For decades, the healthcare industry assumed loyalty was a given. Patients would stay with the same doctor, visit the same clinic, and tolerate confusing phone trees, long wait times, limited hours, and siloed experiences.

But the ground has shifted.

Consumers today live in a world where personalization and convenience are becoming the norm, not the exception. They bring higher expectations to their healthcare journey. With personalized chatbots in their pockets and 24-hour clinics around the corner, consumers are demanding that the healthcare industry adapt to their lifestyle and not the other way around. The traditional notion of continuity is losing ground to a new form of convenience-driven loyalty: According to Forrester’s Healthcare Topic Insights 1 Survey, 2025, just over half of US online adults prefer to see the same doctor for every primary-care visit and at least half of consumers are comfortable receiving various types of care at retail health clinics.

From Relationship Loyalty To Experience Loyalty

Many consumers no longer go to a single provider simply because they always have. They would rather experience extended hours, walk‑in availability, predictable pricing, and digitally integrated systems. These touchpoints matter more than the provider relationship. Retail clinics deliver the “right care, right now.” Patients still value expertise and empathy. Providers will have to offer both: a relationship built to last years and convenience. Both the relationship and the experience have to be as friction-free as they are in other areas of consumers’ lives.

Keeping Patients Coming Means Redefining Access And Trust

Patients aren’t turning away from continuity with their healthcare provider. They’re turning away from the inconvenience that often comes with it. The organizations that align care access with modern consumer expectations will define the next era of patient engagement. That means providers should:

  • Make access effortless. Extend hours, streamline scheduling, and use intuitive digital channels so patients can easily access care when they need it.
  • Remove administrative burdens. Simplify forms, processes, and navigation so patients don’t feel like they have to “work” for their care.
  • Build trust before the visit. Offer clear communication, transparent information, and responsive digital touchpoints to demonstrate reliability before a patient enters the exam room.

Continuity Still Matters, But It Must Be Earned

Patients still value having a trusted provider. But they will no longer endure outdated processes to maintain that relationship. Healthcare organizations that thrive in the next decade will treat convenience as a clinical feature — not an operational nicety — and build a patient experience that drives repeat business. Convenience isn’t the enemy of continuity. It’s the foundation of it.

To dig deeper into understanding the customer experience, check out our latest reports: Data Overview: Customer Experience With Healthcare Providers, Q1 2026 and The Trust Foundation Is Fractured For US Health Insurers, 2025. Forrester clients should:

  • Schedule a guidance session to dig deeper into the data and what it means for your business and customers.
  • Consider a deeper dive via a strategy session.

If you’re not a Forrester client, reach out to our sales team!