According to recent data, 69% of Google AI Mode sessions resulted in a click to an external website, even when an AI-generated summary appeared at the top of the results. For medical practices, this behavior is especially important. Patients rarely make decisions without confirming who they are dealing with. Search is changing, but evaluation has not disappeared.
Google AI Mode introduces AI-generated summaries that combine information from multiple sources and display them directly on the results page. Users can continue the search by asking follow-up questions instead of starting over.
For medical practices, this creates an added layer of visibility. Ranking is still important, but it is no longer the only gateway. Search engines now assess which sources are reliable enough to support AI-generated responses.
This shift shapes how Google AI Mode and SEO work together today. Visibility increasingly includes being referenced or used as supporting material—not only appearing as a blue link.
A Pew Research Center study observed search interactions among approximately 900 U.S. adults. When an AI-generated summary appeared, users clicked on an organic result in about 8% of searches, compared to roughly 15% when no summary was shown.¹
This suggests that AI summaries can satisfy some basic informational needs. For general medical terms or early-stage questions, the summary may provide enough context for users to pause or delay further exploration.
This pattern most commonly affects:
These interactions tend to align with top-of-funnel behavior, which often carries lower immediate conversion intent than later-stage, provider-focused searches.
Healthcare decisions are trust-driven. Patients often compare providers, read reviews, verify credentials, and confirm service details before taking action.
Google has indicated that users frequently explore multiple sources when researching healthcare providers, and this comparison behavior appears to continue even as AI-generated summaries shape early search interactions.
As a result, Google AI Search tends to make website traffic more selective. While overall visit volumes may decline, the traffic that does reach provider websites is more likely to reflect higher intent and later-stage decision-making.
Search behaviour now follows a layered pattern: users scan AI summaries → they decide which sources deserve closer attention.
For medical searches, this behaviour is deliberate as patients often want confirmation beyond a summary, particularly for treatments, pricing context, and provider qualifications. That verification step reflects the broader AI revolution influencing how people move from discovery to decision inside Google.
AI Mode affects when the evaluation happens during the search.
Local credibility continues to influence patient decisions as AI features expand. Clinics with consistent location data, clear service descriptions, and active review histories surface more often during provider comparisons. Visibility often reflects operational consistency across listings, a pattern agencies like Wisevu frequently observe when working with medical businesses.
Focus areas:
AI systems draw from these signals when summarizing providers.
AI systems respond best to clear, focused content. Medical pages perform well when they address one patient question at a time, use plain clinical language, and make the responsibility for the information clear.
Pages that tend to surface more often:
Strong EEAT signals support both traditional rankings and AI citations, because the same trust indicators drive both systems.
Teams with deep medical SEO experience, such as Wisevu, often design content around how search systems interpret healthcare information.
| Search Intent Type | Typical Outcome In AI Mode | What Matters Most |
| General medical questions | AI summary often satisfies | Clinical clarity |
| Provider comparison | Users visit multiple sites | Reviews and credibility |
| Local treatment searches | Maps and organic results remain relevant | Location accuracy |
This distinction explains why AI search and traffic patterns differ by intent.
For medical practices focused on patient bookings, AI Mode can reduce visits from people conducting quick, early-stage research—such as definitions or checking preliminary symptoms. These sessions typically carry lower immediate intent and often do not progress directly toward appointments.
What remains more consistent are visits from users comparing providers, reviewing credentials, and confirming services or location details. As a result, traffic may become more selective, with a higher proportion of users closer to a decision.
Yes. SEO continues to influence traditional rankings and plays a role in whether content is considered credible enough to support AI-generated responses.
For medical practices, this places more weight on credibility. Clear service pages, transparent authorship, accurate business information, and patient-focused explanations all influence how search systems evaluate a clinic. Practices relying on thin or generic content tend to lose visibility earlier in the process.
A complete SEO reset is rarely necessary for medical practices. Small, focused improvements tend to deliver better results than rebuilding an SEO strategy from scratch.
Effective adjustments often include tightening service explanations, improving local signals, and making it easier for search systems to understand who provides care and where. Clinics that focus on these refinements tend to remain visible as AI features expand.
Wisevu works with medical practices to align SEO strategies with how search functions today. That includes technical foundations that support AU visibility, content structured around patient intent, and local optimization that strengthens trust across search experiences.
If you want a clear view of how this applies to your practice, request a quote from us today!
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