What Patients Really Want: Insights from 3Dhealth's Latest Primary Care Patient Survey

As the healthcare industry continues its push toward more patient-centric models, understanding consumer expectations and preferences is vital. At 3Dhealth, we know that designing access strategies and aligning provider resources depends heavily on what the patient voice tells us.

To that end, we recently surveyed 591 healthcare consumers to uncover their preferences, habits, and expectations related to primary care. The survey asked the following nine key questions:

1. Do you have an established primary care provider today?

2. Where do you prefer to seek primary care treatment?

3. How would you prefer to see a primary care physician?

4. How long (in minutes) would you be willing to wait on a telephone call to speak to a primary care physician to schedule an appointment?

5. Are you willing to wait longer to see a primary care physician based on the severity of your symptoms (i.e., allowing those with more severe symptoms to be seen sooner)?

6. Do you use your primary care provider for your obstetric and gynecological care?

7. Do you use your Ob/Gyn provider for your primary care?

8. Would you prefer to see a physician or an advanced practice provider (i.e., nurse practitioners, physician assistants, etc.) for your primary care?

9. If you were scheduling an appointment for yourself or someone close to you to see a new provider, how long would you be willing to wait for Family Medicine, Geriatric Medicine, Internal Medicine, Obstetrics & Gynecology and Pediatrics?

The results offer a compelling look at what modern patients want, and where hospitals and health systems can better meet their needs.

Finding #1: Patients Still Value Long-Term Primary Care Relationships.

A strong 80% of respondents have an established primary care provider (PCP). That number increases dramatically with age, peaking at 100% among respondents 85 and older. Yet, nearly one in four adults age 18 to 44 do not have a PCP, highlighting a critical engagement opportunity for providers and health systems.

Finding #2: Despite Industry Trends, Physician-Owned Practices Still Preferred.

Fifty percent of consumers prefer to receive care from physician-owned practices, while only 4% chose corporate-owned practices and 6% selected insurance-owned options. This trend was particularly pronounced among women. While hospitals and health systems employ over 70% of the PCPs in the U.S., only 24% of consumers prefer a hospital-owned PCP.  Seventeen percent had no preference, an audience open to influence if the value proposition is clear.

Finding #3: In-Person Visits Remain the Norm, but Telehealth Has a Niche.

Despite the rise of digital care models, 75% of respondents still prefer to see their PCP in a traditional office setting. Telehealth appeals more to women (9% preference vs. 4% of men), while men are slightly more open to stand-alone clinics and at-home visits.  Only 2% of consumers prefer to see a PCP in a big box store.

Finding #4: Speed Matters: Call Center Expectations Are Tight.

When asked how long they’d wait on the phone to schedule an appointment, 54% of patients said they expect to reach someone in 9 minutes or less (this was 77% when we tested it in 2022). Only 18% are willing to wait 15 minutes or more, reinforcing the importance of well-staffed, efficient phone operations and digital self-scheduling options.

Finding #5: Patients Support Triage-Based Access.

Eighty-six percent of respondents (up from 57.4% in 2022) said they’re willing to wait longer if other patients have more severe symptoms. This is strong validation for triage-based appointment scheduling models, which prioritize clinical need and improve overall access equity.

Finding #6: Many Women Receive Ob/Gyn Services from Their PCP

Among 304 female respondents, 63% said they receive Ob/Gyn services from their primary care provider. It is unclear whether this is a result of patient preference or a lack of access into Ob/Gyns.

Finding #7: Most Don’t View Ob/Gyns as Their Primary Provider

Only 38% of women use their Ob/Gyn as their PCP, reinforcing the distinction many patients draw between primary and specialty care, even when services overlap. For health systems, this highlights the value of role clarity and education around care scope.

Finding #8: Physicians Remain the Preferred Provider Type

Physicians are still the top choice for primary care: 64% of respondents said they prefer to see a doctor, compared to just 13% who preferred advanced practice providers (APPs). However, 23% reported no preference, indicating room to grow confidence in APP-led care models.

Finding #9: Wait Time Expectations Vary by Specialty

When scheduling with a new provider, same-day or next-day access is expected by:
- 51% of respondents for Pediatrics
- 38% for Geriatric Medicine
- 36 and 38% for Family and Internal Medicine, respectively

Obstetrics & Gynecology had the highest tolerance for longer waits, with 27% willing to wait five or more days. These insights point to the importance of tailoring access strategies by specialty.

Final Finding: Patient Expectations Are Clear-Are You Positioned to Deliver?

This survey confirms that patients are clear in what they want from primary care: timely access, physician-led teams, and care models that balance convenience with quality. The good news? You don't have to guess how to deliver it.

3Dhealth’s Provider Development Plan gives healthcare executives a data-informed roadmap to meet patients where they are-geographically, behaviorally, and emotionally.

If you're ready to turn these insights into action, the next step is simple: let’s build a Provider Development Plan tailored to your market. Reach out to the 3Dhealth team and put strategy to work for your patients-and your bottom line.

For questions or more information, please contact Ron Flower at RFlower@3Dhealthinc.com or Shane Foreman at SForeman@3Dhealthinc.com .

We believe every community deserves access to the right physicians. That’s why we equip hospitals and health systems with the data, tools, and strategy to make it happen.