Strategic Shift: Patient Experience Now Healthcare's Top C-Suite Priority

New Report reveals that 101 hospital and health system leaders prioritize digital health and virtual care  to improve access and satisfaction — but face persistent ROI obstacles

BALTIMORE, Oct. 28, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- A new report from healthcare consultancy Sage Growth Partners reveals a major strategic shift among hospital and health system leaders, with patient experience rising to the top of their priority list for the first time. However, as C-suites turn to virtual health and digital solutions to improve the patient experience, they are struggling to capture the full impact of those technologies.

The report, Strategic Shift: Why Patient Experience Is Now Healthcare's Top C-Suite Priority, is the second in a three-part report series based on Sage Growth Partners' annual survey of hospital and health system C-suite leaders. This installment examines C-suite perspectives on patient experience, virtual care services, digital health priorities, and the persistent challenge of demonstrating ROI.

"Patient experience has been on a steady climb up the C-suite agenda, and it's now firmly at the top," said Dan D'Orazio, CEO, Sage Growth Partners. "Healthcare leaders recognize that to remain competitive, meeting consumer expectations for digital engagement is no longer optional, it is a top priority. Our newest report helps executives better understand how their peers are navigating the intersection of patient experience, virtual care, and digital transformation."

Key findings from the report include:

• 49% of C-suite executives rank patient experience as their organization's top strategic initiative — up dramatically from 36% in 2023, 25% in 2022, and just 14% in 2020
• 72% view integrating virtual care services as critical to their care delivery model
• 59% offer virtual primary care, 59% offer remote patient monitoring, and 50% offer virtual telestroke
• 50% say telehealth platforms and 47% say remote patient monitoring are among their top five digital health priorities for the next two years
• 81% of leaders say AI will have a meaningful impact on expanding home and remote patient monitoring initiatives

Yet, the data also reveals significant ROI challenges:

• Fewer than 30% earn significant ROI from most of the virtual care services their organization currently offers
• 78% anticipate a possible need to invest in a new core platform enabling virtual care in the next one to three years
• Top technology priorities include better integration with EHRs and IT systems, improving ease-of-use, and incorporating AI into digital health tools

"Healthcare executives are caught between competing pressures," said Stephanie Kovalick, Chief Strategy Officer, Sage Growth Partners. "They understand that investing in digital health and virtual care is critical for improving patient experience, but demonstrating ROI remains elusive. The organizations that succeed will be those that can best balance strategic investment with operational efficiency, and that includes properly leveraging AI to drive both clinical and administrative improvements."

The survey gathered insights from 101 executives across integrated delivery networks, academic medical centers, and independent hospitals.

The full report, Strategic Shift: Why Patient Experience Is Now Healthcare's Top C-Suite Priority, is available here. Part 3 of the C-suite report series — covering Value-Based Care — will be released later this year.

About Sage Growth Partners
Sage Growth Partners is a healthcare advisory firm with deep expertise in market research, strategy, and communications. Founded in 2005, the company's extensive domain experience ensures that healthcare organizations thrive amid the complexities of a rapidly changing marketplace. Sage Growth Partners serves clients across the full healthcare spectrum, including Press Ganey, GE HealthCare, Medecision, Xealth, LexisNexis, GoodRx, ProgenyHealth, Kyruus Health, Best Buy Health, New Jersey Brain and Spine, and Philips Healthcare. For more information, visit sage-growth.com.

For More Information:

John Gonda
616-309-4888
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SOURCE Sage Growth Partners