Learn what your colleagues think about key healthcare issues.

As the healthcare debate rages on, thousands of physicians on Sermo have weighed in on key topics. The surveys below provide a behind-the-scenes look into what your colleagues think and how they’re building consensus.

Tort Reform–Sermo Physicians Score a Major Victory

Sermo community responds to the possibility that the President would call for tort or malpractice reform to the proposed healthcare reform legislation.

  • 94% of physicians surveyed have practiced defensive medicine, or ordered tests or procedures that may not have been medically indicated due to a fear of litigation
  • 87% of physicians surveyed responded that the President's inclusion of tort or malpractice reform makes them more supportive of a healthcare reform bill

Public Options, Co-Ops & Other Excuses for Real Reform

Sermo community responds to impact of public options and co-ops on the healthcare system.

  • 92% of physicians surveyed believe that the current proposals for healthcare reform do not address the real sources of cost increases in the industry
  • 78% of physicians surveyed believe that the proposed changes for a public healthcare option will negatively impact the quality of care he or she can provide to patients

Gov. Howard Dean: "All Physicians Should Be on Salary"

The Sermo physician community responds to Howard Dean’s statement that all physicians should be salaried.

  • 82% of physicians surveyed believe that if physicians are salaried, the public will have reduced access to physicians
  • 88% of physicians surveyed feel that increased federal involvement in his/her practice would lower efficiency for patients
  • 85% of physicians surveyed are uninterested in negotiating payment rates with the US government.

Special Healthcare Reform Survey for CNBC

CNBC asked the Sermo community to weigh-in on a number of healthcare reform issues. Daniel Palestrant debated healthcare reform with former Governor Howard Dean, MD.

  • 94% of physicians surveyed believe there cannot be effective health care reform without tort reform
  • 53% of physicians surveyed have an annual malpractice premium of $25,000 or more
  • 77% of physicians surveyed are in favor of abolishing the CPT coding system

Sermo Physicians Respond to AMA Endorsement of House Healthcare Reform Bill (HR3200)

Congressional Leaders and Media Call Upon Sermo Physicians to Comment on AMA Endorsement of the House Bill.

  • 94% of physicians surveyed do not endorse the current House Healthcare Bill as it is written
  • 95% of physicians surveyed responded that the AMA does not speak for him/her when endorsing the Bill

AMA's Control of Billing Codes (CPT Codes)

Sermo physician community reacts to AMA's monopoly of billing codes (CPT Codes).

  • 93% of physicians surveyed does not believe the government should continue to support the AMA’s monopoly on CPT codes.
  • 87% of physicians surveyed were unaware that the AMA makes more money from licensing CPT codes than membership dues.
  • 91% of physicians surveyed believe CPT codes should be open source and free to all.

The Biggest Risk to US Physicians: The AMA

Recent Sermo Data Shows AMA Does Not Speak for Physicians & Calls Into Question AMA's Financial Conflict of Interests.

  • 75% of physicians surveyed are not members of the AMA.
  • 89% of physicians claim, “The AMA does not speak for me.”
  • 91% of physicians surveyed do not believe the AMA accurately reflects their opinion as physicians.

About the survey respondents

Respondents to Sermo online surveys span 68 specialties and all 50 states. All physicians are verified and credentialed, ensuring that each has a valid, active license to practice medicine in the United States.

MD demographics are representative of the US physician population in regards to geographic distribution, most specialties and age. The average age of these physicians is 49, and they have a median of 13 years in practice.

Survey respondents work in practices of all sizes in all major urban and remote rural locations across the Unites States.