Cohere Health, a recognized name in clinical intelligence for health plans, is taking its prior authorization tools into new territory by integrating them with Microsoft’s Dragon Copilot. With this move, clinicians will be able to submit care requests and receive feedback instantly during patient visits—removing the lag that often slows down care. The goal is to cut back on administrative burden while accelerating access to the treatments that patients need.
Traditional prior authorization systems rely heavily on questionnaires and manual data entry—often pulling minimal information from electronic health records (EHRs). In contrast, Cohere Health uses clinically informed AI to automate up to 90% of authorization requests, all while maintaining around 94% provider satisfaction. Inside a Dragon Copilot-enabled workflow, clinicians will be able to trigger these AI agents during visits and send requests directly to health plans. Cohere’s system draws not only on structured data but also on clinicians’ notes, orders, and other unstructured documentation, capturing a fuller clinical picture without redundant work.
Health Technology Insights: Iris Telehealth Appoints Healthcare Veteran David Bartley as Its First CSO
Gus Weber, Chief Digital & Technology Officer at Cohere Health, explained that embedding AI into existing workflows means fewer calls, faxes, and bottlenecks. He said this ambient prior authorization system will help providers focus on care rather than paperwork. With Dragon Copilot listening in the background, Cohere’s agents can gather relevant documentation in real time and support decision-making based on a patient’s full medical history. This setup offers transparency and guidance at the moment of care, improving how payers and clinicians communicate and reducing delays, extra costs, and friction.
Peter Durlach, Corporate Vice President and Chief Strategy Officer for Microsoft Health & Life Sciences, added that the time and effort spent on data exchanges between health plans and providers often drains resources and causes delays. He believes the blend of Cohere’s clinical AI and Dragon Copilot will reimagine prior authorization as a smarter, more collaborative process—one that benefits both patients and providers. This collaboration adds a powerful chapter to Cohere Health’s ongoing quest to apply responsible, clinic‑driven AI toward simplifying healthcare’s more complex workflows.
Health Technology Insights: Smart Healthcare Alliance, Zscaler Launch Zero Trust Model
To participate in our interviews, please write to our HealthTech Media Room at sudipto@intentamplify.com
