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Selecting a provider is a personal and nuanced decision for consumers—one that launches a journey of discovery that typically includes input from family and friends, other providers, and the internet, which 60% of consumers consult when looking for a new provider. That’s why healthcare organizations are wise to work with their providers to ensure digital profiles are robust and differentiating, so consumers can more readily find a provider who meets their clinical needs and personal preferences.

But for some, particularly people of color, women, non-native English speakers, and those who identify as LGBTQ, the need for comprehensive provider information is amplified: it helps them make confident care choices, which in turn shapes how they interact with the healthcare industry as a whole as well as their own ability to trust their provider.

Consumers Choose Providers Based on Shared Traits.

Our research reveals race, ethnicity, gender, and sexual orientation can impact people’s choices and preferences around providers as well as their experience with the healthcare system.

A key finding of the research, which surveyed 1,000 consumers representing diversity in gender, race, and sexual orientation, is that people are more likely to choose a healthcare provider of the same gender, age, and ethnicity. In fact, about half of consumers feel that having shared traits with their healthcare providers assures better care and more open discussion, mostly due to the provider being more understanding and more relatable.

Others who gravitate toward providers with similarities may do so because they believe they will experience less discrimination. Fear of discrimination in healthcare is real, with survey respondents saying they are very or extremely concerned about discrimination based on their native language (26%), ethnicity/race (26%), gender (23%), and sexual orientation (20%). And it goes beyond fear: 15% of those surveyed say they have faced discrimination when looking for or receiving  healthcare.

For more insights, download HealthSparq’s full report, A Provider Like Me: Research on Preferences, Care Selection, and Bias in Healthcare.

Breaking down the barriers of discrimination and mistrust in healthcare won’t be solved by a single action. But healthcare organizations can take helpful steps now by continually encouraging their providers to share more holistic information, such as a photo, languages spoken, and if the practice is LGBTQ+ friendly, as well as the attributes that are universally salient: cost, quality of care, and convenience. When providers paint more detailed self-portraits, they enable consumers to recognize themselves and choose “a provider like me”.

Providers Who Share More Help Surface Commonalities.

Breaking down the barriers of discrimination and mistrust in healthcare won’t be solved by a single action. But healthcare organizations can take helpful steps now by encouraging their providers to share more holistic information, such as a photo, languages spoken, treatment philosophies, and if the practice is LGBTQ+ friendly, alongside attributes that are universally salient: cost, quality of care, and convenience. When providers paint more detailed self-portraits, they enable consumers to recognize themselves and choose “a provider like me”.

To learn even more about what consumers value when searching for and scheduling care online—including the criteria they say is most important when selecting a provider—download The Many Digital Doors of Patient Access and Engagement, Kyruus’ 6th Annual Patient Access Journey Report.