Payer Friction Impact on Nursing Care Continuity

This white paper presents findings from a survey conducted by Black Book Research involving 119 registered nurses, focusing on the effects of payer friction on nursing practices at the bedside. The report outlines how issues related to prior authorization, denials, and discharge delays manifest as significant challenges for nurses, impacting patient care continuity. It highlights that while payer delays are often viewed as administrative hurdles, they translate into real-world consequences such as held discharges, medication access issues, and increased family escalation. The paper emphasizes that nurses frequently encounter these problems before they are reflected in executive dashboards, underscoring the need for a nurse-centered perspective on payer workflows. Key findings indicate that a majority of nurses report that payer-related delays affect discharge timing, medication access, and overall patient satisfaction, suggesting that these issues should be recognized as critical to operational efficiency and patient safety in healthcare settings.