What if a patient wanted care, had insurance, and still couldn’t get treatment? For millions of Americans, this scenario isn’t hypothetical; it’s their everyday reality. 

As a healthcare provider or practice leader, you’re not just treating symptoms or managing operations, you’re also navigating a landscape where access to care is increasingly fragmented, inequitable, and impacted by forces far beyond the clinic walls.

To deliver care that’s not just available but truly reachable, it’s vital to understand the evolving factors that affect how patients engage with the healthcare system. The latest research paints a clear picture of what’s standing in the way and how industry leaders like you can respond.

Cost Remains the Leading Barrier

According to a West Health-Gallup poll, 35% of Americans — around 91 million people — say they wouldn’t be able to afford quality care if needed. The numbers are even higher for vulnerable populations:

• 46% of Black Americans
• 52% of Hispanic Americans
• 64% of households earning under $24,000/year

The affordability crisis is not limited to the uninsured. Even patients with employer-sponsored plans or ACA marketplace coverage are burdened by high deductibles, copays, and prescription costs. These pressures lead to skipped treatments, delayed interventions, and poor outcomes, increasing long-term costs for everyone involved.

For healthcare leaders, this highlights the importance of transparency in billing, creative use of value-based care models, and supporting patients with financial counseling services or access to flexible payment plans.

Women Disproportionately Skip Care

A recent Deloitte report revealed that 50% of women skip or delay healthcare due to high costs and access issues. Compared to men, women are:

• 31% more likely to skip care because of cost
• More affected by long wait times and inadequate insurance coverage
• Frequently deterred by negative prior experiences with the healthcare system

This gender disparity becomes even more pressing when considering that women are often caregivers for children, senior parents, and other family members. When women avoid care, entire households are impacted.

Healthcare systems must prioritize women’s health not only through service line expansion but also by ensuring flexibility in appointment times, providing supportive communication channels, and promoting gender-sensitive care practices.

Availability of Care & Scheduling Gaps

Even insured patients face barriers when care isn’t available in a timely manner. In a May 2025 TechTarget article, long appointment wait times, clinician shortages, and limited after-hours options were named top access pain points.

Patients are often forced to wait weeks or months for specialty appointments, especially in rural or underserved areas. This delay can lead to worsening conditions and increased emergency room utilization, which further strains already overburdened systems.

Expanding telehealth offerings, investing in provider retention strategies, and empowering non-physician providers like NPs and PAs can help bridge these care gaps.

Key Access Challenges Across Populations

Access Challenge	Affected Population	Data Source
Affordability	Low-income, Black, Hispanic	West Health
Cost-related care avoidance	Women (50%)	TechTarget
Long wait times, access gaps	General population, rural areas

Transportation and Logistics

Patients without reliable transportation struggle to attend appointments. This is especially true for aging, rural patients, and those with chronic illnesses requiring regular follow-ups. These logistical gaps directly impact no-show rates, continuity of care, and long-term patient health.

Solutions include expanding mobile clinics, integrating non-emergency medical transportation (NEMT) benefits into health plans, and collaborating with rideshare companies to ensure patients can physically get to care.

Negative Patient Experiences

For some patients, past interactions with the healthcare system are so negative that they avoid returning. As highlighted in Deloitte’s findings, 7% of women delay care due to previous unsatisfactory or traumatic experiences.

This statistic points to a broader issue of cultural competency and communication within care delivery. Health systems should prioritize training staff in trauma-informed care, patient empathy, and active listening, ensuring that patient-facing staff—clinical and non-clinical alike—are equipped to foster trust.

