The Digital-First Revolution in D2C Healthcare

It’s impressive to see how the most exciting shifts in D2C healthcare right now aren’t being led by hospitals, pharma, or health systems. They’re being driven by outsiders, impact-driven professionals from tech, media, and marketing, who had zero patience for how slow and outdated healthcare interfaces can be, and decided to rebuild it from the outside in, responding to a massive momentum in the consumer shifts.

“These shifts have brought billion-dollar investments and major transfers in market share, but the evolution is still in its relative infancy. Consumer health represents nearly 20% of the U.S. GDP, yet digital services in the space make up just 4% of the market — that’s only a quarter of digital’s penetration in commerce. The gap is massive, and the upside is even bigger.

But it’s starting to shift. 

Health is no longer just clinical — it’s aspirational. People now wear their sleep scores like badges of honor and swap supplement stacks over coffee. The $1.8 trillion wellness industry is majority consumer-paid (see: Prenuvo, OURA, Hims&Hers, and EightSleep) and growing 6x–15x faster than GDP across categories. This massive spike in spend outside the system is setting new standards and expectations — and it’s pressuring the traditional healthcare system to evolve, fast”.
Kirsten Green
Founder & Partner, Forerunner

Consider Hinge Health's digitally-native approach to specialty care. By leveraging wearable sensors, sophisticated motion tracking, and AI-powered physical therapy, they are fundamentally rethinking care delivery. The remarkable 56% reduction in spine surgeries in certain cases demonstrates the profound impact of this technology-driven model. It's a digital-first rewiring of how care is delivered, opening up value in a previously challenging-to-scale niche.

Then there are the digitally-enabled models of Superpower and Function Health. They're flipping the script from reactive "sick care" to proactive health management, offering individuals comprehensive, AI-driven data dashboards that facilitate preventative action. The rise of AI has empowered individuals, and these digital-first healthcare innovators are amplifying this agency, providing greater control and a more holistic view of personal health. These digital super-clinics eliminate traditional barriers like waiting rooms and gatekeepers, offering sleek, intuitive product experiences, deep diagnostic capabilities, and predictive insights. Function Health's impressive membership and extensive waitlist underscore a significant digital migration within a traditionally slow-moving market.

Even in areas like women’s health and fertility, where traditional insurance often falls short, digitally-savvy companies like Lotus Prenatal are stepping in to fill critical gaps. They are treating fertility as a planned life event, offering digitally-integrated holistic care experiences tailored to this underserved niche. At Profi, we are proud to enable this digitally-driven impact and patient-centric care.

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A 2025 Forrester survey found that 76% of clients are more likely to stay with a service provider that offers a self-service portal, and 57% say it influences their purchasing decision.

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Concurrently, a powerful movement is underway to infuse humanity into the digital healthcare experience. D2C providers like Humanaut are designing health optimization clinics with a focus on a welcoming, boutique aesthetic. INCA is leveraging Profi to empower nurse practitioners with coaching certifications, enabling them to provide longitudinal support and habit-building guidance to their clients.

Related: INCA: Scaling Revenue & Strengthening Community with Profi.io

The common thread uniting these innovations is the outsider perspective, unburdened by the legacy systems. These founders didn't seek permission; they saw broken processes and built digitally-native solutions that are fast, elegant, and intuitive. They addressed real pain points and mirrored the seamless digital experiences consumers expect in every other facet of their lives. This kind of digital-first transformation often requires an external catalyst.

Professionals from adjacent digital-first industries are excelling at delivering what patients truly want: clarity, proactivity, personalization, and speed, all underpinned by exceptional digital experiences.

The Undeniable ROI: Why a Unified Customer Experience Fuels Exponential Growth

The momentum behind this D2C healthcare revolution is fundamentally about delivering a superior customer experience. And the financial rewards for companies that get this right are staggering. While the precise figures vary depending on the industry and the extent of the transformation, the data overwhelmingly points to a dramatic increase in revenue for businesses that strategically consolidate and elevate their customer interactions.

