Bridging the Gap: Why Patient Access and Financial Experience Must Work as One

Healthcare organizations have spent years optimizing access—expanding scheduling options, improving provider availability, and digitizing intake. But one thing is becoming increasingly clear: Access alone doesn’t guarantee care.

New insights from a survey of over 2,000 U.S. patients reveal a more complex reality—one where friction, confusion, and cost barriers still prevent patients from completing their care journey.

The Hidden Friction in “Access”

Even when access exists, patients struggle to navigate it.

26% of patients report frustration when scheduling appointments
Patients often rely on 3+ sources (websites, search engines, health plans) just to find care
Nearly all patients believe the experience could be easier and less fragmented

The issue isn’t just availability—it’s navigability and affordability.

Patients expect healthcare to function like other industries: intuitive, fast, and transparent. But instead, they encounter complex workflows, limited visibility into options, and inconsistent information.

The Growing Impact of Financial Friction

The challenge doesn’t stop with scheduling.

~40% of patients are frustrated trying to understand costs
1 in 4 patients delay or avoid care due to cost
71% say they lack sufficient payment options

This signals a major shift. Affordability is no longer a back-end issue—it’s a front-end barrier to access.

When cost clarity is missing, patients hesitate. When flexibility is limited, they disengage. And when expectations aren’t met, they look elsewhere.

Why Fragmentation Is the Root Problem

Internally, most organizations still operate in silos:

Patient access manages scheduling
Revenue cycle handles billing
Financial counseling addresses affordability

Each team is doing the right work—but independently.

The result?

Disconnected patient journeys
Repeated information and confusion
Missed opportunities to guide patients proactively

As Andy Rowles, Corporate Director of Revenue Cycle at Emory noted, even identifying insurance mismatches too late led to millions in denials and significant rework.

What Leading Health Systems Are Doing Differently

Organizations like Emory Healthcare are rethinking the experience end-to-end:

Simplifying scheduling workflows

- Reducing unnecessary questions
- Using intuitive, patient-friendly language
- Expanding online self-service options

Using data to improve patient-provider matching

- Aligning scheduling templates with demand
- Avoiding mismatches that lead to rework and dissatisfaction

Bringing financial clarity upstream

- Flagging out-of-network plans at scheduling
- Embedding financial counseling into workflows
- Providing real-time cost guidance

Enabling flexible, self-service payments

- 65% of patients paying through self-service channels
- 85% of payment plans selected by patients themselves
- 87% of those plans on autopay

These changes don’t just improve experience—they reduce operational costs and increase collections.

The Path Forward: One Unified Patient Journey

The takeaway is simple but powerful: patient access and financial experience are not separate—they are one journey.

To truly improve outcomes, healthcare organizations must:

Align front-end and back-end teams
Deliver cost transparency early
Reduce friction across every touchpoint
Empower patients with choice and flexibility

Because in today’s environment, the organizations that win won’t just provide access—they’ll make it easy, clear, and affordable to follow through.