• by Les Luchter , August 19, 2025

Thanks largely to the rapid growth of AI, healthcare providers (HCPs) “must rethink how they approach visibility and patient engagement,” declares a new study from healthcare reputation management firm rater8. ”Practices that fail to meet patients across multiple channels risk becoming invisible.”

The study, titled “The Next Evolution of Patient Choice,” finds thatwhile consumers still use online reviews as their primary tool in choosing new HCPs (health-care providers), they’re increasingly also turning to AI chatbots, voice search assistants and social media.

Over the past year, 32% of patients had engaged in first-time use of AI tools like ChatGPT and Google AI summaries in researching new HCPs, 25% voice search assistants like Siri and Alexa, and 18% social media platforms like TikTok and Instagram, the study says.

As in earlier rate8 research, online reviews still lead the doctor research journey. They’re checked by 84% of survey respondents, with more than half of all patients reading at least six reviews before booking an appointment.

But, “a growing number of patients are layering in new methods of discovery and evaluation.”

In the study, 26% of patients said that AI tools had directly influenced their choice of HCP, putting AI on par with review sites (29%) and with primary care referrals (28%). Until recent years, primary care referrals had long been the top driver of HCP selection.

“AI search tools are evolving from helpful research aids to full-service booking platforms, offering patients the ability to schedule directly from AI interfaces,” the report states. “AI summaries are becoming more sophisticated, drawing from directories, websites, reviews and social media content.”

Among the study results, more than half of AI users said they were willing to rely on AI to “summarize and rank doctors based on online information” (23.4% “very willing” and 33.2% “somewhat willing”).

One-third (32.6%) of AI users said they trust AI-generated search results as much as traditional search engines like Google, with nearly one in five (18.6%) trusting AI even more.

Still, the information most sought from AI search results remains “verified patient reviews” (39.9%)

Meanwhile, the report says, “social platforms are expanding their discovery features.”

Over a third (35%) of patients said social media presence played a role in their choice of HCP, with Facebook leading the pack at 22%, followed by Instagram (21%), TikTok (20%), and YouTube (16%).

Voice search, on the other hand, is used mostly for info like directions and office hours rather than playing a role in shaping perceptions and generating trust.

What all this means is that “the patient journey is no longer linear,” the report concludes. “It’s expanding into an AI-powered ecosystem where multiple touchpoints shape decisions.”

For HCPs, “maintaining a strong online presence is no longer optional. It’s fundamental for how patients evaluate their care options.

“Patients expect to see healthcare providers engaging online, and those with a strong social and digital presence are more likely to capture attention early in the search journey….Healthcare organizations that establish a robust online presence, optimize for AI visibility, and actively engage patients across channels will be best positioned to capture market share.”

The rater8 research was conducted on 1,024 adults in June via SurveyMonkey.