ZocDoc’s inaugural report unveils patient behaviors in healthcare scheduling. Women dominate bookings, favoring quick, nearby, and in-person appointments. Millennials embrace digital scheduling, while provider characteristics significantly influence choices. Patients express high satisfaction with selected providers. Timely scheduling, proximity, and diverse care needs are evident. Online scheduling aids after-hours bookings. Patient empowerment varies, with loyalty to providers prevalent.
ZocDoc’s analysis delves into patients’ psyches when scheduling healthcare appointments. Understanding user trends among millions of ZocDoc users sheds light on preferences and behaviors, shaping healthcare decisions. This inaugural report explores patterns in provider selection, booking approaches, and patient empowerment, providing crucial insights into the dynamics of contemporary healthcare scheduling.
With millions of users and nearly 100,000 healthcare providers available for appointment bookings, ZocDoc’s report dissected user behavior across provider search, selection, booking, and access.
Dr. Oliver Kharraz, ZocDoc’s founder and CEO, emphasized their role in empowering patients: “We empower them to have more control over their care…highlighting emerging trends and preferences expressed through the millions of bookings made through ZocDoc each year.”
Women predominantly spearhead healthcare bookings, constituting 65 percent of appointments made on ZocDoc. Although women booked 6 percent more appointments than men, this discrepancy narrowed with age, possibly indicating varying healthcare needs and higher engagement among female users across different life stages.
Interestingly, the majority of appointments made on behalf of others were orchestrated by women, especially concerning male or female sub-booked appointments.
Moreover, the surge in mobile usage for scheduling appointments is evident, with the ZocDoc app facilitating 20 percent more bookings than its desktop counterpart.
Demographically, commercially insured patients constitute a significant portion (four in five) of ZocDoc’s bookings, while Millennials emerge as the generation most inclined toward using digital platforms for appointment bookings.
Speedy access remains a priority, with a third of appointments occurring within 48 hours and nearly half within four days of booking. Providers offering both in-person and telehealth options gained significantly more bookings compared to those offering only one mode of care.
Provider characteristics matter too; users prefer providers of the same gender and those affiliated with hospitals. Notably, providers with a photo, more reviews, or proficiency in multiple languages attracted substantially more bookings.
Patients express satisfaction with ZocDoc’s chosen providers, showcasing high average ratings for overall experience, bedside manner, and wait times.
The types of care sought through ZocDoc span primary care to specialties like dermatology, OB-GYN, dentistry, mental health, and more. Interestingly, younger demographics seek mental healthcare more than older adults.
Appointment timings exhibit a preference for midday on weekdays, particularly on Tuesdays. Conversely, cancellations are more frequent on weekends and late during business days, with a decreasing likelihood of cancellations for near-term appointments.
Online appointment scheduling’s effectiveness is highlighted, especially for booking outside regular office hours, indicating expanded patient access to care.
Proximity significantly influences appointment locations, with around half of virtual appointments and 80 percent of in-person appointments occurring within 20 miles of the patient. This proximity is particularly crucial for certain specialties like physical therapy and pediatrics.
Patient empowerment metrics reveal a mixed picture, with varying levels of control, ease of access, and comfort with providers. A high percentage feel in control of their healthcare, comfortable with providers, and find accessing healthcare relatively easy, culminating in a patient empowerment index score.
Patient loyalty prevails, with around four-fifths rebooking with the same provider within the same specialty, showcasing consistent behavior across genders and age groups.
ZocDoc’s report comprehensively unveils patient behavior and preferences in healthcare scheduling. Empowering patients through insights into booking patterns, provider preferences, and appointment dynamics can aid healthcare organizations in optimizing services. Tailoring offerings to meet quick, nearby, and diverse care needs, leveraging digital scheduling, and prioritizing patient satisfaction are crucial in enhancing healthcare access and delivery. Understanding patient empowerment fosters improved healthcare experiences and loyalty among patients.
