Healthcare Capital: Leveraging Social Connections to Navigate the Healthcare System

Authors

• Ona Ichoku, Thomas Jefferson UniversityFollow
• Nicholas Wahba, Thomas Jefferson UniversityFollow
• Rosemary Frasso, PhD, SM, CPH, Thomas Jefferson UniversityFollow

Document Type

Abstract

Publication Date

2-11-2026

Academic Year

2025-2026

Comments

Presented at the 2026 Scholarly Inquiry (SI) Research Project Symposium.

Abstract

Introduction: Navigating the healthcare system can be overwhelming for patients, who face rising costs, long wait times, and complex health information. Many patients leverage personal connections to decode healthcare information, yet little is understood about that process. The objective of this study is to investigate how do patients leverage social connections, “Healthcare Capital,” to navigate their healthcare?

Methods: In this study, qualitative semi-structured interviews were conducted with a sample of adults who sought healthcare within the last 12 months. Participants were selected through convenience and snowball sampling. 30-minute interviews were recorded on Zoom, transcribed, and de-identified. A directed content analysis was deployed, and transcripts were independently coded by two coders to explore the role of “Healthcare Capital” in shaping the experiences of patients.

Preliminary Results: Twelve adults were interviewed for this study. Analysis revealed several themes: Respondents 1) Used personal connections to identify and vet physicians. 2) Valued proximity, physician characteristics, and insurance coverage in clinician selection. 3) Sourced health information from family and friends, especially those in the healthcare field.

Conclusion:

Overall, this study provided insight into how these individuals used “Healthcare Capital,” to ease their experiences. However, limitations included limited sample size and diversity of participants. These results will be used to develop a more expansive study looking at the use of “Healthcare Capital” to navigate care in notoriously difficult specialties. This information can then be used to identify barriers that prevent low income and marginalized individuals from navigating the healthcare system and accessing the same level of care as those with connections.

Recommended Citation

Ichoku, Ona; Wahba, Nicholas; and Frasso, PhD, SM, CPH, Rosemary, "Healthcare Capital: Leveraging Social Connections to Navigate the Healthcare System" (2026). Phase 1. Paper 6.
https://jdc.jefferson.edu/si_phr_2028_phase1/6

Language

English