Blog

January 14, 2026 | Improving Patient Satisfaction: The Care in Between With CCM

January 14, 2025 – Jacksonville, FL 

Healthcare doesn’t pause at 5 p.m. Symptoms flare overnight. Medication questions arise on weekends. Anxiety builds when patients are left waiting days or weeks for answers. And the data is clear: patients are actively seeking healthcare support outside traditional clinical office hours.  

In this article, explore how this shift in patient behavior is shaping care delivery in 2026 and how Chronic Care Management (CCM) and Advanced Primary Care Management (APCM) provide the continuity, education, and peace of mind patients increasingly expect. 

Patients Are Seeking Answers Outside the Exam Room 

The healthcare industry has been buzzing since OpenAI released new research alongside the launch of ChatGPT Health in January 2026. While much of the attention has focused on artificial intelligence in healthcare, the findings reveal a deeper trend – patients are searching for answers when clinical support isn’t readily available. 

According to OpenAI’s January 2026 report, more than 230 million people worldwide seek health-related information from ChatGPT every week, frequently outside of normal office hours. This behavior doesn’t indicate a desire to replace clinicians but rather reflects unmet needs between visits. Here’s what that means and how practices can respond. 

What This Trend Reveals About Patient Expectations 

It all points back to patients seeking reassurance, clarity, and stability. They want to understand symptoms, medications, and next steps without waiting for their next appointment. When that support isn’t built into care delivery, patients turn to AI tools, online forums, or unverified sources – increasing anxiety rather than resolving it. 

Studies from 2025 show nearly two-thirds of surveyed individuals searched for health information online in the past year, underscoring how prevalent this behavior has become. OpenAI’s findings further reinforce this trend, revealing that patients increasingly value clear explanations, continuity of care, and trusted guidance. 

How CCM and APCM Deliver the Care Patients Are Looking For 

Chronic Care Management and Advanced Primary Care Management directly address these gaps. These programs allow providers to seamlessly extend care beyond the exam room through: 

• Proactive outreach
• Medication management
• Care coordination
• 24/7 Care team support
• Ongoing patient education 

Instead of searching for answers late at night, patients have a dedicated care team monitoring changes, answering questions, and identifying issues early. This leads to improved adherence, reduced unnecessary utilization, and higher patient satisfaction – all while maintaining clinical oversight. 

The Wellbox Way: Turning Care Gaps Into Continuous Support 

At Wellbox, Chronic Care Management is designed to meet patients where care often falls apart in the in-between moments. Through monthly, nurse-led touchpoints, patients receive ongoing education, medication support, and care coordination delivered as a true extension of the practice. Instead of waiting for the next appointment (or searching online for reassurance), patients have a consistent point of contact who knows their history, understands their conditions, and helps them navigate next steps with confidence. 

In practice, this approach delivers measurable results: 

• Lower overall healthcare spending, with CMS evaluations showing monthly per-patient savings increasing from approximately $28 after 12 months to $74 after 18 months of CCM participation
• Reduced hospital admissions and emergency department visits, alongside increased outpatient engagement – indicating earlier intervention and better care continuity
• Expanded access to care for eligible patients, with Wellbox managing patient identification, outreach, education, and enrollment. Helping close the gap for the nearly 85% of Medicare beneficiaries who qualify for CCM, but are often left unenrolled 

The impact is simple but powerful. Patients feel supported, informed, and less anxious between visits. Providers gain visibility into patient needs before issues escalate. And practices are reimbursed for delivering the proactive, outcome-driven care patients are already seeking – supported by a care team that functions seamlessly as part of their practice. 

Better Outcomes for Patients and Sustainable Growth for Practices 

Care management is a direct response to how patients experience healthcare today. As expectations shift toward continuous support, CCM and APCM give practices a structured way to deliver reassurance, education, and guidance between visits – meeting patients where questions arise without adding strain to clinical teams. 

At the same time, care management supports long-term practice sustainability. By aligning proactive, non–face-to-face care with CMS reimbursement, CCM and APCM turn meaningful patient support into a scalable growth strategy. Improve outcomes, engagement, and ensure clinical teams remain present in the moments that matter most.