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Authorization · Scheduling

Why are authorization and scheduling waiting on each other?

This usually means the readiness rule or ownership boundary is ambiguous. Define what authorization needs before it can proceed, what scheduling needs before it can accept the request, and which role owns the case while those prerequisites are incomplete.

Useful for: Authorization teams, scheduling staff, referrals and managers

First checks

Work through the workflow before escalating blindly.

  1. List the prerequisites for authorization.
  2. List the prerequisites for scheduling.
  3. Identify the owner while prerequisites remain incomplete.
  4. Define the ready-for-scheduling event.
  5. Define the exception route for unresolved cases.

Ownership questions

  • Who owns missing information?
  • Who follows up with the payer?
  • Who marks the case ready for scheduling?
  • Who owns cases that never meet the standard path?
Avoid making the problem worse

Common failure patterns

  • Passing the same task back and forth without a named owner.
  • Creating duplicate referral or scheduling work.
  • Bypassing required authorization rules.

When to escalate

Payer and policy decisions stay with authorized teams. Suspected routing/configuration problems should go to the application team with the expected and actual handoff.

Related resources

Continue with the closest workflow tool.

Prior authorization guideScheduling handoff guideAuthorization topic
Boundary: Your organization’s approved policy, configuration, security controls and escalation process always control. HelpEpic is independent workflow guidance, not clinical advice or official Epic support. Never send HelpEpic patient names, DOBs, MRNs, screenshots, records, passwords, tokens or confidential internal information.