Ascertain and The Oncology Institute Co-Develop ‘Touchless’ AI Automation for Oncology Administration

Rhea-AI Summary

Ascertain and The Oncology Institute (NASDAQ: TOI) announced a co-development to deploy a “near-touchless” prior authorization workflow using Ascertain’s Unified Payer Portal.

The joint team moved from signed statement of work to a live early-stage deployment in eight weeks, with the system live since September 2025. Pilot sites saw a >80% reduction in office-visit authorization submission time and the program freed hundreds of staff hours each week. The portal now processes prior authorizations across TOI’s 100+ clinics and affiliates. TOI estimates the initiative could yield up to $2 million in operating expense savings in 2026 as the solution scales to additional authorization types.

Positive

• Implementation completed in 8 weeks
• Pilot submission time reduced by >80%
• Processes prior authorizations across 100+ clinics
• Freed hundreds of staff hours per week
• Estimated up to $2 million operating expense savings in 2026

Negative

• Currently an early-stage, pilot deployment since September 2025

Insights

Healthcare Operations Analyst

Rapid AI automation deployment cut oncology authorization work and projects material 2026 cost savings.

The partnership between Ascertain and The Oncology Institute (TOI) automated payer-facing tasks using Ascertain's Unified Payer Portal and moved from signed work statement to live pilot in eight weeks, showing fast implementation capability. The deployment reportedly reduced authorization workload by 95% in the headline and cut office-visit authorization submission time at pilot sites by > 80%, freeing hundreds of staff hours weekly and enabling focus on direct patient care.

Key dependencies and risks center on scale and realism of projected benefits: the firms report the system now processes prior authorizations across TOI's >100 clinics and affiliates, and they estimate up to $2 million in operating expense savings in 2026. Outcomes to monitor include actual realized savings after broader rollout, sustained authorization time reductions outside pilot sites, and integration stability as volume increases; watch operational metrics and quarterly reports over the next 6–12 months for validation.

Partnership deployed touchless prior authorization system in eight weeks, achieving 95% reduction in authorization workload

CERRITOS, Calif. and NEW YORK, Nov. 13, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Ascertain, a healthcare technology company pioneering agentic AI to automate administrative workflows, and The Oncology Institute, Inc. (NASDAQ: TOI), a leading value-based oncology care provider, today announced a co-development partnership to create “near-touchless” administrative workflows that reduce manual interactions between providers and payers.

The collaboration centers on Ascertain’s Unified Payer Portal (UPP) — an AI-powered automation module that streamlines payer-related tasks required ahead of outpatient oncology visits. The system enables near-touchless workflows by automating manual data entry, documentation submission, and payer portal navigation, significantly reducing the administrative effort required to prepare for each patient encounter.

The joint team achieved rapid implementation, going from a signed statement of work to a live early-stage deployment in just eight weeks. That pace demonstrates both the adaptability of Ascertain’s technology and the strength of the operational partnership between the two organizations.

Since going live in September 2025, the automation has reduced TOI’s office visit authorization submission time at pilot sites by over 80 percent, freeing hundreds of staff hours each week. As TOI scales this solution across all authorization types, the initiative is expected to generate significant efficiencies that could yield up to an estimated $2 million in operating expense savings in 2026. The system now processes prior authorizations across TOI’s 100+ clinics and affiliate locations, allowing staff to focus more time on direct patient care.

Mark Michalski, MD, CEO of Ascertain, said:

“The Oncology Institute has been a national leader in bringing value-based cancer care to scale, and we are proud to co-develop automation tools that help sustain that mission. This first deployment of our Unified Payer Portal represents just the beginning. Together, we’re proving that administrative work between providers and payers can become truly touchless — faster, more accurate, and far less burdensome for clinical teams.”

Daniel Virnich, CEO of The Oncology Institute, said:

“Our partnership with Ascertain reflects TOI’s ongoing focus on operational excellence and efficiency. We’ve seen how thoughtfully applied automation can simplify complex tasks and allow our staff to focus more of their time on supporting patients. This first implementation went live in only eight weeks, and we look forward to continuing to build on that progress with Ascertain’s team.”

About Ascertain

Ascertain is a healthcare technology company using agentic AI to automate complex, forms-heavy administrative workflows in healthcare. The company’s platform replaces manual tasks — such as payer communications, documentation assembly, and eligibility verification — with touchless, intelligent automation. Ascertain was founded in partnership with Northwell Health and Aegis Ventures and is backed by Deerfield Management. For more information, visit www.ascertain.com.

About The Oncology Institute

Founded in 2007, The Oncology Institute (NASDAQ: TOI) is advancing oncology by delivering highly specialized, value-based cancer care in the community setting. TOI offers cutting-edge, evidence-based cancer care to a population of approximately 1.9 million patients, including clinical trials, transfusions, and other care delivery models traditionally associated with the most advanced care delivery organizations. With over 180 employed and affiliate clinicians and over 100 clinics and affiliate locations of care across five states and growing, TOI is changing oncology for the better. For more information, visit www.theoncologyinstitute.com.

Media Contact:
Marisol Sanders
Ascertain
201-228-0693
media@ascertain.com

FAQ

What did TOI (NASDAQ: TOI) announce on November 13, 2025 about prior authorizations?

TOI announced a co-development with Ascertain to deploy a near-touchless prior authorization system using the Unified Payer Portal.

How fast was Ascertain and TOI’s automation deployed?

The team moved from signed statement of work to live early-stage deployment in 8 weeks.

What efficiency gains did TOI report from the pilot deployment in September 2025?

Pilot sites reported a >80% reduction in office-visit authorization submission time and freed hundreds of staff hours per week.

How many TOI locations does the system now process prior authorizations for?

The system now processes prior authorizations across TOI’s 100+ clinics and affiliate locations.

What is the estimated financial impact of the Ascertain automation for TOI in 2026?

TOI estimates the initiative could yield up to $2 million in operating expense savings in 2026 if scaled across authorization types.

Is the Ascertain-TOI prior authorization system fully rolled out company-wide?

No; the announcement describes an early-stage deployment and scaling across additional authorization types is ongoing.