The platform effect: What 800 health plan members revealed about trust, engagement, and loyalty
A new survey shows that when digital care feels connected, members are more likely to trust, engage, return, and recommend their experience.
78%
of surveyed members who previously did not use digital care adopted a single digital access point
(Based on a May 2026 survey of 800 health plan members using a plan-sponsored digital care platform.)
Key findings
Health plans have spent years expanding digital access. Members now value something different: a single, connected digital care experience.
New survey research among 800 members of a large national health plan found:
- 72% of members surveyed now use Amwell as a single destination to access care
- 53% saved more than two hours compared with other ways of getting care
- 71% reported greater trust when clinicians could access relevant care history
- 66% reported increased awareness of available health plan services
- 56% had their healthcare needs fully addressed in one place
For years, health plans and employers have worked to manage an increasingly complex digital care ecosystem, often balancing multiple vendors, programs, and point solutions to meet evolving member needs. New survey research suggests members are looking for the same thing health plans are: greater connection, continuity, and simplicity.
A recent survey of 800 members from a large national health plan found that connected digital care experiences are reducing fragmentation, strengthening trust, increasing benefit awareness, and driving repeat engagement. The findings suggest that members increasingly value digital healthcare delivered through a unified platform rather than a collection of disconnected solutions.
In other words, fragmentation isn’t just an operational challenge for health plans. It’s a member experience challenge. As digital health matures, competitive advantage will come from turning separate interactions into connected journeys.
Research at a glance
- 800 member responses
- Summer 2026 field period
- 1 large national health plan (anonymized)
- Platform studied: Amwell Platform
- Topics explored: convenience, trust, care coordination, benefit awareness, care resolution, and future utilization
Why are members choosing a single destination for care?
72%
of members surveyed now use Amwell as a single destination to access care
For years, health plans assembled digital ecosystems one solution at a time. Virtual care, behavioral health, navigation, care management, specialty programs, and clinician search were often delivered through separate experiences.
Members experience that approach as fragmentation.
The survey suggests consumers are moving in the opposite direction. Nearly three-quarters of respondents reported using a single destination as their primary access point for digital care, and 78% of members who previously did not use digital care adopted a single digital access point after using the platform.
These findings suggest the barrier is not necessarily digital care itself. More often, it’s knowing where to begin. When members can access care through one trusted destination, the path to care becomes clearer and easier to navigate.
As members return to the same destination over time, familiarity with the experience grows, creating a stronger foundation for trust, future engagement, and ongoing use.
“Members are more likely to engage when the path to care is simple, familiar, and trusted. A single digital destination gives them a clear place to begin — and makes it easier to access the care and support already available through their health plan.”
– Katie Ruigh, SVP, Product Management at Amwell
Why does convenience matter more than ever in healthcare?
53%
of respondents saved more than two hours compared with other ways of getting care
The survey found that 76% of members surveyed saved at least one hour, while more than half saved over two hours. That matters because consumers increasingly evaluate healthcare the same way they evaluate every other digital experience: how much effort it requires.
Healthcare organizations often focus on access. Members focus on time.
Once members adopt digital care, convenience becomes the next differentiator. Plans that reduce friction, eliminate handoffs, and simplify care journeys are not simply improving experience scores. They are delivering a form of value consumers increasingly expect.
But convenience is only part of the story. When connected experiences help information follow the member across services and clinicians, they create something even more important: trust.
How does connected care strengthen member trust?
71%
of respondents reported greater trust when clinicians could access relevant care history
Trust is often discussed as a relationship between members and their care team. The research suggests it is also influenced by how connected the care experience feels.
When clinicians could view relevant prior care history with member consent, 71% of members surveyed said it increased their trust in the care they received.
For health plan leaders, this is an important shift. Interoperability is often framed as a technology challenge. Members experience it as a care coordination challenge. When information follows the member rather than requiring them to repeat their story, care feels more coordinated, confidence grows, and trust increases.
That trust extends beyond a single encounter. Members who experience connected, coordinated care may be more likely to return, engage with additional services, and view their health plan as a more effective partner in their healthcare journey.
“Members place their trust in healthcare solutions that remember them. When care history, context, and clinical information travel with the member, the experience shifts from fragmented interactions to a coordinated relationship. That continuity strengthens trust, improves engagement, and creates the foundation for better long-term outcomes.”
– Cynthia Horner, MD, Chief Medical Officer, Amwell
How do connected experiences improve member engagement?
66%
of respondents reported increased awareness of available health plan services
Many health plans face a persistent challenge: members can’t use benefits they don’t know exist.
Before accessing the platform, only . The platform increased awareness of digital care offerings for 66% of all respondents and for 70% of respondents who were previously not aware.
This suggests connected digital care platforms can act as more than access channels. They can become engagement engines, helping members discover, understand, and utilize existing health plan resources.
In other words, the digital front door is becoming an awareness channel as much as a care channel.
What drives member loyalty in digital healthcare?
56%
of respondents had their healthcare needs fully addressed in one place
Health plans have traditionally measured digital success through utilization. Members measure it through outcomes. The most important question is not whether a virtual visit occurred, but whether the member’s need was resolved.
More than half of surveyed members reported their healthcare needs were fully addressed without needing to go elsewhere.
That matters because resolution is what turns first-time users into repeat users. When members can find the care they need, complete their journey, and get their needs addressed through a connected experience, they are more likely to return in the future.
This connection is reflected in surveyed members’ future intent:
- 75% said they would use the platform again.
- 70% said they would recommend the experience.
These findings suggest a direct relationship between connected care experiences and member loyalty.
When healthcare feels easier to navigate and members get the help they need, they come back.
The future isn’t more digital care. It’s more connected care.
One platform. Comprehensive care options. One member experience.
The digital health market is entering a new phase. For years, health plans focused on adding digital capabilities. Today, the bigger opportunity is connecting them.
The findings from this survey research point to a clear conclusion: members prefer healthcare experiences that feel connected, not fragmented. When services are delivered through a unified experience, members become more familiar with where to go for care, develop greater trust in the experience, engage more deeply with available services, and are more likely to return for future care.
For health plans, the question is no longer whether to offer digital care. The question is whether members experience that care as a collection of services or as a single connected journey.
What this means for health plans:
- Create one front door for care. Members increasingly expect a single destination for accessing care, benefits, and support. Seventy-two percent of surveyed members now use a single destination for digital care.
- Build experiences, not point solutions. Members don't think in terms of vendors, programs, or service lines. They simply want healthcare that is easy to find, access, and navigate.
- Turn digital care into a relationship strategy. Connected experiences don't just drive utilization. They help build trust, increase engagement, improve benefit awareness, and strengthen loyalty.
- Maintain flexibility behind the scenes. Members want simplicity. Health plans need flexibility. The organizations that can evolve their care offerings while preserving one seamless member experience will be best positioned to adapt as needs change.
The plans that win won’t be those with the most digital programs. They’ll be the ones that make healthcare feel most connected.
About the research
This report is based on a survey conducted in summer 2026 among members of a large national health plan who used digital care services available through the Amwell Platform. A total of 800 members completed the survey from approximately 240,000 invitations invited by email. Respondents shared their perspectives on convenience, trust, care coordination, benefit awareness, care resolution, and future intent to use digital care services. Findings reflect responding member-reported experiences and attitudes.
One question for your organization
Do your members have one place to start?
The answer may reveal your biggest opportunity to improve engagement, trust, utilization, and loyalty.
Schedule a personalized review of your member journey and digital care ecosystem.