Today’s healthcare consumer is more empowered, more digital-savvy, and more skeptical than ever. Yet many health systems still engage them with outdated approaches and institutional thinking. In this episode, Chris Boyer and Reed Smith explore the growing disconnect between what consumers expect and what health systems deliver—and what it will take to close that gap. They explore:
- The rise of the modern healthcare shopper who expects transparency, convenience, and digital ease in every interaction
- Common breakdowns in engagement, from fragmented experiences to generic messaging and outdated tools
- The importance of personalized communication that reflects where someone is in their health journey, not just their name in an email
- How inconsistent messaging across digital, phone, and in-person touchpoints erodes trust and damages the brand
They also discuss why closing the gap requires more than marketing. It demands operational improvements that match the message, and small wins that collectively rebuild consumer confidence.
Later in the episode, Ryan Donohue of NRC Health joins to share insights from national research on patient behavior. He outlines the “Sinister Six” factors driving disengagement and explains how loyalty is shaped by experience, not advertising.
Healthcare organizations that succeed in 2025 will be those that align expectations with delivery and prove they understand what today’s consumers value most.
Mentions from the Show:
- Engaging the evolving US healthcare consumer and improving business performance – McKinsey & Company
- Consumer Healthcare Experience Trends to Watch in 2025 – Engagys
- What’s Next in Healthcare Consumer Experience – Press Ganey
- Meeting demand for personalized health care requires a system that can change – Stamford Advocate (Op-ed by Stamford Health CEO)
- Ryan Donohue on LinkedIn
- NRC Health
- Reed Smith on LinkedIn
- Chris Boyer on LinkedIn
- Chris Boyer website
- Chris Boyer on BlueSky
- Reed Smith on BlueSky
