Use Microsoft Copilot in Outlook to Draft Professional Emails

What This Does

Microsoft Copilot built into Outlook can draft professional emails for you — prior auth follow-up requests to payers, missing information requests to referring physician offices, and patient communication letters — in seconds.

Before You Start

• You use Microsoft Outlook at work (desktop app or web at outlook.com/outlook.office.com)
• Your organization has Microsoft 365 Copilot enabled (ask your IT department if unsure)
• You're composing a new email or replying to one

Steps

1. Start a New Email

In Outlook, click "New Email" (or "Reply" to an existing message). Your email compose window opens.

2. Find the Copilot Button

Look for the Copilot icon (a small colorful star/sparkle symbol) in the email compose toolbar — it usually appears near the top of the compose window, often labeled "Draft with Copilot" or showing the Copilot logo.

What you should see: A "Draft with Copilot" prompt box appears inside your email compose area, or a sidebar opens asking what you want to write.

Troubleshooting: If you don't see the Copilot icon, your organization may not have Copilot licensed. In that case, draft your email in ChatGPT or Claude and paste it in.

3. Describe the Email You Need

In the Copilot prompt box, type a brief description of what you need. Be specific:

• "Follow-up email to Cigna requesting status on a prior authorization submitted on [date] for CPT [code], reference number [#]."
• "Email to Dr. Smith's office requesting a missing physician order for patient [first name only] scheduled for [procedure] on [date]."
• "Professional reply to a patient asking about the status of their financial assistance application."

4. Click "Generate"

Copilot generates a full draft in the email body. Read it over — it usually needs only minor edits.

What you should see: A complete, professional email draft appears in the compose window.

5. Edit and Send

Review the draft for accuracy — Copilot will write professionally formatted language but you need to verify specific details (reference numbers, dates, patient info). Edit as needed, then send.

Real Example

Scenario: You submitted a prior auth for a lumbar spine MRI to United Healthcare 5 days ago and haven't heard back. The procedure is scheduled for tomorrow.

What you type in Copilot: "Urgent follow-up email to United Healthcare requesting expedited status review on a prior authorization for a lumbar spine MRI (CPT 72148) submitted 5 days ago, reference number 12345678. The procedure is scheduled for tomorrow morning."

What you get: A professional, appropriately urgent follow-up email with a clear subject line, polite opening, specific details, and a request for expedited response — ready to send after adding the correct recipient address.

Tips

• Use Copilot for the draft, not the final — always verify specific clinical and patient details before sending
• For patient-facing emails, add "use warm, plain language — the patient is not familiar with medical billing" to get a more approachable tone
• If your organization doesn't have Copilot, this same approach works in Gmail with the "Help me write" button (the pencil icon in the compose toolbar)

Tool interfaces change — if a button has moved, look for similar AI/magic/smart options in the same menu area.