Health systems prioritize primary care, plan AI expansion

U.S. health systems are making primary care a strategic priority, with most planning to expand their footprint and adopt AI tools to improve operations, according to new research from Bain & Company.

The survey, conducted in June, includes responses from 60 health system executives—most from academic medical centers and hospitals with more than $1 billion in revenue—and was complemented by a separate consumer survey of 500 U.S. respondents conducted in September.

Here are seven key findings from the report:

1. Seventy-seven percent of executives said they plan to add more owned practices and employ additional primary care providers over the next five to seven years.
2. While primary care has long served as a referral engine, health systems increasingly see it as central to patient experience, clinical quality and cost management, according to Bain. The survey found that improving medical cost management and fulfilling community commitments are now key drivers for expanding primary care, while generating specialist referrals has become a lower priority.
3. Most executives said their organizations still rely on fee-for-service reimbursement, though many expect to transition toward population-focused clinics with value-based payment models in the coming years.
4. Workforce shortages remain the top concern for health system leaders, ranking ahead of financial sustainability, patient experience and technology, the survey found. Physician recruitment and retention were cited as the most urgent near-term priorities.
5. AI adoption is expected to reshape primary care operations. Executives anticipate the use of e-prescribing tools will grow from 27% to 55% in the next three years, while appointment scheduling technology is projected to rise from 33% to 63%, and telehealth platforms from 38% to 63%.
6. Patients’ comfort with AI tools is also increasing, though skepticism remains. The share of patients comfortable with AI listening and taking notes rose from 21% in 2024 to 60% in 2025, and more than half said they are comfortable with AI analyzing medical results. Yet only about a third said they would trust AI to make a diagnosis, and fewer—28%—would accept an AI doctor.
7. Despite the momentum around digital tools, in-person visits remain the clear preference. Traditional settings had net preference scores of 49% for sick visits and 63% for chronic condition visits, while AI chatbots and retail or pharmacy-based visits ranked lowest.

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