’re now looking to set this system up with other payors and home health providers as we continue to look for other innovative ways to drive down administrative costs in our industry.”

“Authorizations have always placed enormous cost and administrative burdens on provider organizations, and have been exacerbated by inefficient manual processes,” said Russ Thomas, Availity CEO. “Our relationship with Amedisys addresses many of those challenges by automating the authorizations and re-authorizations process, thereby increasing the quality and accuracy of data required by their health plan and ensuring timely reimbursement for services rendered. We look forward to expanding this innovation in the home health space.”

About Amedisys 

Amedisys, Inc. is a leading healthcare at home Company delivering personalized home health, hospice and personal care. Amedisys is focused on delivering the care that is best for our patients, whether that is home-based personal care; recovery and rehabilitation after an operation or injury; care focused on empowering them to manage a chronic disease; or hospice care at the end of life. We partner with 3,000 hospitals and 59,000 physicians nationwide have chosen Amedisys as a partner in post-acute care. Founded in 1982, headquartered in Baton Rouge, LA with an executive office in Nashville, TN, Amedisys is a publicly held company. With more than 17,500 employees, in 416 care centers in 34 states, Amedisys is dedicated to delivering the highest quality of care to the doorsteps of more than 369,000 patients and clients in need every year. For more information about the Company, please visit: www.amedisys.com.

About Availity
As an industry-leading, HITRUST-certified health care information technology company, Availity serves an extensive network of health plans, providers, and technology partners nationwide through a suite of dynamic products built on a powerful, intelligent platform. Availity integrates and manages the clinical, administrative, and financial data needed to fuel real-time coordination between providers, health plans, and patients in a growing value-based care environment. Facilitating over 10 million transactions daily, Availity’s ability to provide accurate, timely, and relevant information is vital to the financial success of its clients. For more information, including an online demonstration, please visit www.availity.com or call 1.800.AVAILITY (282.4548).

Contact:
Matt Schlossberg
Amendola Communications for Availity
mschlossberg@acmarketingpr.com
630-935-9136