Research
State of Patient Experience 2026
State of Patient Experience 2026
In this report, you'll learn
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- Why trust within teams matters to patients. Units where employees report high trust are 2.4x as likely to earn top hospital ratings.
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- How friction puts loyalty at serious risk. Inpatient “Likelihood to Recommend” (LTR) scores are more than 30 percentile points lower among patients who report operational friction.
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- Where averages hide inconsistent care. Experiences differ across patient populations and planned vs. unplanned stays. But consistent nursing practices can help narrow those differences.
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- Your 2027 agenda to fix what’s broken. Find practical ways to strengthen patient and employee listening, improve follow-up, and turn feedback into action that actually makes a difference.
After several tumultuous years, patient experience scores are improving. But national progress masks a harder question: Can every patient count on the same quality of experience wherever and whenever they seek care?
Drawing on 43.1M patient encounters, Qualtrics’ State of Patient Experience 2026 report reveals where healthcare’s Experience Gap persists, where it’s widening, and how teamwork, operational reliability, and safety culture connect to patient confidence and long-term loyalty.
