The trend: Most consumers are actively searching for a new doctor at any given time, and many are switching to new doctors, according to an April 2026 survey of 992 US adults from rater8.

• Looking back: 72% of consumers either chose a new physician at some point in the past year (47%) or searched for one but ultimately did not switch (25%).
• Looking ahead: 59% are either open to changing their provider in the next 12 months (31%) or are actively looking (28%).

Zooming out: Consumers use both traditional and digital resources to find and evaluate new doctors.

The most influential sources when choosing a new provider are:

• Word-of-mouth recommendations (43%)
• Insurance portals that filter in-network providers (43%)
• Review sites like Healthgrades (40%)
• AI chatbots (36%)
• Google search (34%)
• Doctor’s referral (32%)

Why it matters: Most provider organizations have established processes for maintaining positive online reviews and strong referral networks. Now, they must adapt to the growing role of AI platforms in provider search and discovery.

AI’s sway over doctor choice has more than doubled in a year. The share of consumers who said an AI tool swayed their decision jumped to 36%, up from 17% in last year’s survey. Among consumers who actually switched doctors, AI tools were the leading digital influence, cited by 39%. People also place greater value on AI Overviews than other Google search features: 37% cite AI-generated summaries as useful when researching doctors, compared with 20% for organic search results and 7% for sponsored ads.

Consumers can use AI to search for care in several ways, but there are still limitations. For example, prompts such as “best cardiologist near me” in chatbots like ChatGPT or Gemini can surface nearby providers, highlight specialties and services offered by different practices, and summarize patient reviews from public review sites. However, chatbots typically cannot verify insurance coverage with complete certainty or directly access a provider’s scheduling system on a user’s behalf. Instead, they guide users to third-party platforms where they can confirm coverage and book appointments.

Implications for healthcare providers and marketers: Patient loyalty is fluid. Consumers now weigh convenience, wait times, and customer experience across multiple digital channels when choosing a doctor. Provider organizations must invest in strong organic search visibility, since the pages that rank well are the ones AI platforms cite (and ultimately steer patients to). Providers must also audit and maintain their listings on booking platforms and insurance portals so the information AI surfaces is accurate and current.

AI systems tend to favor organizations that provide consistent, credible information on their websites, such as:

• Accurate provider bios and pictures
• Conditions treated and medical services conducted
• Insurance accepted
• Locations
• Scheduling availability
• Languages spoken

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