COVID Was a Game Changer for How Consumers Interact With Health Care

More than half of respondents have been with their primary care physician for less than five years.

Every other year, PRC conducts a National Healthcare Consumer Study. The 2022 edition reflects research conducted in 2021, comparing it with previous surveys from 2019, 2017, and 2015.

Not surprisingly, there are big differences between 2019 and 2021 — before and after the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. The intervening years changed the way consumers interact with health care overnight.

Some of the results surprised us and upended our assumptions about patient loyalty. Other results revealed new insights about where patients look for doctors or confirmed the direction of trends we observe in the industry, such as generational differences regarding technology.

The survey results are broken out into seven sections:

• Health Care Utilization and Preference
• Health Care Advertising
• Doctors
• Telemedicine and Patient Portals
• Internet Usage
• Cost and Contact
• Age Disparities

In our new story, we pull out some highlights from the study and share our takeaways — and shattered assumptions. Read it now:

Takeaways from PRC’s 2022 Consumer Survey

Best regards,
Matt Humphrey
President