Switching doctors may sound like a routine experience in the world of healthcare. But a new study reveals that for millions of Americans, changing healthcare providers comes with surprising emotional, financial, and administrative costs. This study highlights a weakened patient experience as about 40% of patients avoid care altogether just to avoid starting over with a new doctor.

The study was conducted by Tebra, where 1000 patients and providers were surveyed to uncover the real-world impact of provider churn. The data points illustrate the red tape that can result from switching providers.

What Were the Key Findings?

Financial and care repercussions. The data highlight that patients spend an average of $485.00 and 5 months reestablishing care after switching doctors.

An emotional toll. The survey revealed half of the patients reported anxiety or stress after switching, and 16% said they felt misunderstood by their new doctor.

Administrative barriers. Providers who were surveyed said 39% of new patients required repeat testing because of missing or inaccessible medical records.

Thus, there’s not only a burden on patients but also a barrier to providers.

Why Are Patients Switching Doctors?

The study found the top reason patients reported switching doctors was that their doctor was no longer in-network, and this was closely followed by patients not feeling heard or respected by their provider or having poor communication with them, said Leanna Coy, certified family nurse practitioner, virtual provider with Midi Health, and specializing in women’s health and family medicine. Coy, based in Rockaway Beach, Oregon, analyzed the study’s data.

The study revealed that long wait times for appointments and unclear billing practices also led patients to find a new doctor.

“Wait times for healthcare have gone up considerably over the last few years, with fewer doctors available for all our healthcare needs,” Coy said. “I’ve seen this firsthand as a patient when my PCP [primary care provider] moved, and the first appointment to see a new provider at the same clinic was 7 months out.”

Another barrier is distance from patient to provider, especially in rural or underserved populations or when patient circumstances (transportation and mobility) change, said Coy.

What’s the Significance of the 5-Month Coverage Delay Gap?

The “5‑month” re‑coverage period is driven by a number of simultaneous delays: getting a new provider who accepts the patient’s insurance, enrolling or becoming a member of the provider’s practice, waiting for the first available slot, receiving any needed referrals or diagnostic follow‑ups, having medical records transferred, and frequently needing to establish rapport or trust before more extensive care can resume, Coy said.

On the cost side, she said the $485 average includes items like extra office visits (eg, possibly urgent visits in the case where access is delayed), redundant testing that occurs due to lost or missing records, travel costs, lost time at work, and, in some cases, greater copays to visit out‑of‑network or temporary providers.

What Are the Challenges Facing Primary Care Doctors?

While some practices and hospitals in different locations can communicate with one another if they happen to share the same electronic medical record, it is very common for a provider seeing a new patient for the first time to order their own lab work or imaging, said Jesse P. Houghton, MD, senior medical director of gastroenterology, Southern Ohio Medical Center, Portsmouth, Ohio.

The survey found that 39% of patients seeing new doctors must be retested.

“While it may seem redundant, it is truly in the best interest of the patient to have to repeat some studies,” he said. “Incomplete or unavailable medical records are a source of high clinical risk and inefficiency.”

For PCPs, lost records can hide prior diagnoses, medication lists, allergies, imaging or lab results, and relevant care plans, he said, and this raises the risk for diagnostic errors, redundant testing, and delayed therapy initiation or changes. “It also forces physicians to spend more time trying to find prior records, which detracts from other patient care time,” Houghton added.

How to Help Patients Understand Retests

Houghton suggests using language like this with your patients:

“In an attempt at keeping you safe and to be accurate in your care, I’d like to double-check that nothing is overlooked. As we do not currently possess your entire prior records or copies of prior testing, I’d like to repeat some labs/images to guarantee we have a current baseline.”

“This messaging conveys safety, wholeness, and the doctor’s diligence, rather than implying distrust of the patient or prior physician,” Houghton affirmed.

How to Lessen the Anxiety of a First-Time Visit

Most patients just need to be heard and feel like their healthcare provider understands their needs. Coy said. Here’s how to accomplish that:

Start with a longer initial visit. This extra time can give you an opportunity to talk about what the patient found challenging with their former provider, what they anticipate, and how they prefer communicating.

Review outside medical records before the visit. Be proactive to make sure to acknowledge gaps might be there and ask patients to fill out what is missing.

Share practice protocols. Be transparent regarding insurance, costs, referral pathways, and what the patient should expect in terms of follow‑ups, investigations, etc. Waiting times are typically stressful, so minimizing ambiguity helps, Coy said.

Use shared decision‑making. Work with your patients to set goals and establish treatment or care plans rather than telling patients what to do.

Offer open communication avenues. Inform your patients of your communication methods like phone, email, and/or a patient portal, and set expected response times so that patients will feel comfortable contacting you if there is any confusion or they have a concern.

How Digital Enhancements Create a Heightened Doctor/Patient Experience

Against the backdrop of patient turnover and the ever-increasing demands to see more patients in a shorter time, PCPs will be able to demand more efficient system-level support, more vigorous health information exchange (HIE), more efficient record transfer mechanisms, insurance portability, and reducing financial barriers, said Houghton.

“On the practice side, investing money in optimizing the patient experience (communication, transparency, timeliness) can yield not just better satisfaction but also better outcomes and reduced downstream cost,” he said.

Houghton said these digital tools could facilitate a smoother transition and improved experience for patients.

• Record import/export interoperable electronic health record systems, HIEs, and patient portals for viewing prior records
• Shared or centralized labs/imaging repositories
• Virtual pre-visit intake or telehealth apps where patients can upload prior records/images or complete detailed history questionnaires prior to their scheduled appointment
• Secure messaging (portal, encrypted email) to fill in missing information
• Computerized reminders for appointments, medication refills, and follow‑up appointments to prevent loss to follow‑up