The 2026 Orthopedic Patient Marketing Outlook

What Patients Want. What Makes Them Book. What Makes Them Bounce.

A nationwide study of 538 adults reveals how orthopedic patients search, compare, and choose providers — and how AI, digital behavior, and cost anxiety are reshaping healthcare marketing in 2026.

The orthopedic patient journey has changed more in the last three years than in the previous decade. Patients now search for care the same way they shop for everything else — comparing brands, reading reviews, verifying costs, and asking AI tools for answers.

This exclusive nationwide survey breaks down what patients actually want from orthopedic providers, how they make decisions, and the digital friction points that quietly kill conversions. If your practice isn’t prepared for the 2026 landscape, this report shows you exactly where to start.

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Why You Need This Whitepaper

Patients expect everything — fast websites, transparent costs, reachable staff, trustworthy content, and accurate AI representation. And if any part of that journey breaks, they’re gone.

This report gives orthopedic marketers:

Clear data on how each generation searches for care
Insights into AI’s new role in the patient journey
Strategies for reducing friction online and offline
Blueprints for creating content that actually converts
The five moves every ortho practice must make in 2026

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What’s Inside the Report

CARE DEMAND IS SHIFTING

More than half of patients seek non-surgical care first — and generational needs vary dramatically.

THE NEW SEARCH JOURNEY

59% of patients start on a provider website. Search ads perform as well as referrals. AI now influences nearly every generation.

THE RISE OF AI-DRIVEN DECISIONS

Gen Z (89%) and Millennials (75%) now use AI for researching conditions, comparing surgeons, understanding MRI results, and booking appointments.

THE CONTENT THAT ACTUALLY CONVERTS

Patients want procedure clarity, provider expertise, services offered, recovery timelines, cost estimates, and non-surgical options.

THE DEAL BREAKERS

Patients bounce because of missing cost info, outdated websites, hard-to-find services, long hold times, and unclear instructions.

THE 2026 ORTHOPEDIC PLAYBOOK

Five high-impact actions that instantly improve digital acquisition and AI visibility.

89% of Gen Z

uses AI during their healthcare research

61% of Gen Z & 60% of Millennials

won’t book without cost transparency

59% of patients

start on a provider website

52% of patients

seek non-surgical or spine care first

83% of Gen Z

say social media influences their provider trust

54% of patients

abandon a practice due to difficulty reaching staff

Why This Matters for Orthopedic Practices

The practices that win in 2026 aren’t the ones with the biggest budgets — they’re the ones that make it easy for patients to choose them.

This report shows exactly how to:

Improve digital visibility
Show up in AI-generated search answers
Design content by generation
Reduce friction across the patient journey
Build trust before the appointment

Get the Full 2026 Orthopedic Outlook

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If you’d like to learn more about how we can help you adapt to the evolving marketing landscape and ramp up your efforts, please contact us today.

Published On: 01/09/2026