Dr. Google, step aside. A new report from the West Health-Gallup Center on Healthcare in America reveals a new reality for healthcare providers: patients are increasingly turning to artificial intelligence (AI) for health information. Based on a nationally representative survey of more than 5,500 U.S. adults conducted between October and December 2025 via the Gallup Panel, one in four Americans now use AI tools to seek health guidance often before or after seeing a provider.
Notably, 14% of respondents said the information or advice they received led them to skip an appointment altogether. Still, trust in AI remains mixed at best. For eye care professionals, this challenge also represents an opportunity: AI is not replacing the value of clinical expertise, but it can affect how you approach patient visits.
Pre- and Post-Visit
Patients are increasingly using AI as a companion to the advice and care they receive from a doctor. According to the report, 59% of respondents said they prefer to research with AI before seeing a doctor, and another 56% research after the appointment.
These responses reveal a critical window for ECPs to guide the narrative. Practices that proactively provide pre-appointment educational materials via email or website can ensure patients are referencing accurate information directly from the source (the practitioner). Also, post-exam summaries via a condition-specific handout or through educational video recaps provided immediately after the visit reinforcing information shared during the visit so they don’t turn to AI for key takeaways and next steps on their condition.
Reasons for Using AI
The report highlights several other drivers behind AI use: unable to pay for care (14%), challenges accessing a provider (16%), and previously feeling dismissed or ignored by a provider (21%). Some patients also report feeling embarrassed asking certain questions in person (18%).
Some of these factors underscore the importance of the patient experience. While ECPs and their staffs face high patient volume and operational demands, small changes can make a meaningful difference. Encouraging dialogue, asking open-ended questions after an exam such as “What questions do you still have?”, and normalizing common concerns can help reduce the awkwardness and negativity that patients feel. ECPs as well as front desk staff and technicians should be aligned to deliver consistent, empathetic messaging.
Age Factors
Younger patients are more likely to use AI tools before a visit. In the report, 69% of recent AI users aged 18 to 29 say they use AI to research before seeing a doctor. Still, 43% of AI users aged 65 and older also used AI for this purpose.
AI adoption spans all age groups, so assume all patients are arriving with some level of preconception—whether accurate or not—and take the opportunity to engage. Ask patients what they’ve already read or heard about a condition, which can reveal potential misconceptions early on and generate a conversation.
According to the report, trust remains fragmented: 33% trust AI for health advice, 34% distrust it, and 33% neither trust or distrust.
What Patients Ask AI
According to the survey, the most common uses of AI include:
- Nutrition or exercise questions (59%)
- Understanding physical symptoms (58%)
- Learning about medication side effects (46%)
- Interpreting medical information (44%)
- Researching diagnoses or conditions (38%)
In eye care, many of these behaviors translate directly to common patient concerns. So, consider emphasizing medication side effects and physical symptoms, for example, when providing communication during and after visits. Otherwise, they will look to other sources like AI.
Preventing Skipped Visits
One of the more concerning findings from the report is that 14% of patients have skipped a provider visit based on AI-generated information or advice. According to the report, this translates to a projected 14 million U.S. adults.
ECPs can address this proactively through patient education, particularly regarding symptoms that require immediate attention such as sudden vision changes, flashes, floaters, or eye pain. Clearly, easy-to-find messaging around “when to call us” can help counteract any false reassurance AI may provide.
But Do They Trust AI?
Despite increased AI usage, American patients remain split on whether they actually trust the information provided. According to the report, trust remains fragmented: 33% trust AI for health advice, 34% distrust it, and 33% neither trust or distrust. Just 4% report strongly trusting AI-generated health information.
While patients may experiment with AI, the majority are not fully committed to it. This means ECPs need to lean into and reinforce their role as the expert.
AI may be part of the modern patient journey, but much like Dr. Google, it does not have to replace the ECP as the most trusted voice in education, counseling, and treatment planning.
Coming soon: In part two of this series, eye care professionals will share real-world perspectives on how AI chatbots are impacting patient interactions and strategies to address it in practice.