In a recent discussion on our podcast, Paul Dain, CEO of Abundant Health Acquisition (aha), provided critical insights into how healthcare organizations are rethinking patient experience. While healthcare has long been focused on clinical outcomes, there is growing recognition that experience plays a vital role in patient satisfaction, trust, and overall engagement.
Historically, the industry has prioritized medical advancements, regulatory compliance, and operational efficiencies over consumer-friendly interactions. However, as patients increasingly compare healthcare encounters to their experiences in retail, banking, and other service industries, the expectation for seamless, intuitive engagement is growing. Healthcare organizations now face pressure to provide not just effective treatment, but also a more accessible and frictionless experience. 
Rethinking Healthcare Engagement
One of the core challenges in improving healthcare experience is balancing clinical rigor with user-friendly design. As Dain pointed out, healthcare interactions often feel impersonal, bureaucratic, and difficult to navigate. This disconnect can erode trust and create unnecessary barriers to care.
Healthcare’s relationship with personal data is a key factor in this equation. Sensitive health information is fundamental to personalized care, yet healthcare organizations often struggle to use it effectively to create a more integrated patient experience. The industry’s approach to patient data management remains fragmented, limiting the ability to provide tailored interactions.
Beyond the “Digital Front Door”
A common term in healthcare technology discussions is the “digital front door,” which describes the initial point of digital engagement for patients. However, Dain challenges this framing, arguing that it oversimplifies the complexity of healthcare interactions. Unlike retail or financial services, healthcare engagement is not a single-entry experience but a series of interwoven touchpoints. Viewing it as a dynamic and interconnected ecosystem rather than a linear gateway may better reflect patient needs.
aha’s proposed solution, the Health Experience Platform (HXP), aims to consolidate multiple consumer-facing healthcare interactions into a unified system. The concept draws parallels to how modern e-commerce platforms integrate services across shopping, payments, and logistics. In healthcare, a similar approach could enable seamless scheduling, personalized recommendations, and real-time access to relevant medical history—all within a single framework.
Structural Barriers to Change
Despite the clear need for modernization, healthcare systems often struggle with the operational and cultural barriers required to implement meaningful change. Dain highlights open scheduling as a foundational improvement, allowing patients to book initial visits without requiring access to a pre-existing patient portal. While seemingly straightforward, even this level of accessibility has faced resistance due to entrenched administrative structures and concerns about workflow disruption.
The slow pace of adoption in healthcare stands in contrast to other industries that have successfully leveraged technology to streamline consumer interactions. Retail and financial services, for example, have widely embraced AI-driven personalization, real-time customer support, and frictionless transactional experiences. Healthcare leaders have an opportunity to learn from these sectors, but execution remains a challenge due to regulatory constraints, legacy systems, and risk-averse cultures.
Implications for Healthcare Leaders
The conversation with Dain underscores a broader industry trend: patient experience is emerging as a competitive differentiator. As healthcare organizations navigate an increasingly consumer-driven landscape, those that fail to prioritize seamless, user-friendly interactions risk losing patient trust and engagement.
For healthcare leaders, the key questions are:
- How can healthcare organizations restructure their digital ecosystems to align with patient expectations?
- What barriers—technological, operational, or cultural—must be addressed to facilitate change?
- Which existing models in other industries provide useful frameworks for improving healthcare experience?
Ultimately, improving patient experience is not just about convenience—it has direct implications for patient outcomes, adherence to treatment plans, and long-term trust in the healthcare system. As consumer expectations continue to evolve, healthcare organizations will need to reassess their approach to engagement, ensuring that patient-centricity is embedded in both their digital strategy and operational design.
