In 2024, millions of patients turned to Zocdoc to find healthcare providers across every state and specialty, booking appointments instantly online. In particular, women played a key role, accounting for two out of every three bookings. Every click revealed patient preferences, including what female patients are seeking when it comes to their care.
By analyzing these patient behaviors, we uncovered powerful insights to help practices better support their female patients. Here’s what Zocdoc data revealed about female patients in 2024.
Why were they looking for new providers?
They sought long-term relationships
Female patients seeking healthcare in 2024 valued trust and continuity. Over 80% of Zocdoc’s patients rebooked with the same provider. This loyalty translates to higher lifetime revenue as patients consistently return again and again.
Anti-aging treatments and gum health were top of mind
In 2024, anti-aging treatments saw the highest growth in bookings among female patients, up 195% compared to 2023. Cold symptoms, eyelid issues, and dental pain were also among the top 10 visit reasons with the highest growth in bookings.
Top 10 Growing Visit Reasons for Women (YoY)
- Anti-aging Treatments
- Cold
- Gum inflammation / Gingivitis
- Eyelid Problem
- Adult Sick Visit
- Dental Pain
- Psorasis
- Gastrointestinal Problem
- Nausea and Vomiting
- Hypothyroidism/Underactive Thyroid
Social media healthcare trends also impacted bookings
Blue light therapy
Women overwhelmingly booked blue light therapy visits this year (up 200% compared to 2023), which can be used to treat skin conditions such as acne and sun spots, as well as cold sores and depression.
“Sleepy girl mocktail”
Women increasingly sought sleep consultations this year (up 30% compared to 2023). This may be due to the fact that sleepy girl mocktails were trending on TikTok for a few months
GLP-1s
Female patients booked 50% more semaglutide consultations in 2024 than they did in 2023. This may be due to increasing access and availability for drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy, coupled with rising awareness of these types of weight loss drugs.
Mewing
Women booked significantly more appointments this year for visit reasons related to jaw pain (an increase of 71% compared to 2023). This may be due to the potential side effects of mewing, a TikTok trend on how to manually shape your jawline.
Veneers
Female patients booked 15% more dental appointments for veneers in 2024 compared to 2023. Veneers have been on the rise among celebrities in recent years.
When did they want to see providers?
Female patients prioritized speed to care
Speed to care is one of the most important factors for patients. When booking care in America, the average wait time to see a physician is 26 days. This is up from 24.1 days in 2017, and 20.9 days in 2004*. For certain specialties, the average wait time can be even longer.
In 2024, nearly 1 in 3 appointments on Zocdoc took place within 2 days of booking and half of all appointments took place within 4 days, showing a strong preference for near-term appointments.
*According to AMN/Merritt Hawkins’ 2022 Survey of Physician Appointment Wait Times
Booking flexibility was essential
Patients expect healthcare booking to be as seamless as ordering delivery or getting a car service. That means they want to be able to book 24/7 when it’s convenient for them. Nearly half of all appointments were booked after hours, when doctors’ offices are typically closed. This highlighted the importance of offering online self-scheduling to remain competitive and meet female patients’ needs.
Early in the week, morning appointments were preferred
The busiest booking days were Mondays and Tuesdays, with 11 a.m. being the most popular time slot for female patients.
They prioritized visits at the end-of-summer
Female patients were focused on getting back into healthy routines after summer vacations, with August marking the peak “back-to-school” season for appointments. August was the top month overall for appointments in 2024, with 7% more scheduled vs. the average month. This shifted from 2023 when the busiest month was March.
How did they choose providers?
Insurance drove decisions
Female patients overwhelmingly want providers that take their insurance. Nearly 9 out of 10 patients booked with in-network providers and more than 4 in 5 bookings were made using commercial insurance.
Mobile led the way
Women booked more appointments via mobile web (34%) compared to men (30%). They were also less likely to book via desktop than men (29% vs. 35%, respectively).
Reviews and photos mattered
Female patients consistently favored providers with more positive reviews and professional office photos. Providers with more than 50 reviews received 10x more bookings relative to providers with one to nine reviews. Providers with 100+ reviews received 27x more bookings relative to providers with one to nine reviews.
Similarly, providers with one to three office photos received on average 2.8x as many bookings vs. providers with no office photos, which was similar to 2023. However, providers with four or more office photos in 2024 received 5.8x as many bookings (up from 4.8x last year).
Provider gender played an important role
In 2024, 67% of female patient bookings were with female providers, up slightly from last year (65%). Younger female patients overwhelmingly preferred female providers. In 2024, 73% of bookings for Gen Z women were with female providers, which was similar to last year. However, as patients aged, their preference for male providers increased.
Where did they want to see providers?
They strongly preferred in-person
The majority of female patients preferred scheduling in-person appointments, with the exception of mental health.
They want to stay close to home
Nearly 4 in 5 physical appointments were within 20 miles. Roughly half of all virtual appointments took place within 20 miles of the patient, too – indicating female patients’ preference for provider proximity even when scheduling virtual care. This was consistent with 2023.
Looking back at 2024
From prioritizing quick access and long-term relationships to favoring providers with trustworthy reviews, female patients made their expectations clear. Understanding these trends and how you can meet patients’ unique needs can position your practice for further growth in 2025. Consult with an enterprise sales representative to learn more about how Zocdoc can grow your business.