2026 Provider Trust Trends: Signals for AI and Prior Authorization
Published:
November 11, 2026
Providers haven’t turned away from AI in prior authorization (PA). They’ve gotten specific about what they trust it to do.
For the second year, Cohere Health and Wakefield Research surveyed 100 clinicians and 100 office administrators nationwide. In this session, clinical leaders walk through the year-over-year data.
What you’ll learn:
- How provider trust in AI has shifted, and what it means for health plan AI strategy
- Where progress in digitizing PA improved, stalled, or regressed, and where it still creates friction
- What providers expect from automation, human oversight, and the companies building AI
- How health plans can turn provider priorities into a modernization strategy that earns trust and meets regulatory requirements
Meet the Speakers
Brian Covino, MD, FAAOS
Chief Medical Officer
Brian Covino, MD, FAAOS
Chief Medical Officer
Dr. Brian Covino is Chief Medical Officer at Cohere Health, bringing over 25 years of experience as a practicing orthopaedic surgeon, serving as a partner at Knoxville Orthopaedic Clinic, and directing the value-based care program at OrthoTennessee. He holds a bachelor’s degree from Harvard University and an M.D./M.S. from Georgetown University School of Medicine. Dr. Covino completed his surgical training at the University of Virginia and a fellowship at The Cleveland Clinic Foundation. He served as Co-Director of Parkwest Medical Center’s Joint Replacement Center and was among the "Best Doctors in America" for 20+ consecutive years.
Adrian Thomas, M.D.
Chief Medical Officer at RightMove Health
Adrian Thomas, M.D.
Chief Medical Officer at RightMove Health
Adrian Thomas MD, MBA is the Chief Medical Office (CMO) at RightMove Health and a practicing Board Certified Orthopaedic Spine Surgeon at New Hampshire NeuroSpine Institute in Bedford, NH. Previously, Dr. Thomas served as a physician reviewer for Magellan Health on their spine team before leaving Magellan to join Cohere Health as one of their first Associate Medical Directors. Now he serves on Cohere’s Medical Advisory Board. Dr. Thomas joined RightMove Health as CMO in 2025.
Dr. Thomas has also served his community on the Board of Granite State Children’s Alliance for 10 years as well as currently serving on the Board of Good Sports Inc. Dr. Thomas is the Medical Director for the Minimally Invasive Surgery Center of New England, and he is also an advisor, educator, and consultant for medical device and health tech companies.
Andrea Young, M.D., MBA
Vice President and Senior Medical Director of Clinical Strategy
Andrea Young, M.D., MBA
Vice President and Senior Medical Director of Clinical Strategy
Andrea Young, MD, MBA is Cohere Health’s Vice President, Senior Medical Director of Clinical Strategy, bringing with her more than 20 years of clinical experience and physician leadership. She holds both a bachelor's and medical degree from University of Washington. Dr. Young completed her orthopaedic training at University Hospitals at Case Western Reserve University as well as a sports medicine fellowship at UCLA. She also received her Healthcare MBA from OHSU/Portland State University in 2020.
