Cheryl Dalton-Norman is president of Conduit Health Partners, specializing in patient transfer coordination and nurse-first triage.
Easy access has become a primary differentiator of success for all industries. From same-day delivery in retail to 24/7 banking apps, consumers are increasingly looking for convenience and frictionless experiences in all areas of life. In fact, 55% of global consumers are willing to spend more on commerce formats that are convenient to access and use.
The same expectations exist in healthcare, although the stakes are much higher—life-changing, in fact. Access is what consumers value most from their healthcare experience, according to an EY consumer health survey, but nearly half (42%) rate their access to care experience as below average.
As an industry, healthcare has a lot of catching up to do in terms of meeting rapidly evolving expectations. Yet universal truths exist within healthcare’s high-stakes playbook that are applicable to all industries when it comes to optimizing consumer access.
1. Less friction is the name of the game.
Today’s consumer prioritizes efficiency and immediate gratification. Long-established companies are finding that consumers, especially younger generations, are choosing new brands due to expectations around convenience, value and personalization.
At a minimum, ease of access in healthcare impacts choice and loyalty, but even more critical is how convenience impacts care outcomes. Access barriers, such as long appointment wait times, difficulty finding providers and lengthy travel to appointments, cause many to delay or skip care.
Consider how this can play out in rural areas where medical resources are limited. A patient may travel several hours to see a specialist in a nearby city. During an appointment, the specialist orders an MRI, which must be submitted to the patient’s health plan for pre-authorization. Ultimately, the timeframe for getting approval means the patient will have to travel back to the city for the MRI, creating barriers to access.
Less friction changes everything. For many industries, digital access and interactions that are personalized to improve efficiency are paramount. In healthcare, this means removing barriers through virtual care, self-service scheduling and same-day appointments. These aren’t perks. They’re expectations that modern patients demand.
2. First touchpoints establish trust and loyalty.
In less than six months of the TikTok Shop launching in the U.S., the organization was receiving 81.3% of its sales from returning customers. First experiences matter, and the TikTok Shop clearly established a trusted connection early on that satisfied consumers and kept them coming back.
Across industries, ease of access is an important factor in building trust. In healthcare, where trust in the system has plummeted in recent years from 71.5% in 2020 to 40.1% in 2024, ease of access is critical. Patients and families facing uncertainty about health will naturally gravitate to providers who make it easier to access care. For example, a young mom receiving immediate, expert advice from a nurse-first phone triage service about her sick child in the middle of the night is a first touchpoint that is certain to leave a lasting impression.
The same is true for banking, retail, travel and other industries. Companies that consider what is needed to optimize their first touchpoints with consumers will reap the benefits of trust and loyalty with their access strategies.
3. Technology can (and should) be harnessed without losing humanity.
AI, automation, chatbots—there are so many ways that technology can improve access across industries. The challenge is striking the right balance between the efficiency technology offers and human connection.
Many healthcare organizations are making significant strides in using technology to improve access. In fact, the efficiencies offered by advanced technology to improve access are something that consumers crave across all industries, especially for routine tasks that can reduce wait times and speed gratification. In healthcare, this could be accessing nurse triage via phone, while in retail it could be getting a simple question answered about a product.
But in the moment when consumers are frustrated and need answers, technology may not be enough. This is especially true in healthcare, where having an expert ear to talk through a stressful health situation can mean the difference between traveling an hour to the nearest emergency department or scheduling a next-day appointment with a local primary care physician.
The best approach to achieving the right balance leverages advanced technology for simple, transactional tasks, while freeing up human interaction for complex needs.
Improving consumer access is a priority for all industries. In healthcare, it’s a national priority. While the stakes for access in healthcare are higher and the challenges more nuanced, these three universal truths are applicable for all industries and can set the stage for optimal access strategies and long-term positioning.
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