Sermo Barometer Finds 81% of Physicians Believe Technical Proficiency is as Important as Clinical Expertise

Survey of 600+ Global Physicians Also Finds on Average Physicians Spend 22 Personal Hours a Month Learning New Healthcare Technology

NEW YORK–(BUSINESS WIRE)–The 37th Barometer from Sermo, a fast, frictionless HCP engagement platform providing the healthcare industry with real-time business insights and authentic physician touch points, found that 81% of physicians believe technical proficiency is as important as clinical expertise in their practices. This underscores the growing role of technology in enabling more efficient and accurate care.

“Technical proficiency is no longer a ‘nice-to-have’—it’s a necessity as a modern provider,” explains Dr. Kyle Lee, BMLSc, BMBS, MPH, CCFP, Sermo Medical Advisory Board Member. “As physicians, we recognize that mastering clinical skills forms the foundation of our practice, but without the ability to effectively leverage advanced technologies, we risk falling behind in providing optimal care. The integration of both skill sets allows us to diagnose faster, treat smarter, and ultimately enhance patient outcomes.”

Physicians Embrace Tech Advances but Struggle to Integrate Them:

The majority of physicians believe AI will be the most cutting-edge technology to positively impact patient care in the next five years, followed by genomics in personalized medicine and remote robotic surgery.

“Cutting-edge technologies like remote robotic surgery are revolutionizing the way we approach patient care,” comments Dr. Guy Jones, Medical Director for Oncology Nevada and Sermo Medical Advisory Board Member. “These advancements have the potential to improve quality, precision, and efficiency in complex procedures while also expand access to specialized care by breaking down geographical barriers. It’s an exciting glimpse into the future of medicine, where innovation continues to redefine what’s possible in healthcare.”

A recent study at Northwestern Medicine found that physicians are spread thin from electronic health record keeping and managing alerts and as a result spend only 13% of their time in direct contact with patients, translating to just six minutes per patient per day. The Sermo Barometer found that physicians feel redundant compliance documentation tools are the most burdensome followed by complex EHR systems and excessive data entry requirements.

Learning Preferences and the Cost of Keeping Up with Technology:

While many healthcare activities have moved online, 55% of surveyed physicians still prefer in-person training on new technologies, followed by online courses and webinars. Physicians also emphasized the need for non-clinical training in medical school, with the top three desired topics being electronic health record-keeping (44%), telemedicine platforms (42%), and diagnostic artificial intelligence tools (42%).

63% of physicians feel they aren’t adequately compensated for this learning, rising to 69% among US physicians. The average amount of time spent learning new technologies varies by generation and personal vs professional:

This significant time investment adds to the strain, with 48.2% of physicians reporting at least one symptom of burnout, according to an AMA survey.

Insurance Reimbursement for Technology Use:

The Barometer explored how changes to Medicare reimbursements for telehealth at the end of March will affect their practices and patient relationships:

• 53% of surveyed US physicians reported the change in telehealth regulations would negatively affect their practices.
• The majority of physicians indicated a change would negatively affect the clinical part of their practice, followed by operations/logistics.

This survey was fielded from Feb 7th -12th, 2025 as the 37th edition of Sermo’s ongoing Barometer study. The survey included 611 global healthcare professionals whose specialties ranged from cardiology, dermatology, endocrinology, gastroenterology, general family practice, neurology, OBGYNs, oncology, pediatrics, and psychiatry. To explore more findings, visit: https://app.sermo.com/barometer

About Sermo:

Sermo is a fast, frictionless physician engagement platform providing the healthcare industry with real-time business insights and authentic physician touchpoints through our global community of 1M+ healthcare professionals and state-of-the-art technology. For over 20 years, Sermo has been turning physician experience, expertise, and observations into actionable insights that benefit pharmaceutical companies, healthcare partners, and the medical community at large. To learn more, visit www.sermo.com.

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