AUTHORIZATION SUPERVISOR

Description

Job Title

Authorization Supervisor

Department

Patient Access

Reports to

Patient Access Manager

Status

Full-Time/Non-Exempt

Authorization Supervisor Position Summary

The Authorization Supervisor is responsible for the day-to-day supervision of prior authorization staff within the Patient Access team. This role supports efficient, accurate authorization workflows while ensuring high customer service and quality standards are met. The Authorization Supervisor serves as a frontline leader, assisting with staff guidance, workload prioritization, and escalation resolution, while partnering closely with management to achieve departmental goals.

Authorization Supervisor Detailed Responsibilities

• Supervise and support authorization team members, including daily work assignments, workload balancing, and coverage coordination. 
• Provide coaching, training, and real-time feedback to ensure staff performance meets productivity and quality expectations. 
• Serve as the first level of escalation for complex authorization issues, payer challenges, and patient-related concerns. 
• Collaborate with the Patient Access Manager to support departmental goals, policies, and operational priorities. 
• Monitor authorization workflows to ensure timely completion and compliance with payer requirements. 
• Collaborate closely with Revenue Cycle teams (including billing and denial management) to regularly review authorization-related denials, identify root causes, and implement corrective actions aimed at reducing write-offs, preventing lost revenue, and improving upfront authorization accuracy.
• Assist with reporting, trending, and basic performance monitoring for the authorization team. 
• Identify workflow inefficiencies and recommend operational improvements to leadership. 
• Ensure adherence to established procedures, quality standards, and regulatory requirements, including payer guidelines. 
• Maintain effective working relationships with internal departments, including scheduling, clinical teams, and billing. 
• Promote a positive, team-oriented work environment that supports accountability, collaboration, and service excellence. 
• Maintain HIPAA compliance and uphold all SMIL policies and procedures. 
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Authorization Supervisor Specific Job Knowledge, Skill, and Ability

• Must have a strong working knowledge of the prior authorization process.
• Ability to lead a team and successfully implement workflow changes.
• Proven track record of partnering with staff to achieve desired patient experience outcomes.
• General knowledge of revenue cycle performance and management.
• Extensive knowledge of government guidelines and regulations.
• Skilled in Microsoft Office Applications.
• Creative problem-solving abilities, investigative and analytical skills.
• Ability to multitask in a fast-paced environment with minimal supervision.
• Detail-oriented.
• Demonstrates the ability to organize work to ensure all tasks are completed in a timely manner. 
• Must be able to communicate calmly, compassionately, and professionally with all external and internal contacts. 
• The ability to work effectively with other employees and maintain a cooperative working relationship intra-departmentally and inter-departmentally. 
• The demonstration of ethical and professional conduct, including the ability to maintain confidentiality (HIPAA).

 Among the many benefits of a career with Southwest Medical Imaging, are the following:

• Medical, Dental & Vision Coverage
• Health Savings Accounts (HSA-available if enrolled in a high-deductible plan)
• Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA)
• Dependent Care Reimbursement Accounts (DCRA)
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP available if enrolled in Health plan)
• 401(k) retirement plan
• Paid Time Off (PTO)
• Company Paid Basic Life & AD&D Insurance
• Voluntary Life Insurance
• Voluntary Short Disability 
• Company Paid Long-Term Disability
• Pet Discount Program
• 6 paid Company Holidays 
• Floating Holiday, Jury Duty & Bereavement Leave
• Tuition Reimbursement
• Competitive Salary
• Leadership Mentoring Opportunities

Requirements

Qualifications

Progressive supervisory experience required.

A minimum of 3 years of experience in prior authorization is required. 

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS:

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to use hands to finger, handle, or feel; reach with hands and arms and talk and hear. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, color vision, ability to adjust focus. The employee is frequently required to sit and must be able to remain in a stationary position while performing the essential duties of this position. Inside general air-conditioned, nonhazardous environment only with light background noise.