Accelerating the Path to Treatment: How Spectrum Health Systems’ Referral Times Are Down to Just Over 2 Minutes

“[Staff] light up when they talk about Referral Manager.”

“[Referral Manager] has completely changed how we manage intake.”

Spectrum Health Systems is a nonprofit organization recognized as one of the largest providers of addiction treatment and behavioral health services in New England. With locations throughout Massachusetts, the organization dispenses more than 7,500 doses of medication for addiction treatment a day and serves more than 6,000 individuals across six inpatient treatment programs, 14 outpatient centers and five peer recovery centers, each day—with another facility currently under construction.

To support its mission of whole-person care, Spectrum turned to Netsmart to help modernize its referral management and integrate its clinical, operational and administrative processes.

Problem

Before implementing Netsmart Referral Manager®, Spectrum’s intake and referral workflows were entirely manual, creating inefficiencies and bottlenecks. Spectrum staff relied on ancient paper processes, faxes and email to manage high referral volumes. There were no reporting features, and duplicate entry into multiple systems was commonplace. Staff tracked denials in binders and manually keyed information into Salesforce and the Netsmart myAvatar™ electronic health record (EHR) slowing workflows.

"Manually processing a referral used to take between eight and 20 minutes on average,” said Rachel Kennedy, Inpatient Admissions Manager, “with the typical case estimated at 12 minutes.”* Spectrum staff had no way to quickly measure how many referrals were accepted, denied or pending, and could not quickly provide referral partners with status updates.

As one Spectrum staff member put it, “There was no way to manage faxes or track referral sources. We didn’t have a place to house them, and we had to dig through emails just to find the faxes.”

Solution

Spectrum implemented Netsmart Referral Manager— a solution with smart referral capabilities and integrated with myAvatar. Referral Manager is an innovative solution that enabled Spectrum to digitize its intake workflows, streamline communication and help create transparency across its teams.

The transformation was immediate. What once was a tedious and manual process now takes just over two minutes**—from the start of AI analyzing a referral to sending it for medical review. Spectrum staff can now view, sort and track all referrals in one queue, reducing backlog and enabling faster decision-making.

Courtney Cross, Spectrum Health Systems’ Manager of Data Analytics and Behavioral Health Informatics, noted that early hesitation gave way to excitement once staff saw the system in action: “It’s not often that staff say they are excited and adopt technology so fast, but they light up when they talk about Referral Manager now”.

The integration with myAvatar enables seamless data flow, helps reduce duplicate entries and provides staff the ability to see a comprehensive view of referral sources and statuses. As Jonathan Miller, Spectrum CIO explained, “The ability to quickly process referrals, easily report on how many have been accepted or declined—and why, has completely changed how we manage intake.”

Results

Following the successful implementation of Referral Manager, the impact has been significant across Spectrum’s organization:

• Time savings: Referral processing down to an average of 2:06 minutes per case.**
• Increased transparency: More than 1,200 referrals processed in a 60-day period, providing visibility that previously did not exist.
• Improved morale: Intake staff are now handling a manageable referral amount, contributing to a more balanced workload and higher job satisfaction.
• Stronger partner relationships: Spectrum’s referral partners reported faster turnaround times and greater confidence in Spectrum’s processes.
• Business development opportunities: Spectrum’s ability to report on referral patterns and outcomes help informs its growth strategies.

Closing

Spectrum Health Systems has transformed its referral intake process, turning what was once a manual task into one that now takes just over two minutes, thanks to its expanded implementation of Netsmart Referral Manager. This transformation has also helped boost staff morale, foster a more collaborative work culture, and strengthen relationships with key partners. With a streamlined, transparent system that integrates with myAvatar, Spectrum is now positioned to scale its services, support whole-person care and continue serving thousands of individuals each day with efficiency and compassion.

As Miller reflected, “We haven’t seen adoption so fast with a solution before. Everyone is on board now.”

* Data referenced reflects Spectrum-provided estimates for its referral process prior to implementing Referral Manager.

** Results reflect the average time it took Referral Manager to process three referrals at a Spectrum facility in September, 2025.