The most expensive time to automate is after an acquisition closes. At that point, central teams are overloaded, leadership attention is split, and every operational issue feels urgent. MSOs that wait to automate until growth exposes weaknesses end up using automation reactively—often under pressure and without a clear strategy.
The strongest MSOs automate before their next acquisition, so new volume lands on a stable foundation.
Automate the Workflows That Absorb Immediate Volume
New practices increase operational volume on day one. The workflows that feel pressure first are almost always the same.
Before acquiring, MSOs should automate:
- Referral and intake processing
- Fax and document triage
- Eligibility and benefits checks
- Prior authorization initiation
- Scheduling readiness validation
These workflows act as shock absorbers. When they’re automated, new volume doesn’t immediately overwhelm staff.
Automate Cross-Team Handoffs Before Adding Complexity
Growth stresses handoffs between teams—intake to auth, auth to scheduling, clinical to billing.
Automation ensures:
- Work progresses automatically when prerequisites are met
- Tasks don’t stall due to missed handoffs
- Ownership is clear at every step
- Exceptions surface immediately
This prevents coordination breakdowns when volume increases.
Automate Documentation and Billing Safeguards Early
New practices introduce documentation variation that often leads to denials and delays.
Before acquiring, MSOs should automate:
- Documentation completeness checks
- Coding readiness validation
- Payer-specific rule enforcement
- Claim follow-up timing
These safeguards prevent revenue leakage from becoming normalized during integration.
Automate Visibility Before You Need It
Many leaders realize they lack visibility only after something breaks.
Automation should be in place to provide real-time insight into:
- Queue backlogs
- Cycle times
- Exception rates
- Staff load
When acquisitions happen, leaders can see stress building instead of discovering it weeks later.
Avoid Automating Edge Cases First
Not everything needs automation before growth.
High-volume, repeatable workflows should take priority. Rare exceptions, bespoke scenarios, and specialty-specific edge cases can follow later once the foundation is stable.
Why Timing Matters
Automating before acquisition means:
- Central teams aren’t distracted during onboarding
- New practices adopt standardized workflows immediately
- Integration timelines shorten
- Growth feels controlled instead of chaotic
Automation becomes part of the operating model—not a rescue tool.
The Bottom Line
Acquisitions don’t create operational problems — they expose them.
MSO leaders who automate core back-office workflows before growth protect their teams, stabilize performance, and make expansion repeatable. Growth lands on systems, not people.
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