ANZ Patients Trust Doctor-Provided AI More Than Public Tools

New Salesforce research shows over 92% of patients in Australia and 91% of patients in New Zealand want medical AI to have human oversight, and they’re watching closely to see if healthcare providers will earn their trust

If you’ve ever waited on hold to book a doctor’s appointment or struggled to refill a prescription, you’re not alone. New Connected Health Consumer research from Salesforce shows these frustrations are widespread. 

The global survey of more than 3,200 patients across eight countries, including 400 in Australia and 400 in New Zealand, shows patients have a clear view of what a better system looks like. As agentic AI becomes more embedded in healthcare, patients are setting clear conditions for how it should be implemented. Over 9 in 10 patients in Australia (92 per cent) and New Zealand (91 per cent) say access to a real person is essential and not a nice-to-have.

There’s a clear signal to healthcare providers and technology companies: trust must be earned. Patients want transparency, human oversight and the ability to remain in control of their own care every step of the way.”

Dr Bryan Tan, Chief Health Officer ANZ, Salesforce

Governance is the foundation

In the past couple of years, AI usage in healthcare has shifted from niche to mainstream. Nearly 60 per cent of global consumers now report that they use AI to ask about their personal health. Medical providers are also using AI to support clinical workflows, scheduling and personalised care.

Patient attitudes are changing alongside adoption. Today, 56 per cent of patients in Australia and 61 per cent in New Zealand say they are comfortable using agentic AI in healthcare contexts. 

That openness mirrors what is already being seen on the provider side. A separate Salesforce study recently found 71 per cent of U.S. healthcare workers predict agentic AI will be essential to healthcare operations within five years. 

Both sides of the exam room are ready but patients are setting clear terms for what ready actually means.

That readiness is driven by daily frustration with systems that are not working:

• 45% of Australian patients and 41% in New Zealand delay care due to confusing digital processes
• 50% (Australia) and 57% (New Zealand) delay or skip necessary care due to scheduling difficulties.  
• 37% (Australia) and 45% (New Zealand) hang up after 10 minutes on hold with a doctor’s office to seek care elsewhere or avoid it altogether
• 60% in both markets have run out of medication while waiting for a prescription refill to be approved 
• 90% wish their primary doctor as automatically notified after an emergency room visit

When it comes to AI in healthcare more generally, patients’ top concerns centre on accuracy and data privacy. Thirty-six per cent of Australians and 37 per cent of New Zealanders cite accuracy of diagnosis or treatment as their primary worry, while around 30 per cent (30 per cent in Australia and 31 per cent in New Zealand) point to the privacy and security of their health data.

Where the AI comes from also matters. Globally, patients are over three times more likely to trust an AI agent integrated into their doctor’s secure portal than one available through a public chatbot or general health site, a clear signal that institutional accountability and provider context are central to acceptance.

“Australians are navigating healthcare’s digital transformation with pragmatism: open to innovation, but determined to be in the driver’s seat. Our research shows there is still significant room for improvement, with patients continuing to  fall through the cracks of a disconnected healthcare system,” said Bryan Tan, Salesforce’s Chief Health Officer ANZ. 

“Patients are telling us they’re willing to embrace AI when it helps remove friction from the healthcare experience, but they are equally clear about the conditions for trust. There’s a clear signal to healthcare providers and technology companies: trust must be earned. Patients want transparency, human oversight and the ability to remain in control of their own care every step of the way.”

Balancing efficiency and accountability

Local patients are increasingly willing to use agentic AI for tasks like billing and rescheduling. Over four in 10 (45 per cent in Australia and 47 per cent in New Zealand) prefer AI agents over humans to avoid wait times, but only when human support is clearly available and accessible. Sixty per cent of Australians and 66 per cent of New Zealanders would rather access 24/7 AI support than wait for someone to pick up the phone during office hours.

The loyalty implications are real. Thirty-eight per cent of Australian patients and 36% of New Zealand patients say a 24/7 agentic assistant would make them more likely to stay within a provider’s network for follow-up care. There is a direct line between administrative trust and retention.

Patients managing chronic conditions feel the need most acutely. Sixty-three percent of Australian patients and 64 per cent of New Zealand patients with long-term conditions say a 24/7 digital helper would make managing their health significantly easier. Yet none of that convenience erases the expectation of human backup.

For healthcare organisations, the message is clear: patients are ready to embrace agentic AI but only when it is built on transparent, governed foundations with clear escalation paths, audit trails and provider-backed deployment. 

More information:

• Read the full 2026 Connected Health Consumer Report
• Explore the Provider Technology Playbook
• Read more about Agentforce Health agents
• Learn how to bring Agentforce into your healthcare organisation: Accelerate outcomes with Agentforce 360 for Health.
• Check out the webinar: 5 Global Findings Revealing What Patients Really Want From AI in Healthcare

About the research

The Salesforce Connected Health Consumer Report surveyed 3,200 adults, including 400 respondents in Australia and 400 respondents in New Zealand, alongside respondents in the United States, Canada, Mexico, Brazil, the United Kingdom and Ireland, from 24 March–10 April 2026. All respondents are health consumers aged 18 and older. Full methodology is available in the report appendix.