What You Need to Know:
- Experian Health’s 2025 State of Patient Access Survey reveals a growing concern over healthcare affordability, with patients facing increasing barriers to paying for care.
- While access to care has somewhat stabilized, challenges remain around digital tool adoption, scheduling efficiency, and data accuracy — critical areas impacting both the patient experience and provider operations.
The Cost of Healthcare: A Key Friction Point
What’s happening:
Cost remains a significant barrier for many patients, with 60% of them struggling to afford their care. 29% report a worsening ability to pay for healthcare compared to the previous year. This is exacerbated by 51% of patients who say they don’t fully understand their insurance coverage or the costs involved before receiving care.
- Patients:
- 60% of patients report regular struggles to afford healthcare.
- 29% say they’re less able to afford care than before.
- 52% don’t understand costs upfront.
- Providers:
- Providers face increasing pressure to offer clear cost estimates but are often hindered by inaccurate information.
- 41% of patients received estimates before care in 2025, but 71% say those estimates weren’t fully accurate.
A Disconnect Between Patients and Providers on Access
What’s happening:
Access perceptions are improving, with 68% of patients saying access is “about the same” as previous years. However, the 15% who report worsening access cite appointment delays as the primary issue. 16% of patients report better access, mostly due to faster appointments.
- Patients:
- 68% say access remains steady.
- 15% report worse access, citing appointment delays as a major issue.
- Providers:
- Providers report 37% struggle with getting patients to use digital tools, and 55% say patients are often unsure how to navigate self-scheduling systems.
The Digital Divide: Scheduling Tools Not Meeting Expectations
What’s happening:
While 80% of patients want to schedule appointments from home or via mobile devices, providers are struggling to meet these expectations. Only 54% offer self-scheduling tools, and 71% of providers view improving this process as urgent. However, limited appointment availability (70%) and staffing shortages (63%) continue to complicate scheduling.
- Patients:
- 80% desire to schedule appointments online.
- Providers:
- 54% offer self-scheduling; 10% plan to in the next six months.
- 37% say getting patients to use digital tools is a major challenge.
Data Accuracy: A Key Barrier to Efficiency
What’s happening:
Inaccurate data continues to cause friction, with 22% of patients facing delays due to insurance verification issues and 20% encountering errors in medical records. For providers, 56% report that these data errors are a leading cause of denied claims.
- Patients:
- 22% face delays due to insurance verification issues.
- 20% encounter errors in their medical records.
- Providers:
- 56% say patient data errors contribute significantly to claim denials.
- 48% of providers say registration data is often inaccurate.
Automation: The Path Forward for Providers
What’s happening:
In response to these persistent challenges, providers are increasingly adopting automation technologies. 88% are prioritizing accurate cost estimates, and 83% are focused on faster insurance verification processes.
- Providers:
- 88% prioritize improving cost estimates.
- 83% focus on automating insurance verification.
- Automation tools are helping improve data accuracy and reduce claim denials.
