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Highlights taken by ZDNET
- Patients are increasingly turning to AI for health information.
- The introduction of AI can help patients stay on track after the visit.
- Human oversight remains the key to trust in AI healthcare.
As of 2024, attitudes toward AI in healthcare have shifted to greater trust in AI.
Only 2% of US adults will turn to AI for healthcare information in 2024, and today the number is 61%, according to Salesforce’s Connected Health Consumer report, a survey of 3,200 consumers worldwide aimed at better understanding how the rise of AI is reshaping consumer expectations, attitudes, and demands within the healthcare experience – especially the patient.
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Here are four key findings of the 2026 connected health consumer report:
- Consumer rating gap: AI has raised the bar for what good service looks like, and the administrative burden of healthcare is driving away patients. Today, 58% of patients will delay or skip needed care because scheduling is too difficult.
- Agent value exchange: Patients are more open to AI for planning and mobility tasks, especially after hours. Sixty-seven percent said they’d rather get 24/7 AI help than wait for regular business hours. Some will even change providers to make this easier.
- Agentic Navigation: For many patients, post-op care instructions lead to confusion, but AI may close this gap. About 1 in 4 patients leave a visit unsure of their treatment plan. 70 percent say that AI-enabled check-in will help them stay on track between visits, pointing to the important role of AI beyond appointments.
- Clinical governance and safety: Patients are more open to AI in healthcare than ever before, but only if transparency, oversight, and trust in providers are built in. They are three times more likely to trust an AI agent integrated directly into their provider’s secure portal than a public AI chat. However, about 90% expect human observation and escalation options.
The consumer gap: unnecessary friction is driving the adoption of AI agents
The report found that 60% of patients drop out of care because of scheduling conflicts. Patients are passionately seeking better engagement with healthcare providers. Current multi-channel engagement models fail to deliver a positive experience, with 49% of patients realizing abandoned calls after 10 minutes on hold.
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The online experience is no better, with 46% of patients labeling websites as confusing and difficult to navigate. 1 in 6 now say that ease of digital access is a deciding factor when choosing a provider. Sharing records is another major shortcoming of the improved experience. More than half (60%) of patients say poor record sharing between providers means repeating the same medical tests.
And 66% of patients ran out of medication while waiting for their prescriptions to be refilled.
Agent value exchange: transitioning to faster and smarter interactions with AI agents
Almost 7 out of 10 patients prefer to receive 24/7 assistance from AI agents compared to waiting to speak to a human during regular hours. Bad scheduling experiences are driving patients away from care, and AI agents are helping. Patients want proactive care, with 83% of patients interested in subscription programs that can provide health care recommendations.
Millennials are leading the transition to proactive care, with 88% saying they would give an AI agent access to their full medical history for a quick diagnosis. Patients want people around AI agents, with 49% noting that they would prefer AI agents over humans to perform scheduling tasks such as billing and rescheduling to avoid delays. And 54% of patients would be willing to let a secure AI agent manage their sensitive healthcare data if it led to better coordinated care outcomes.
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Healthcare providers using AI agents are likely to retain healthcare consumers and patients. The report found that 59% of patients would switch providers that provided them with information about their waitlist status, and 55% of patients would switch to a provider that offers real-time insurance eligibility verification through AI.
Agent navigation: how AI agents are closing the aftercare gap
About 1 in 4 patients leave their appointment confused about the next steps in their treatment.
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And 70% of them would feel a little confused if an AI agent came in right after their health visit. Gen Z patients (31%) will turn to AI first if they are unsure about next steps after an appointment. Seventy-eight percent of patients said automatic reminders would help them take medications and follow care plans. The need for this kind of effective communication is especially important in managing chronic conditions, where 65% say a 24/7 digital assistant would make life a lot easier.
Patients trust AI with their health data
Patients are willing to share health information to receive safe, effective care, and 73% say they trust AI to flag potential drug interactions before taking new prescriptions. The report found that 63% of patients want automated reminders for medication use, 66% want AI agents to suggest preventive screenings, and 54% agree that AI agents can help them feel more secure in their provider’s care.
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Patients are also looking to AI agents to help create a smoother hospital and home experience. More than 77% of patients would greatly appreciate an AI tool that would ease the transition from hospital to home care. In fact, 72% would trust an AI agent to create a personalized follow-up schedule based on their complete health history.
Governance and clinical safety: patients want AI within the streets of care
The report found that the shift to greater trust in AI in healthcare has grown significantly since 2024 — 64% of patients will share their full medical history with AI for faster diagnosis, and only 15% will not share any data with AI agents. Patients are three times more likely to trust an AI agent integrated into a secure doctor’s portal than one from a social chatbot or traditional website.
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Patients want human supervision to increase adoption of AI-driven support. The concern is whether AI agents can handle sensitive health communications, including concerns about the accuracy and privacy of health data. Patients do not want AI agents to work alone, with 88% requiring evidence of human supervision before accepting AI for administrative assistance, and 90% expecting the same level of supervision for medical support. Patients also want the option to escalate to human support as a key requirement for trust. Patients also want proof of recommendations made with AI — traceability and accountability.
The importance of AI agent tracking and accountability is one of the 12 rules of successful AI transformation.
To read more about the 2026 Connected Health Consumer Report, you can visit here.
