Every month, millions of people search for healthcare providers on Zocdoc. That means every day, with their clicks, patients are telling us what they want from their primary care providers. The good news is that patients who are looking for new providers on Zocdoc want to find providers they can keep seeing in the long run. In fact, 80+% of Zocdoc patients rebook with the same provider when rebooking in the same specialty.
The most valuable patients are those who return again and again. We analyzed Zocdoc’s rebooking data from 2022 and 2023, with rebookings defined as initial new patient visits who later booked again with the same provider in the same specialty. Here’s what a loyal primary care patient looks like:
Which primary care patients are most loyal?
62% of primary care patients who rebook with the same provider are female; 38% are male.
Younger primary care patients are the most loyal rebookers. More than half (55%) are millennials (ages 27-42) and a little over a quarter are Gen Z (ages 18-27).
Primary care patients rebook at a similar rate regardless of whether they initially book with commercial or government insurance or self-pay. This shows that patients are looking to remain loyal to providers they like.
Why are primary care patients loyal?
Prioritizing the patient experience from the first visit is key to unlocking loyalty. Patients want to keep seeing primary care providers for routine care.
For instance, when booking an initial appointment with a primary care provider for illness:
- 52% of patients rebooked again for illness
- 10% rebooked for an annual physical
When are primary care patients loyal?
Loyal primary care patients are focused on health in the New Year. January is the busiest month for rebookings, with 29% more compared to the average month.
What do loyal primary care patients want?
Speed to care is an important factor for primary care patients. Primary care providers with well below average availability see 11% lower rebooking rates than those with average availability. Primary care providers with slightly above average availability see 4% higher rebooking rates than those with average availability.
Patients want flexibility when it comes to booking appointments via both mobile and desktop. Primary care patients were most loyal to providers who offered a seamless mobile experience, with 65% booking and rebooking via mobile device.
Similarly, patients want the flexibility to see providers both in-person and virtually. Practices that offer both types of visit options see a 20% higher rebooking rate compared to virtual-only primary care practices.
Patients are discerning and every person coming in for an initial primary care visit has the potential to become a loyal, long-term patient. Speed to care, a user-friendly mobile booking experience and January availability are just a few of the factors that matter most to primary care patients. For more insights, download our whitepaper on how to turn new patients into loyal patients.