U.S. health systems are making primary care a strategic cornerstone of their transformation efforts, according to Bain & Company’s 2025 Primary Care at Health Systems Survey. Long viewed mainly as a referral source, primary care is now recognised as central to clinical quality, patient experience, and long-term cost management. Bain’s survey found that 77% of health system executives plan to expand their primary care footprint over the next five to seven years, primarily through practice acquisitions and the hiring of more primary care providers.
This strategic shift accompanies a broader movement toward value-based and population-focused care models. However, workforce shortages continue to challenge progress, with physician recruitment and retention ranking as the top priority for health leaders—outpacing even financial sustainability and patient satisfaction concerns.
To help bridge these gaps, organisations are turning to AI and digital tools designed to reduce clinician burden and optimise operations. The survey indicates rapid adoption in areas such as e-prescribing (up from 27% to 55%), appointment scheduling (33% to 63%), and telehealth (38% to 63%) over the next three years.
While patient comfort with AI is increasing—60% now accept AI for note-taking and 51% for analysing medical results—scepticism persists toward full automation. Only one-third are comfortable with AI making diagnoses, and fewer still with AI acting as their doctor.
Despite these reservations, investment momentum remains strong. Health systems are scaling AI and digital health enablers to drive efficiency, support care coordination, and enable value-based delivery at scale. As Bain’s report concludes, health systems that effectively combine workforce innovation, AI integration, and patient-centred design will be best positioned to deliver more sustainable, equitable, and outcomes-driven care in the years ahead.
Sourced from Bain.com