Even if we have to call to request a form by fax, we're on the phone for at least 20 minutes.
We only make one phone call, to the patient. Our staff tells them that their insurance company is holding up filling the prescription by requiring extra paperwork. We give him/her the telephone number and tell them we're willing to fill out a single page form if they will fax this directly to us, but we make the patient request the form.
We had to do it this way, some of the subspecialists were writing prescriptions and then telling the patients to get pre-authorizations from us -- we were fielding over a dozen requests on some days. So we had to get the patient's involved. Besides,it gives them some insight into what we go through with their insurers.
