Healthcare in the 2020s has been marked by accelerated digital transformation, provider shortages, and increasing patient volumes, the collision of which has been detrimental to the patient experience.
While there has been marked improvement, the industry is not yet out of the woods. Massive customer experience investments in other industries, especially retail, have set a new bar for consumer expectations, with seamless digital interactions, effortless convenience, and personalized experiences.
Against this backdrop, we commissioned our independent, global survey of 3,000 consumers. This annual study uncovers what consumers want from healthcare providers, their attitudes towards new and existing technologies, and what organizations need to do to win or retain their business.
This year, we found that consumers have clear expectations of their healthcare organizations when it comes to their communications and experiences. And as artificial intelligence enters the mainstream, consumers aren’t just warming to the tech – more than half are ready to see what it can deliver for their health. Here are four insights on patient expectations for the healthcare industry.
A clear generational divide on AI
On first glance, the most significant insight from our research was that more than half of people (54%) said they would value AI making recommendations for their health. But that trend was not universal among the different age groups we surveyed.
As one might expect, younger respondents were more likely to value health recommendations from AI. Millennials were particularly favorable, with nearly two-thirds (64%) answering in the affirmative. This was in stark contrast to their Silent Generation counterparts – fewer than a third (32%) of that group agreed – and even outpaced their younger peers in Generation Z (55%).
A similar pattern emerged when consumers were asked about their feelings regarding AI handling their information. More than half of all Silent Generation consumers (52%) expressed hesitation about AI handling their information securely, compared to less than a quarter of Generation Z (22%) and Millennials (24%).
Healthcare organizations should heed these findings to ensure any implementation of AI throughout the patient experience is well-received. They could provide older patients with clear opportunities to opt out of AI use, while also taking steps to reassure all stakeholders of the safeguards in place to protect their information.
Patients don’t just want fillable PDFs – they want digital data collection
AI attitudes may be split among patients, but digital forms are resoundingly popular. Over three-quarters (79%) said it’s important that healthcare companies offer digital data collection or forms, instead of manual processes that involve printing, scanning or mailing.
More importantly, consumers have clear preferences on the types of digital experiences they want from healthcare companies. They chose guided digital forms over fillable PDFs by a margin of almost 2 to 1 (63% vs. 37%).
And unlike what we saw with AI, older consumers are united with their younger peers when it comes to digital experiences for data collection. Seventy-one percent of Baby Boomers and sixty-three percent of Silent Generation respondents favored digital processes, and Silent Generation respondents actually tied with Generation X as the most likely to prefer guided digital forms (67% each).
Healthcare providers must take note of these data collection preferences to deliver satisfactory digital patient experiences. Those that don’t will risk losing their patients to competitors, as nearly two-thirds of people (62%) said they would likely end their interaction with a healthcare company if the data collection or forms process is too difficult.
A mixed bag on omnichannel
Healthcare organizations only managed a passing grade on omnichannel communications. Just over half (54%) of consumers are satisfied with their healthcare providers’ omnichannel experience, and a similar proportion agreed that providers always or almost always communicate with them on their channel of choice (57%).
Barely clearing the halfway mark in this category should be cause for concern for the healthcare industry. Omnichannel communications have been an integral part of customer experiences for the better part of a decade, and improvements in other industries such as retail and financial services have raised consumer expectations.
One clear solution is to communicate on preferred channels. On this front, the data are clear: the more channels, the merrier. While email was the resounding favorite for 44% of all respondents, the majority were split between a mix of old and new technologies. Encrypted messaging tied with print/mail, each ranking as a preference for 12% of consumers, while SMS and web/applications were preferred by just 17% and 14% of respondents, respectively.
If organizations are making communications decisions based on customers’ ages, they may be in for a shock. Silent Generation respondents were the most likely to prefer email (48%), while just 39% of the youngest group, Generation Z, shared the same sentiment.
Choice and consistency must be at the root of the strategy. Healthcare organizations must offer a wide range of options and ensure that each channel delivers at a level that exceeds consumer expectations.
An overall improvement on customer communications
While these findings do indicate that healthcare companies still have work to do to improve their patients’ experiences, they should take some solace in their progress so far. 63% of consumers now rate healthcare companies’ communications as good or excellent, a 75% increase from 2024. This appears to have had a knock-on effect on trust, with two-thirds (66%) saying they can trust healthcare companies.
Delivering exceptional customer communications and digital experiences doesn’t just help to improve patient satisfaction; good communications also drive business growth. Four out of five respondents (81%) said they were likely to recommend a healthcare company to a friend if their communications exceeded expectations.
The findings from our research underscore a crucial reality for healthcare providers: patients want digital innovations and aren’t willing to settle for half-measures. Younger patients are increasingly receptive to AI-driven tools, while their parents and grandparents are more hesitant.
Above all, healthcare organizations have made good progress on delivering satisfactory experiences. They can build on that momentum by aligning their digital strategies closely with these evolving patient preferences. Doing so will not only boost patient satisfaction but will also position organizations to thrive in an increasingly complex and competitive healthcare landscape.
John Zimmerer
John Zimmerer is VP of Vertical Marketing for Healthcare at Smart Communications.
