Consumers Share Concerns Related to Tariff Impacts on Healthcare

A Recent Q-Centrix Survey Reveals How Consumers Think Tariffs Will Affect Their Personal Healthcare Experience

CHICAGO, Aug. 12, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- A growing number of Americans are bracing for the potential impact of tariffs on their healthcare—and many are considering how they might need to adjust their care in response.

According to a recent survey from Q-Centrix—an MRO company—nearly two-thirds of consumers (65%) are concerned about how the latest tariffs will affect their ability to afford care. Six in ten (60%) believe the impact will be felt in the next 6–12 months, with many saying they plan to delay or skip appointments, reduce medications or doses, or seek lower-cost alternatives.

"In the last five years, health systems have endured a relentless wave of disruptions—from COVID-19 to workforce shortages to inflation," said Eric Crites, SVP of Enterprise Partnerships at Q-Centrix. "Tariffs represent the next hurdle, not only raising operational costs but reshaping how patients engage with the healthcare system."

When asked what worried them most, survey respondents pointed to increased out-of-pocket expenses, shortages of essential supplies or treatments, and delayed or reduced access to medications. These concerns are already shifting patient behavior in ways that could have serious clinical consequences. A recent Medical Economics report found that 42% of patients who delayed care said their condition worsened as a result.

If tariffs disrupt supply chains and drive-up costs, hospitals will need to respond with surgical precision—and that precision starts with clinical data. As the clinical data partner to more than 1,200 U.S. hospitals, Q-Centrix is uniquely positioned to help health systems leverage their data and gain insights into patient behavior that could affect access, outcomes, and resource planning.

"Many of our hospital partners are already leveraging clinical data to reduce waste, optimize performance improvement initiatives, and make care delivery more efficient and effective," said Crites. "It's the foundation they'll need to make smarter, faster decisions—before delays escalate into more serious challenges."

With high stakes and continued uncertainty for hospitals and health systems, preparing for the road ahead will depend on multiple factors, including the ability to harness clinical data for the health of both their patients and their facilities.

You can view the accompanying infographic here.

Survey conducted May 27-28, 2025, via SurveyMonkey's opt-in panel, which is representative of the U.S. online adult population; respondents were sampled by age to achieve a demographically representative sample of adults. Total respondents: 1,034. Margin of error: ±3.1%

About Q-Centrix
Q-Centrix sees clinical data differently—as curated data sets with infinite possibilities.

As the pioneer of the industry's first Enterprise Clinical Data Management (eCDM™) platform, Q-Centrix integrates proprietary technology, the largest and most diverse team of clinical data experts, data, and insights derived from 1,200 healthcare partners to improve patient outcomes, enhance performance, support strategic growth, and boost operational efficiency.

From baseline data sets for health systems' clinical data management needs, to fit-for-purpose data sets designed for clinical research, Q-Centrix provides unparalleled versatility to meet an evolving clinical data landscape.

Discover more about how Q-Centrix empowers organizations to transform healthcare at www.q-centrix.com. Q-Centrix is an MRO company, the leading clinical data exchange company in healthcare.

Media Contact:
Cheri Hoffman
Senior Director, Marketing Communications
[email protected]

SOURCE Q-Centrix