Clinicians value patient experience, but feel limited in impact, report finds

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A new report from Surescripts, the health intelligence network, finds that clinicians overwhelmingly value the patient experience, but feel limited in their ability to meaningfully improve it.

According to the survey, more than 90% of clinicians and pharmacists said patient experience was very or extremely important in their work. Nearly 40% said they felt they had little ability to affect it.

“These insights emphasize the truly caring nature of the providers in our country who are committed to improving their patients’ experience while in their care,” Frank Harvey, CEO of Surescripts, said in a news release. “We have an obligation to continue innovating and empowering care teams with technology that transforms their ability to make a positive impact, helping patients access treatments that are affordable, without delay.”

Affordability and coverage remain obstacles

Prescription costs and coverage hurdles were identified as leading sources of patient frustration. The report found that 93% of prescribers said out-of-pocket costs play a role in prescribing decisions, but many struggle to determine what patients will actually pay at the pharmacy counter.

Most survey respondents also reported difficulty verifying eligibility for financial assistance or identifying payment options.

Those barriers have real-world effects.

Eighty-seven percent of prescribers said patients often ask to delay or change prescriptions because of cost, while 85% said insurance coverage issues force patients to reconsider medications.

“There’s growing recognition that administrative obstacles are hindering clinicians and negatively impacting the patient experience as a result,” said Tara Dragert, chief product officer of Surescripts. “Fortunately, we’re seeing a renewed urgency from all sides of health care, including technology leaders, policymakers and clinicians, to upend this dynamic and make a meaningful difference in how care is accessed by patients.”

Clinicians see promise in technology

The majority of clinicians surveyed pointed to technology as a potential way forward. Nine in 10 respondents said tools that make it easier to electronically change or cancel prescriptions, check benefit plan eligibility, automate medication prior authorizations and identify lower-cost alternatives, could improve patient interactions.

The survey, conducted by APCO Insight for Surescripts between May 28 and June 16, 2025, included responses from 503 participants, including physicians, physician assistants, nurse practitioners and pharmacists.

A push for solutions

Surescripts’ findings underscore broader efforts across the health system to address long-standing administrative burdens that often stand between patients and their treatments.

As policymakers debate reforms to prior authorization and as digital health companies continue to expand cost-transparency tools, the report suggests clinicians are ready to embrace new technologies that give them greater leverage in improving their patients’ experience.

“It’s especially promising to see that a significant majority of clinicians are ready to leverage innovative technology to help drive improvements in their patients’ care,” Dragert said.