In Episode 77 of the WeInfuse Podcast, we welcome back Trey Holterman from Tennr for a timely and practical conversation on how to create a reliable referral-to-treatment process in today’s increasingly complex healthcare environment. Trey returns following his earlier appearance on Episode 69: How to Improve Efficiency, Reimbursement & Service with Trey Holterman where he explored how automation and workflow optimization can help infusion centers process patients faster and improve reimbursement outcomes, where he discussed improving efficiency, reimbursement, and service across patient intake workflows. In this follow-up episode, the conversation goes deeper, focusing on where referrals break down, why patients get stuck, and how operational gaps at the front end create downstream problems for patients, staff, and revenue. Trey shares the most common points of failure between referral and treatment, including incomplete orders, slow outreach, unclear financial responsibility, and prior authorization delays. Trey also breaks down what many operators experience every year but struggle to manage effectively, the insurance “blizzard.” As insurance changes reset at the start of the year, infusion centers face a surge of eligibility checks, authorization reviews, and documentation updates. When these steps are not handled proactively, patients show up for care only to be turned away, or worse, receive treatment that will never be reimbursed. Listeners will gain insight into how speed, structure, and clarity at the front end of the process directly impact patient conversion, denial rates, staff workload, and risk exposure. Trey shares real-world examples of how tightening referral intake, standardizing prior authorization workflows, and proactively managing insurance changes can dramatically improve both patient experience and operational performance. This episode is a must-listen for infusion center leaders, operators, and referral teams who want to reduce chaos, protect revenue, and ensure patients move smoothly from referral to treatment without falling through the cracks.
