How DOCS Dermatology Group accelerated medication access across 140 locations
Across offices in five states, DOCS Dermatology automated PAs with Forus, achieving same-day submissions, approvals in <1 day, and a significant uplift in patient medication access.
When DOCS Dermatology Group, a leading dermatology network spanning ten states, began exploring ways to improve patient access and reduce administrative burden, one challenge stood out: the time and effort required to complete prior authorizations (PAs).
Like many specialty practices, DOCS providers wanted to help patients start therapy faster. But with hundreds of biologic and non-biologic prescriptions being written each week, manual paperwork, faxes, and follow-up calls had become major bottlenecks.
To streamline the process, DOCS partnered with Forus, an AI-powered platform that automates PAs, appeals, enrollment forms, and pharmacy routing – and integrates directly with the EHR.
The challenge: Manual workflows slowed patient access
Before Forus, each provider’s team was spending hours a week submitting and tracking PAs across multiple payers and pharmacies. The manual nature of the process caused:
- Delays in treatment for patients waiting on approvals
- Inconsistent communication between providers, payers, and pharmacies
- Limited visibility into where each request stood in the workflow
With 300+ clinicians across 140+ locations in the Midwest, South and Mid-Atlantic regions, DOCS needed a scalable, automated solution that could bring consistency to PA management without adding new administrative headcount.
The solution: Automating prior authorizations with Forus
DOCS Dermatology Group began its Forus rollout with a single pilot provider. Within weeks, the results were clear.
Forus’ automation enabled same-day prior authorization submissions, intelligent tracking, and automatic population of payer-specific forms, eliminating manual re-entry and phone tag.
Following the success of the pilot, DOCS expanded Forus across 10 states – Ohio, Michigan, West Virginia, Illinois, Texas, Louisiana, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Indiana, and North Carolina – and now supports more than 300 providers on the platform.
The results
After implementing Forus, DOCS Dermatology Group saw significant improvements in both patient outcomes and staff efficiency:
- Same-day prior authorization submission
- <1 day average time to receive approval
- 80% increase in patients accessing their medications
Providers across the network report faster approvals, fewer delays between prescription and fulfillment, and dramatically reduced administrative burden for medical assistants and coordinators.
Voices from DOCS clinics
"Forus has allowed me to have more oversight over the PA process, while simultaneously cutting down on my time/hours worked. It has improved delay in care between Rx being written and delivery to patient."
"They really are on the ball, and the follow through is impressively fast, thorough, and accurate."
"What truly sets Forus apart is their dedication to listening – actively incorporating feedback from users and healthcare providers to drive continuous improvement."
A scalable model for specialty practices
Today, DOCS Dermatology Group’s experience serves as a model for other specialty networks looking to improve patient access. By automating the most time-consuming parts of medication management, Forus allows providers to focus on what matters most: delivering great care.
Supporting your practice
If your dermatology or specialty practice is ready to streamline prior authorizations and accelerate access to therapy, sign up your practice for Forus today or book a demo to learn more.
