Digitization has fundamentally changed how private practices operate, creating both opportunities and challenges. But while it offers creative ways to increase patient satisfaction, meeting patients where they are is more important than ever.

Today's patients span multiple generations and comfort levels with technology. Some want to make a quick phone call, while others want to manage their care online, including booking appointments, requesting prescription refills, and connecting with providers. In both cases, while technology augments the patient-provider relationship, it should streamline and enhance — not replace — it.

Let’s explore creative ways to increase patient satisfaction, proven strategies to improve the patient experience, and why doing so is important for private practices.

TL;DR: Improving the patient experience in 2026 depends on a blend of digital convenience and human connection. Patients now expect a consumer-like experience from their healthcare providers, including seamless online scheduling, multi-channel communication, and easy digital payments. By implementing these foundational tools, private practices can reduce the administrative burden, decrease no-shows, and build stronger, lasting patient relationships that foster loyalty and retention.

The rising cost of healthcare means rising premiums for patients. With out-of-pocket costs continuing to climb, many patients choose high-deductible health insurance plans to keep their monthly payments down. As they shell out more for each visit, they expect a customer experience to match. That positive patient experience is a key component of healthcare quality, according to the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ).

Complicating things further is the changing healthcare industry. Major technology companies have established themselves as healthcare providers, with expanded virtual care options and artificial intelligence-powered health solutions becoming increasingly mainstream. Telehealth is now a standard offering. And while discussion is ongoing about the role of AI in healthcare, it has become part of many medical processes, from automating administrative tasks to clinical decision support.

Private practices must modernize or risk falling behind. One of the best ways to do so is to provide a customer-like patient experience across the patient journey.

Here are 5 tips on how to improve the patient experience.

Your practice website is often your first point of contact with prospective patients. A clean, professional, and helpful website that’s easy to find creates a strong impression.

Your website should be easy to navigate, with up-to-date contact information and hours. It's also vital to list the services you offer, answer common questions, and enable online scheduling through your website. Provide photos of your practice, and share patient testimonials. 

Don't forget to refine your practice’s presence on listing websites, like Google, Healthgrades, and Yelp, to ensure a consistent online presence. This makes it easy for patients to find your website and improves your search rankings. 

Online scheduling is an expectation, not a convenience. Having no online scheduling would make 15% of patients instantly consider switching providers, according to Tebra's 2025 Patient Perspectives survey.

No-shows are costly and over time can restrict your practice's growth. According to Tebra's research, patient cancellations and no-shows cost private practices $7,500 a month. Telehealth appointments reduce no-shows and make it easier to fill last-minute cancellations. Online appointment booking makes it convenient for patients to select times that work best for their schedule and gives them easy access to same-day and next-day appointments. This benefits practices, too: Tebra found that 74% of Gen Z and Millennials are more likely to attend appointments if offered same- or next-day options.

Waiting on hold to make appointments, request prescription refills, or ask questions — and only during business hours — is a frustrating and outdated process. Patients want the freedom and control to handle these items on their own time. 

Private practices must offer a multi-channel communication approach to stay competitive. This means providing compliant options for:

By implementing these flexible communication channels, practices can significantly improve the patient experience while reducing staff workload. Patients can self-serve through their preferred platforms, while those who favor traditional methods benefit from shorter wait times due to lower call volume.

Offering more ways to get in touch also supports health equity by accommodating diverse needs and preferences. Whether a patient has hearing limitations, works nights, or just prefers digital interactions, having multiple communication pathways ensures everyone can engage with your practice effectively.

Automated appointment reminders simplify the confirmation process for both the patient and the practice. Patients benefit from having one less thing to remember, and Tebra's 2025 Patient Perspectives survey found that 47% of patients name appointment reminders as the digital tool that makes the biggest difference in their patient experience.

At the same time, practices experience reduced no-show rates with automatic reminders and remove the financial and administrative burden of having to call patients to confirm. Other patients benefit, too; with in-the-moment confirmation or cancellation, patients gain access to a wider selection of appointments as they free up in real-time. 

Patients want an easy and convenient way to pay bills on their own time, keep track of medical expenses, and track progress on payments. Online payments are the de facto way to pay today, and practices must keep pace with these billing practices or risk losing patients. 

On the practice side, online billing has big benefits, too. Practices can eliminate the hassle of paper billing, receive payments more quickly, streamline the reimbursement process with insurance, and help the billing team keep track of patient payments. 

Patients today expect a consumer-like level of customer service from their medical providers. 

Digitized processes that streamline the patient experience across the patient lifecycle are no longer just nice to have. The rising costs of healthcare coupled with the digital, on-demand world we live in today mean patients expect modern conveniences from their medical providers, like online scheduling, text message communication and reminders, and easy online payments.

Private practices that provide the digital infrastructure to improve the patient experience, and explore creative ways to increase patient satisfaction, benefit from better patient retention and improved office workflow.