10 Research Questions to Learn What Patients Value Most

Healthcare providers often showcase cutting-edge equipment, credentials, and awards. However, when patients decide where to go, they’re asking: “Can I trust these people with my health?” “Is this close to my home?” “Do they take my insurance?”

Patients are already telling you what matters most with the questions they ask. The challenge is turning those questions into clear, actionable insights for your marketing. Market research can help. You’ll move past assumptions, back up your message with data, and speak to the concerns patients actually have. 

Start with these questions to uncover what really drives their decisions and guide the way you communicate with them.

1. How Did You Find Us?

A deceptively simple question. Answers reveal whether patients come through Google, referrals, social media, or plain old word of mouth. That tells you where to focus your marketing spend instead of spreading it thin.

2. What Made You Choose Our Clinic Over Others?

The answers here are gold. Patients might say location, convenience, insurance acceptance, or even how friendly your receptionist sounded on the phone. These insights help you double down on the strengths that actually drive choice.

3. What Almost Stopped You From Booking With Us?

Barriers matter just as much as motivators. High costs, confusing websites, and unclear hours can quietly kill conversions. Knowing the obstacles lets you fix them before they keep costing you patience.

4. What Do You Wish We Had Explained Better?

Patients won’t always say it, but healthcare is intimidating. This question uncovers where your communication misses the mark. If patients say they didn’t understand payment policies or wait times, that’s your cue to rewrite materials in plain language.

5. How Would You Describe Your Experience in One Word?

It feels like a gimmick, but the answers cut through the noise. Words like “fast,” “caring,” or “confusing” reveal the emotional core of how patients perceive you. Those emotions are what stick, long after the visit.

6. What Did You Expect That We Didn’t Deliver?

Disappointment usually comes from mismatched expectations. This question exposes the gaps between your marketing promises and your actual patient experience. Closing those gaps builds trust and protects your reputation.

7. How Likely Are You to Recommend Us to Family or Friends?

This is the Net Promoter Score classic. It tells you how many of your patients are true advocates versus how many wouldn’t mention your name if asked. High promoters fuel referrals. Low ones give you a roadmap for improvement.

8. What Made You Feel Most Comfortable During Your Visit?

Comfort is underrated in healthcare. Patients remember whether staff smiled, whether the waiting room was calm, and whether the doctor listened without rushing. These small details often outweigh the clinical side when it comes to loyalty.

9. What’s the One Thing We Could Do to Make Your Care Easier?

Sometimes the biggest wins come from the simplest fixes: Online booking, extended hours, clearer signage, or text reminders. Let patients hand you the improvement plan directly.

10. If You Could Change One Thing About Healthcare Overall, What Would It Be?

A broad question but it reveals frustrations like cost, wait times, and insurance hassles that extend beyond your practice but still affect how patients judge you. If you can address even a piece of these pain points, you’ll stand out.

You don’t need a 50-question survey or a complicated research project. A handful of well-chosen questions can uncover the exact reasons patients choose you, hesitate about you, or rave about you.

The answers shape more than your marketing copy. They guide your service design, staff training, and even how you greet patients at the door. When you know what people actually care about, you stop guessing and start delivering.

Want help turning patient feedback into marketing that actually resonates? At Borrowed Pen, we take raw insights and turn them into clear, client-friendly messaging that builds trust and fills appointment books.

Work with us, and let’s make your patients feel heard before they even step through your door.