From Care Continuity To Care Convenience: The Shift In Trends

2026-02-09 · Source: Featured Blogs - Forrester · Field: Health & Wellbeing — Healthcare Systems & Policy, Patient Experience · Depth: Intermediate, quick

Summary

The healthcare industry is experiencing a fundamental shift from traditional relationship loyalty to experience loyalty, driven by evolving consumer expectations for personalization and convenience. Historically, patients tolerated inconveniences like long wait times and siloed experiences, but today's consumers, accustomed to personalized digital services, demand healthcare adapt to their lifestyles. Forrester's Healthcare Topic Insights 1 Survey, 2025, indicates that just over half of US online adults prefer seeing the same primary care doctor, and at least half are comfortable with retail health clinics. This signals a preference for extended hours, walk-in availability, predictable pricing, and digitally integrated systems over a singular, long-standing provider relationship, compelling providers to offer both enduring relationships and seamless convenience.

Key takeaway

For healthcare executives designing patient engagement strategies, recognize that continuity must now be earned through superior experience. Prioritize investments in digital integration, transparent pricing, and flexible access options like extended hours and walk-in clinics. Your organization's ability to treat convenience as a core clinical feature, rather than an operational afterthought, will directly impact patient retention and market competitiveness.

Key insights

Modern healthcare loyalty is driven by convenience and experience, not just long-term provider relationships.

Principles

• Convenience is a clinical feature.
• Trust must be built before the visit.

Method

Providers should make access effortless, remove administrative burdens, and build trust through clear communication and transparent information before patient visits.

In practice

• Extend clinic hours and streamline scheduling.
• Simplify patient forms and processes.
• Implement responsive digital touchpoints.

Topics

• Healthcare Consumer Experience
• Patient Loyalty
• Healthcare Access
• Digital Health
• Retail Health Clinics

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Editorial summary, takeaway, and curation by AIssential. Original article published by Featured Blogs - Forrester.