US Front Line of Healthcare
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Executive Summary
The rising bar for consumer loyaltyCompared to two years ago, today’s healthcare consumers are taking more control over their care and setting higher expectations for their providers. More than 75% of consumers report that they conduct medical research more frequently, expect doctors to be more responsive between visits, and take greater interest in prevention and lifestyle changes than they did in 2024. As a result, consumer loyalty is increasingly up for grabs. Care is becoming more commoditized, and patients can switch providers more easily than ever before. Bain & Company’s data shows that 9 in 10 consumers have a preferred health system; their preference is anchored in trust in a specific physician and the sense that their providers know their full history (see Figure 1).
Figure 1
Still, in the past 12 months, nearly one-third of those patients sought care elsewhere for a service their own system offered. Patients primarily left for more convenience, a provider’s recommendation, or for shorter wait times (see Figure 2).
Figure 2
Being the preferred health system isn’t enough to retain a patient if the patient can find care closer, faster, or easier-to-access somewhere else. Preference converts into retention only when the whole experience is strong, from access and convenience to coordination and quality. The digital front door is catching up to other industriesDigital health has become a permanent feature of US healthcare rather than a pandemic-era perk. Since 2022, digital adoption has climbed across telehealth and online pharmacy services, chronic disease management, health insurance apps, and remote patient monitoring (see Figure 3).
Figure 3
Notes: Where data is not shown for previous years, the option was not included in previous surveys; pp is percentage points Source: Bain US Front Line of Healthcare, June 2026 (n=500 consumers)Health systems have worked hard to keep pace with digital expectations, and consumers report the digital experience has improved alongside the adoption. More than three in four consumers find it easy to access test results, use patient portals, and message their care teams. About half of consumers say their health system’s digital experience has improved over the past two years, and 63% now rate their healthcare digital experience as equal to or better than their experiences in banking, retail, and travel. Healthcare providers still have a long way to go in improving their digital front doors, but they are no longer the clear laggards (see Figure 4).
Figure 4
However, digital capability is only one part of the patient experience, and long-standing consumer frustrations remain. Fewer than one in three patients can very easily determine whom to call or where to go for a health need, and only one in five is able to resolve issues through a contact center. Moreover, the patient experience is still significantly fragmented. Nearly half of consumers report that they are routinely sent to multiple locations to treat a single health need and that they often need to see multiple doctors to arrive at an accurate diagnosis or treatment plan. About one in four say they still lack access to a single, complete medical record (see Figure 5).
Figure 5
Consumers still prefer human providers over AI-led careNearly one-third of consumers already use AI tools to ask health-related questions, but the impact has been modest: About 30% say AI has only minimally improved their ability to manage their healthcare. Roughly half found AI somewhat helpful but still rely primarily on doctors and other sources. Only 14% of consumers believe AI has meaningfully changed how they manage their healthcare. Patients want greater access to care but still strongly prefer human providers—meeting in person or virtually—over AI-led care models. Even for minor, non-acute needs, most patients still prefer to be seen in person. However, that preference fell 11 percentage points since 2025, while interest in virtual visits rose 10 percentage points. AI chatbots remain the least desired care channel for 60% of consumers (see Figure 6).
Figure 6
Note: Not all bars add to 100% due to rounding Sources: Bain US Front Line of Healthcare, June 2026 (n=500 consumers); Bain Healthcare Consumer Survey, 2025 (n=500 consumers)However, patients are comfortable delegating some tasks to AI. Nearly half are comfortable with AI listening and taking notes during their visits, and 35% are comfortable with AI analyzing images and drafting a report for physician review. But comfort collapses when AI moves from supporting doctors to replacing them: Only 19% of consumers are comfortable with AI making a diagnosis instead of a physician, and just 13% are comfortable with AI providing medical advice and treatment plans or prescriptions. Interestingly, across every AI use case, patient comfort peaked in 2025 and has slipped since (see Figure 7).
Figure 7
Note: Not all bars add to 100% due to rounding Sources: Bain US Front Line of Healthcare, June 2026 (n=500 consumers); Bain Healthcare Consumer Survey, 2025 (n=500 consumers); Bain US Front Line of Healthcare, 2024 (n=500 consumers)Patient preference does not guarantee loyalty today. To retain patients and minimize the fragmentation of care, leading systems will need to deliver and sustain excellent consumer experiences over time, owning the entire care journey, not just one visit. AI has the potential to improve care coordination and elevate the experience at every touchpoint. But given the nuances of patient preference, systems need to be deliberate about where and how AI is embedded to win. US Front Line of Healthcare 2026Explore more |