Consider this: research consistently shows that customers who have positive, consistent experiences spend significantly more, in some cases, up to 140% more than those with poor experiences. Moreover, companies recognized as CX leaders consistently outpace their laggard counterparts in revenue growth, often by double-digit percentages.

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According to a 2024 McKinsey report, businesses that digitize their onboarding workflows see 67% higher customer satisfaction and a 20% reduction in churn within the first 90 days.

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Why such a dramatic difference? It boils down to several key factors, all amplified by a unified customer experience:

• Increased Customer Lifetime Value: When every interaction, from initial onboarding to ongoing support, is seamless and positive, customers are far more likely to stick around. A mere 5% increase in customer retention can boost profits by 25% to 95%. Consolidated experiences foster this loyalty, leading to significantly higher lifetime value.
• Enhanced Personalization and Engagement: Consolidating customer data into a single view allows for deeper, more meaningful personalization. McKinsey reports that faster-growing companies derive 40% more of their revenue from personalization. By understanding the customer journey holistically, D2C healthcare providers can offer more relevant services and build stronger relationships.
• Improved Efficiency and Reduced Costs: While the focus is on revenue growth, consolidating customer experience often leads to operational efficiencies. Streamlined processes, reduced redundancies, and empowered support teams contribute to lower service costs, freeing up resources that can be reinvested in further enhancing the customer journey or directly impacting the bottom line. One healthcare giant, for example, saved 33% on service costs by prioritizing CX.
• Stronger Brand Advocacy and Word-of-Mouth: Exceptional, unified experiences turn customers into enthusiastic advocates. In today's digital landscape, positive word-of-mouth and online reviews are powerful drivers of new customer acquisition, further fueling revenue growth.

While a single magic number for the revenue impact of customer experience consolidation is elusive, the evidence strongly suggests that businesses that prioritize a seamless, integrated, and positive customer journey can realistically expect to see substantial revenue increases. The potential for growth in the range of 50% to 240% or even higher isn't an exaggeration for companies that strategically embrace this customer-first approach and execute it effectively across all touchpoints. 

This digital-first shift is just gaining momentum. As more patients seek streamlined, digitally-enabled healthcare experiences, more innovators will emerge to simplify, humanize, and elevate the standard of care through technology. 

At Profi.io, we are at the forefront of this wave, providing D2C health and wellness organizations with the digital health infrastructure to manage and deliver care in alignment with modern consumer expectations: fast, holistic, and optimized. So that they can focus on their mission - to care for the people, while we take care of their tech needs. 

Because the future of healthcare is increasingly digital, focusing on habit-building coaching, holistic well-being, and built upon seamless, top-notch digital experiences.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does D2C mean​?

D2C stands for Direct-to-Consumer. In healthcare, it refers to companies that deliver services or products straight to patients, bypassing traditional intermediaries like hospitals, insurance providers, or pharmacy benefit managers.

What are DtC brands​?

Some well-known D2C healthcare brands include Function Health, Prenuvo, Eight Sleep, OURA, etc.

Why is D2C healthcare shifting away from traditional systems?

Traditional healthcare systems often suffer from fragmentation, inefficiency, and outdated user experiences. Today’s consumers expect fast, personalized, and intuitive services—expectations shaped by digital-first industries like e-commerce and fintech. This gap created an opportunity for tech-savvy innovators to rebuild care delivery from the outside in.

What role does digital experience play in patient retention and growth?

A unified digital experience directly impacts revenue, satisfaction, and loyalty. Studies show that seamless onboarding and personalized engagement can boost customer retention by up to 95% and significantly reduce churn. 

How are startups using AI and digital tools to transform care?

From wearable-powered physical therapy to AI-driven health dashboards, startups like Hinge Health and Function Health are redefining what care looks like. These tools empower individuals with proactive insights, bypass traditional bottlenecks like wait times, and create personalized, scalable solutions across niche health verticals.