Salesforce, Inc. (NYSE:CRM) collaborated with Blue Shield of California to provide physicians and patients with nearly instant prior authorization answers, eliminating the typical days-long wait.

The new platform will integrate with Care Connect, Blue Shield’s care management system, establishing a clinical infrastructure that emphasizes ongoing preventive care and wellness rather than just responding to medical needs.

In the future, prior authorization requests will automatically notify the health plan’s nurses, social workers, and behavioral health specialists when a member may require new or enhanced health support.

The nonprofit health plan’s prior authorization platform, developed on Salesforce Health Cloud, will integrate with physician systems to collect essential clinical data from electronic health records and streamline over 20 disparate systems.

This will enable members and physicians to receive prior authorization in nearly real-time.

The testing will start in early 2025, with a limited rollout later that year. Full real-time authorization capabilities are expected by January 2026, followed by additional features.

Jeff Amann, executive vice president and general manager, Salesforce Industries said, “With Blue Shield of California, we’re rebuilding the prior authorization process with new innovations that support near real-time decision-making so providers can more quickly, transparently and compliantly deliver the attentive care their patients deserve.”

Investors can gain exposure to the stock via iShares Expanded Tech-Software Sector ETF (BATS:IGV) and First Trust DJ Internet Index Fund (NYSE:FDN).

Price Action: CRM shares are down 0.51% at $291.44 at the last check Monday.

Image via Shutterstock

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