A Long-Term Access Ally

While some access barriers require national policy reform, others can be mitigated today with consistent, patient-centered staffing support. Medical virtual assistants (VAs) are full-time team members who integrate directly into your operations, helping reduce friction across key access points. Here’s how they contribute:

• Ensure Scheduling Efficiency: Medical VAs take on the responsibility of coordinating appointments, managing reminders, and following up, making it easier for patients to secure timely care.
• Enhance Communication: With dedicated VAs handling front-desk tasks virtually, your practice offers faster responses, proactive engagement, and empathetic outreach that builds trust.
• Extend Patient Support Hours: VAs can offer consistent coverage beyond traditional working hours, accommodating patients with tight schedules or urgent inquiries.
• Free Up Clinical Capacity: By taking on administrative tasks, these remote team members allow your on-site team to focus more time on care delivery.

“Tech-enabled Medical virtual assistants transform operational gaps into proactive, compassionate care moments,” says Joyce Bantugan, Director of Technology and Innovation at My Mountain Mover. “They systematically embed into providers’ workflows, thereby optimizing time management and enhancing focus, ultimately leading to improved accuracy and sustained outcomes,” she adds.

Making Healthcare More Accessible

Healthcare accessibility is a moving target, shaped by financial, operational, and human factors. As a provider or administrator, recognizing these dynamics positions you to respond more effectively. Whether it’s rethinking your staffing model, integrating virtual support, investing in culturally responsive care, or advocating for system-wide reform, each action brings you closer to delivering care that patients can truly access.

Access is more than logistics; it’s trust, equity, and connection. The more we understand and act on these dimensions, the stronger and more inclusive our healthcare system becomes.

FAQ

1. Why do patients skip or delay medical care even if they have insurance?

Even insured patients often face high deductibles, copays, and prescription costs that make care unaffordable. These financial burdens lead many to delay or forgo treatment, resulting in poorer health outcomes and higher long-term costs.

2. How does healthcare affordability affect different populations?

Affordability disproportionately affects vulnerable groups. According to a West Health-Gallup poll:

• 46% of Black Americans
• 52% of Hispanic Americans
• 64% of households earning under $24,000/year

These people report that they cannot afford quality care, even when insured.

3. Why are women more likely to avoid seeking medical care?

A Deloitte report found that women are 31% more likely than men to delay care due to cost, long wait times, and inadequate insurance. Negative past experiences and caregiving responsibilities also contribute to lower healthcare engagement among women.

4. What scheduling and availability issues impact patient access to care?

Patients frequently encounter long wait times for appointments, limited after-hours availability, and provider shortages, especially in rural or underserved areas. These delays can worsen health conditions and increase emergency room visits.

5. How does transportation impact healthcare access?

Lack of reliable transportation prevents many patients—especially aging, rural residents, and those with chronic illnesses—from attending regular appointments. Addressing this includes offering mobile clinics, rideshare partnerships, and non-emergency transport benefits.

6. Can negative experiences with the healthcare system deter patients from seeking care?

Yes. Around 7% of women delay care due to previous unsatisfactory or traumatic healthcare experiences. Culturally insensitive communication and lack of empathy often erode patient trust, emphasizing the need for trauma-informed and patient-centered care.

7. What can providers do today to improve patient access without waiting for policy changes?

Providers can:

• Offer financial counseling and flexible payment plans
• Expand telehealth and after-hours services
• Invest in non-physician providers (NPs, PAs)
• Integrate culturally responsive care models
• Partner with transportation solutions

8. How do medical virtual assistants improve healthcare access?

Medical VAs help coordinate appointments, manage reminders, and provide patient support beyond office hours. By handling administrative tasks, they free up clinical teams and enhance communication, improving access and satisfaction across the board.

9. What’s the long-term benefit of investing in virtual support staff?

Unlike temporary help, medical virtual assistants offer consistent, scalable solutions that reduce access bottlenecks, increase practice responsiveness, and support operational continuity, especially during staff shortages or high patient volumes.

10. Why should healthcare leaders prioritize access in strategic planning?

Improving access to care strengthens patient trust, promotes health equity, and reduces costly delays. By addressing financial, logistical, and experiential barriers, healthcare leaders create more inclusive, effective, and resilient care delivery models.