Patient-Facing Digital Health Tools Show Promise in Improving the Patient Experience
February 2026
New NORC data suggest that patient-centered clinical decision support is highly valuable for those who use it.
Digital tools that leverage patients’ data and incorporate evidence-based guidelines are designed to give people timely, tailored health information so they can make informed decisions with their care team. New data from NORC’s AmeriSpeak® Omnibus survey show that less than a quarter of U.S. adults have recently used patient-centered clinical decision support (PC CDS).
PC CDS—delivered through patient portals, apps, and other platforms—offers personalized guidance on treatment options, medications, lifestyle changes, and more. Those who have used PC CDS report positive experiences that support shared decision-making, better communication, and more confidence navigating their care. These findings reveal a significant opportunity to strengthen how people navigate their health through the use of PC CDS.
Most Americans do not use PC CDS, but those who do access it through familiar digital tools.
Less than a quarter (22 percent) of U.S. adults say they used a PC CDS tool within the past six months. Sixty-six percent say they had not used one, and 12 percent were unsure, underscoring an opportunity to increase adoption.
Among the people who did use PC CDS, nearly all encountered it through everyday tools. Most used an online patient portal (75 percent), and 42 percent used a smartphone app, either to submit health information or to connect to an electronic wearable device such as a Fitbit.
When people use PC CDS, it directly supports key decisions with their care team.
Among PC CDS users, more than three-quarters say it helped them make a decision with their doctor or care team. The most common decisions supported included starting, changing, or stopping medications (47 percent), developing a care plan or treatment plan (33 percent), and choosing whether to see a specialist (26 percent). In short, PC CDS is not just providing information but actively facilitating important clinical decisions.
Users feel PC CDS gave them relevant and timely information that fit their preferences.
Most users strongly agree or agree that PC CDS gave them:
- Information that was relevant to their health and well-being (79 percent)
- Information delivered when they needed it to make decisions with clinicians (64 percent)
- Information that reflected their unique preferences (61 percent)
Additionally, 57 percent say that PC CDS supported them in weighing the benefits and risks of treatment options. These results illustrate that PC CDS is showing early promise in providing useful health management guidance.
PC CDS users feel more empowered, more informed, and more aligned with their care.
Many users—typically between 60 and 70 percent—strongly agree or agree that PC CDS helped them feel knowledgeable about their health (67 percent), empowered to manage their care (63 percent), and confident in making decisions with their clinicians (64 percent). Similar proportions strongly agree or agree that PC CDS helped them receive care aligned with their preferences and manage their illness or condition. These findings suggest that PC CDS can strengthen patients’ sense of agency and partnership in the care process.
Users say PC CDS enhances how patients interact with their clinicians and experience care.
Roughly two-thirds of users strongly agree or agree that PC CDS improved their communication with their doctor (69 percent) and improved their overall health care experience (68 percent). These findings highlight the role PC CDS can play in strengthening patient relationships with their care teams.
The findings suggest that PC CDS has the potential to benefit patients in multiple ways and opportunities for continued growth in the field.
The survey results suggest two key trends. First, among those who use it, PC CDS can deliver benefits across decision-making, communication, empowerment, and care alignment. Second, PC CDS is an evolving area with significant opportunity for increased use as tools and awareness continue to develop.
“These findings show that when PC CDS tools are used, they have the potential to transform how people engage with their health care,” said Prashila Dullabh, NORC vice president, senior fellow, and director of NORC’s Health Implementation Science Center. “The challenge isn’t whether patients will get benefit from these tools, it’s that only 22 percent of Americans are using them. There is a tremendous opportunity to expand access and help more people take an active, informed role in their care.”
As health care continues to shift toward more personalized, patient-centered care models, improving awareness and integration of PC CDS could help more patients access tailored information that supports confident and informed decision-making.
Methodology
NORC conducted a poll of American adults between November 6 and November 10, 2025, during an AmeriSpeak monthly Omnibus survey. The study included 1,090 interviews with adults ages 18 and over representing the 50 states and the District of Columbia (margin of error +/- 4.0 percentage points). Questions used for this survey were developed by NORC at the University of Chicago under the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) Clinical Decision Support Innovation Collaborative. View a comprehensive listing of all study questions and tabulations of top-level results for each question in the topline for this NORC Spotlight on Health.
About the NORC Spotlight on Health
NORC at the University of Chicago’s Spotlight on Health is a series of quick-hitting national surveys and analyses on issues vital to health and well-being, conducted using AmeriSpeak’s probability-based panels.
About NORC at the University of Chicago
NORC at the University of Chicago conducts research and analysis that decision-makers trust. As a nonpartisan research organization and a pioneer in measuring and understanding the world, we have studied almost every aspect of the human experience and every major news event for more than eight decades. Today, we partner with government, corporate, and nonprofit clients around the world to provide the objectivity and expertise necessary to inform the critical decisions facing society.
Contact: For more information, please contact Anna-Leigh Ong at NORC at ong-anna-leigh@norc.org or (917) 242-2172 (cell).
