New national survey data confirms what many health systems already know: the patient experience doesn't start in the exam room. But when does it start? And how can you ensure the patient journey isn’t tarnished before the patient even walks in the door?
Gozio Health partnered with The Harris Poll to survey 2,010 U.S. patients in June 2026, and the results paint a clear picture of what matters to patients between the time they search for your health system and the moment they actually see a clinician.
Most patients are stressed about appointments, and it’s worse in younger patients
Nearly8 in 10 patients (79%) report stress around in-person medical appointments. And perhaps surprisingly, a lot of the stress revolves around logistics, not anxiousness about care. Waiting in the office (38%), not knowing what to when they arrive (27%), completing medical forms (26%), and worrying about being late due to travel or parking (24%) top the list of stressors.
The generational divide in appointment-related stress is tangible:
- Gen Z: 91%
- Millennials: 87%
- Gen X: 80%
- Baby Boomers: 59%
Younger patients (the ones health systems most need to build lifelong relationships with) are the most frustrated with an experience that hasn't caught up to their expectations.
Getting lost is costing health systems patients
The single biggest finding in the report might be this: 43% of patients say they've switched providers or avoided returning to one in part because of a difficult experience getting to the appointment. That number jumps to 57% among Millennials.
So what might be typically considered a convenience issue becomes a major retention challenge. Nearly two-thirds of patients (65%) say navigating to their appointment makes them anxious before the visit even begins, and 59% say a difficult navigation experience negatively impacts their overall perception of the provider (rising to 65% in urban areas).
Not only that, but 70% of patients say clear navigation guidance would actually influence which provider they choose in the first place. Wayfinding becomes a competitive differentiator and not just a patient convenience tool.
First impressions happen before the visit
Across the board, patients are telling us that the "visit" starts earlier than providers think:
- 80% agree the first impression a provider makes happens before the visit
- 82% say a smoother pre-visit experience would make them more confident in the quality of care
- 83% feel they receive higher-quality care when arrival is frictionless
- 67% agree that a difficult pre-appointment experience often sets a negative tone for the entire visit
In other words, the digital and physical experience leading up to care is now inseparable from how patients judge the care itself.
What now?
The findings point to a clear opportunity: investing in the pre-visit journey pays off in patient confidence, loyalty, and acquisition. Gozio Health’s report from a survey conducted by The Harris Poll outlines different approaches health systems are using to close the gap, from indoor wayfinding all the way to the broader mobile experience they create for patients.
The takeaway for health system leaders: the long-term patient relationship can be won or lost before check-in. The systems that fix the on-ramp to care vs. just the care itself are the ones patients will choose, and keep choosing.
Want the full breakdown, including the complete generational and geographic data?
