Rethinking the front door to care

More than ever before, people are turning to digital channels first. Their journey doesn't begin in the waiting room; it begins in the search bar, with their wearable or a question typed into an AI chatbot.

This shift in seeking information matters. It shows people are expecting their healthcare systems to work similarly to the rest of their digital lives. People have become healthcare consumers. They are taking on a more active role, have more information available to them than ever before and want immediate, personal and available answers to healthcare needs, wherever they are.

This shows up in how people use AI for healthcare. In 2025, nearly one in three consumers reported using an AI chatbot to look up health information, according to Rock Health's 2025 Consumer Survey.

People aren't just searching for information. They're acting on what they find. The Rock Health report shows that 81% of AI chatbot users took some kind of action after accessing health information online: 40% consulted with a provider, 22% made or changed a care appointment and 18% adjusted medications.

At Teladoc Health, we’re learning from our partners and industry experts about the trends they’re seeing. What’s clear is that meeting consumers at this new starting point of care is quickly becoming the defining challenge of a new era of healthcare.

Consumers are taking the lead

Google's Director of Clinical Enterprise, Pete Clardy, MD, frames this moment by recalling something a patient advocate once told him: "Innovation moves at the speed of desperation.”

The data suggests that’s what’s happening. More than half of those surveyed by Rock Health report using virtual care within the last year, owning a wearable and regularly tracking at least one health metric digitally. Combined, the picture is clear that consumers are relying on digital platforms for information and support as they navigate their healthcare needs. Unfortunately, these platforms are often disconnected.

Coordinating care shouldn’t be a burden. When someone takes the first step toward better cardiometabolic health with Teladoc Health, we begin the process of gathering information and connecting them to their dedicated care team for support in turning insights into action. In fact, members who engage with a coach early on see 10-20% higher program retention and better clinical outcomes.

New front door, same gaps in care

“Health does not unfold in neat scheduled encounters,” Walmart Chief Medical Officer Emily Aaronson, MD, said. Because of that, retailers like Walmart are further reinforcing the idea that consumers are leveraging tools within their daily lives to learn more about their health, connecting their pharmacy, grocery pick-up and care navigation within the same platform. Walmart’s Everyday Health Signals feature surfaces healthier recommendations the moment a consumer adds an item to their cart—just one example of how the retailer is bringing health guidance closer to everyday decisions.

Where digital tools and connected online platforms are providing convenience for some consumers, others are facing larger gaps, especially in communities where these services may not be as readily available with sparse internet access, or in older populations where digital access may not be the most comfortable first step to care. Search engines and AI platforms may be the new, free front door for a consumer's healthcare journey, but support needs to exist beyond these platforms to ensure a connected experience.

This highlights the importance of meeting people where they are, before they've even thought about virtual care, through intentional strategies aimed at showing up where consumers already spend time.

The path forward

The data is clear: Healthcare consumers are already changing how, where and when they engage with their health. Organizations focused on building smart engagement engines, leveraging partners that innovate based on data and provide a connected, AI-enhanced experience, will rise to the top.