The Healthcare Consumer Experience Is Evolving
Aaron Clifford
Vice President of Consumer Experience at Press Ganey

The Healthcare Consumer Experience Is Evolving

With Aaron Clifford
By Stewart Gandolf, Chief Executive Officer

Are you delivering the experience today’s healthcare consumers actually want?
You might be surprised.

In this episode, Stewart Gandolf sits down with Aaron Clifford, Vice President of Consumer Experience at Press Ganey, to explore how the patient journey is evolving and how today’s healthcare consumers find, evaluate, and choose providers.

Drawing from Press Ganey’s latest Consumer Experience Trends in Healthcare report, they explore the growing influence of AI tools, the rising importance of online reviews, and why brand trust and provider access are the new cornerstones of a modern healthcare brand.

If your organization is committed to meeting patients where they are, this conversation is a must-listen.

Why This Conversation Matters
Improving the consumer experience isn’t just about bedside manner anymore. It’s about being visible when and where people are searching, offering clear, trustworthy information, and making it easy for patients to book an appointment or take the next step. From the first online search to the moment they walk through your doors, every interaction counts, perhaps now more than ever.

This episode is packed with timely, data-backed insights for healthcare marketers, CX leaders, and provider organizations that want to stay ahead of rising consumer expectations and the rapid adoption of AI.

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Key Insights and Takeaways

  • Search is still king, but AI is gaining ground.
    60% of consumers begin with Google when searching for care, but 36% now turn to generative AI tools like ChatGPT as part of their research.
  • Online reviews matter more than ever.
    64% of consumers say they always or frequently read provider reviews, and star ratings below 3.7 are often seen as red flags.
  • Transparency earns trust.
    As AI becomes more common in healthcare communication, 75% of patients want to know when it’s being used.
  • Access affects loyalty.
    Long wait times drive patients toward faster care alternatives like urgent care or emergency rooms, especially when delays span several months.
  • Brand matters.
  • Consumers are more likely to choose urgent care centers affiliated with a respected health system.
“Today’s consumers shop for healthcare services the same way they shop for everything else. To earn their trust, health systems must show up like top consumer brands: credible, visible, and well-reviewed. If you don’t meet their expectations, they’ll go elsewhere.”

Aaron Clifford

VP of Consumer Experience at Press Ganey

Additional Resources

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Note: The following raw, AI-generated transcript is provided as an additional resource for those who prefer not to listen to the podcast recording. It has not been edited or reviewed for accuracy.

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