When an imaging center’s revenue was at risk due to an insurance intake mistake, Alpha Nodus delivered a rapid-response fix within hours. This case study explores how MRI Associates (led by CAO Amanda Maple) used the Gravity platform to catch a costly Medicare billing error that affected nearly 30% of appointments—and turned a months-long problem into an overnight success story.
The Problem
At MRI Associates, a respected multi-site imaging group, something was off. Medicare was being entered as the primary insurance across a surprisingly large number of patient appointments—even when it should have been secondary. The problem wasn't isolated or rare: nearly one in three cases could potentially show this error.
The breakdown stemmed from two common issues. First, patients often misunderstood their coverage and listed Medicare as primary. Second, staff in the intake and scheduling departments, under pressure and without decision support, routinely entered that information directly into the Radiology Information System without flagging inconsistencies. As a result, estimates were wrong, prior auths were submitted to the wrong payers, and payments were delayed or denied. Rescheduled appointments and billing confusion followed, creating friction for everyone.
Interestingly, Gravity’s eligibility engine was already spotting these mismatches behind the scenes. It knew Medicare should be secondary in many of these cases—but without a feedback loop into the RIS, that insight was never acted on.
The Response
Instead of kicking off months of IT planning or vendor negotiations, Alpha Nodus responded the same day.
A lightweight but powerful automation was implemented and deployed in just hours. It scanned upcoming appointments, cross-checked Gravity’s eligibility insights, and flagged cases where Medicare was improperly marked as the primary payer. Rather than forcing staff to re-audit everything, the system generated a focused “Verify Medicare” worklist—pre-filtered for only the most likely problem cases.
Frontline staff were notified immediately. With just a few clicks, they could verify details with patients and correct entries directly in the RIS. No disruption to operations. No waiting on third parties. No heavy lift required from IT.
The Impact
In less than a day, MRI Associates had a solution in place that started correcting billing errors before patients even arrived.
By intercepting these issues pre-service, the team was able to prevent claim denials and eliminate the need for retroactive corrections. Prior authorization efforts became smarter and more targeted, reducing wasted time and unnecessary rework. And patients experienced smoother visits—with fewer surprises, fewer calls, and fewer reschedules.
The financial benefits were immediate. Clean claims. Higher first-pass rates. Less labor spent on appeals and follow-ups. But the operational and reputational benefits were just as real: a more confident staff, and a patient experience that felt professional and seamless.
Why It Matters
This wasn’t just a quick win. It was a demonstration of what modern automation—built specifically for diagnostic imaging—can do when paired with a responsive team. MRI Associates didn’t need a systems overhaul. They just needed a partner who could act fast, work around RIS limitations, and deliver results without delay.
This is what Gravity does best: eliminate friction, amplify performance, and solve the problems others ignore.
I’ve worked with plenty of vendors, but none identified the root problem like Alpha Nodus did. This quick fix saved us from losing revenue and patient trust due to a simple error.
Bottom Line
If your team is still waiting on a RIS update to fix a recurring workflow issue, Gravity can help you bypass the bottleneck. Faster decisions. Smarter work. And measurable results—sometimes in hours, not months.
