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Grade BproductionSource date Jun 9, 2026· Last verified Oct 17, 2026

Can an AI agent cut prior authorization handling time?

MIT Health · Hospitals & Health Systems

Header image: A bright dental office with a green treatment chair

MIT Health, MIT's campus health center, embedded Notable's Sidekick assistive AI agent into prior-authorization submissions to the Carelon portal; it pre-assembles clinical packets and answers payer questions from the chart. Notable reports authorizations now average about 6 minutes, an estimated 45% reduction from ~11 minutes, across 750+ runs.

Reported outcomes

prior auth handling time
~6 minutes vs ~11 minutes (estimated 45% reduction)
Source [1] · self-reported
volume
flow has run more than 750 times since go-live
Source [1] · self-reported

Outcomes are reported exactly as stated by the source; we have not independently audited them.

How it works

  1. Puts relevant orders and chart context in one place.
  2. Pre-assembles the clinical packet for the payer.
  3. Answers payer clinical questions using context from the patient's chart.
  4. Errors (e.g., missing allergies) create human tasks with clear instructions.

Risks & compliance

  • PHI
  • Clinical answers to payer questions should be reviewed by staff

Healthcare cases cover operational and commercial workflows. Nothing here is medical advice or a claim about a device's or drug's efficacy.

Editor's notes

  • Figure applies 'when all information is available', per the source.
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Tools mentioned & how to build it

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Tools mentioned

  • Notable (Notable)
    AI agents for intake, scheduling, prior auth and care-gap outreach.

Build a version yourself

  • Lindy
    No-code AI agents for inbox, scheduling and sales admin.
  • Fireflies.ai
    AI meeting notes that sync summaries and action items to your CRM.

All tools by category →

Sources

[1]Notable· vendor customer story· Jun 9, 2026
“A Sidekick-supported authorization can be completed in an average of 6 minutes, an estimated 45% reduction from the previous average ~11-minute handling time, when all information is available.”
MIT Health cut prior auth time in half with AI

Grade rationale: Named organization with quantified outcome from the vendor's customer story. Automated check on Oct 17, 2026: 1/1 quotes and 2/2 outcome claims matched the source. Compiled by the Agent Casefile research desk (AI-assisted; see methodology). Spot an error? Request a correction.

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