Vital Signs is a monthly newsletter from AdvancedMD highlighting the healthcare industry’s top trends and insights. It’s our way of helping you stay informed.
The year started out strong for healthcare professionals, with The Bureau of Labor Statistics reporting that the healthcare sector led all other industries in job growth during the first month of 2025. Also on the rise: patient messages sent via patient portals. In fact, according to a Medical Group Management Association (MGMA) survey, 70% of practice owners reported an increase in patient portal message volumes. An American Medical Association (AMA) survey of 1,000 physicians put a spotlight on prior authorization challenges, with 77% of survey respondents reporting that, because of prior authorization processes, “Patients had to first attempt an ineffective initial treatment.”
Here’s the full list of healthcare insights that we learned last month:
- According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics January jobs report, the healthcare sector led in job creation, adding 43,700 new roles at the start of the year.
- Researchers at the University of Cincinnati revealed that time-based billing models for telehealth care may result in experienced doctors earning less for time spent on virtual healthcare appointments.
- The MGMA reports that 70% of practice owners experienced an increase in patient portal message volumes last year.
- After surveying clinicians and students across nine different healthcare disciplines, researchers at Rutgers University found that 97% of survey respondents reported frequent engagement in integrative care activities.
- For healthcare providers and admin staff struggling with burnout, Physicians Practice offered twelve strategies to help alleviate work-related stress in healthcare environments, starting with “Implementing flexible scheduling,” and, “Encouraging regular breaks.”
- A joint study from Regenstrief Institute, the Indiana University School of Medicine, and Indiana University Health (IU Health) showed that palliative care clinicians are often more thorough when it comes to goals of care (GOC) documentation than other healthcare providers.
- More than 75% of patients surveyed by PYMNTS said that making and receiving digital payments would positively affect their relationship with their healthcare provider.
- According to an American Medical Association (AMA) survey of 1,000 physicians, 23% of survey respondents said that prior authorizations had led to a patient who had to be hospitalized, while 18% said prior authorization contributed to a life-threatening event.
Vital Signs is brought to you by AdvancedMD. It’s our way of helping you stay informed on the trends and insights that shape our industry. Each month, we publish a roundup of healthcare headlines so that you are in-the-know when it comes to the topics that matter most to you, your staff, and your patients.