The field of dermatology faces several significant challenges in 2025, with several key issues emerging as particularly pressing concerns for practitioners, patients, and the healthcare system as a whole. What is the biggest challenge facing the field of dermatology today? Let’s break it down.
Staffing Shortages and Workforce Issues
One of the most critical challenges facing dermatology today is the severe staffing shortage combined with rising demand for services. Dermatology departments are struggling to meet the nationally mandated 28-day diagnostic window for skin cancer referrals due to understaffing. This workforce challenge is compounded by:
- A rapid decline in independent dermatology practices as financial demands push many board-certified dermatologists toward private equity-backed practices
- Increasing difficulty in attracting and retaining top talent in a competitive healthcare market
- Growing burnout among dermatologists, who have historically been among the “happiest” specialties but are now experiencing erosion of work-life boundaries
Rising Patient Demand and Referral Management
The overwhelming volume of patient referrals presents another major challenge. Each year, dermatology services receive approximately half a million urgent referrals for suspected skin cancer, yet only about 6% of these cases turn out to be genuine cancer diagnoses. This creates significant pressure on the system:
- Managing the high volume of referrals while maintaining quality care becomes increasingly difficult
- Gathering all necessary patient information (medical history, lesion appearance, dermoscopic images) is time-consuming but essential for proper diagnosis
- The rising prevalence of chronic skin diseases worldwide is further straining limited resources
Erosion of Specialist Status and Identity
The pandemic has accelerated a concerning trend for board-certified dermatologists: the erosion of their status as dermatology experts. This manifests in several ways:
- Increased elevation of mid-level providers as experts and injectors
- Industry meetings and training sessions that were once primarily attended by physicians now see core physicians as a small minority
- A shift in who is considered an “expert” in the field, sometimes overlooking the extensive education, clinical experience, and research background of board-certified dermatologists
Technological Integration Challenges
While technology offers solutions, it also presents significant challenges:
- Balancing the promise of AI in diagnosis with ethical considerations and cost-effectiveness
- Implementing effective teledermatology systems that maintain diagnostic quality while improving access
- Managing patient expectations regarding virtual care options and digital communication methods
- Addressing inefficiencies in information gathering that technology alone cannot solve
Financial Pressures
Economic factors place significant strain on dermatology practices:
- Escalating costs of equipment, particularly lasers and their maintenance
- Medicare reimbursement reductions affecting practice viability
- Inflation increasing operational expenses across the board
- Unequal pricing of injectables that disadvantages smaller physician practices
The combination of these challenges creates a complex landscape for dermatology in 2025. While innovations presented at recent conferences like the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) Annual Meeting showcase promising advances in treatments for conditions like prurigo nodularis, atopic dermatitis, and other skin disorders, the fundamental operational and workforce challenges must be addressed to ensure these innovative treatments can be effectively delivered to patients.
Derm Care Billing Consultants Can Help
If you are a dermatology practice, and would like assistance with your medical billing, then the team at Derm Care Billing Consultants (DCBC) can help! Account Managers, Provider Credentialing, Dashboard Reporting, Front House Training, Medical Coding and more. DCBC offers a complete Revenue Cycle Management (RCM) service.
If you are an ophthalmology practice, then our sister company Eye Care Billing Consultants can help!
Contact Derm Care Billing Consultants today for further information on how we can help your practice.