Each month, millions of people visit Zocdoc.com or use our free mobile app to find quality healthcare providers. Every click tells us something new about patient preferences, highlighting that each search and booking reflects a unique need, priority, and desire.
As we track year-over-year trends in our second annual What Patients Want Report, it’s clear patient preferences are evolving. In 2024, the busy season shifted. Read on for a snapshot of when patients wanted to see the doctor (and how it compared to 2023) and download the full report here.
Busiest booking day of 2024
Tuesday, January 2
Patients booked 35% more appointments on January 2, the first non-holiday weekday of the New Year, than the average number of bookings made on Tuesdays in 2024.
Busiest appointment day of 2024
Monday, September 16
This was the day of the year with the most appointments, with 16% more appointments scheduled for this day vs. the average Monday in 2024. In comparison, January 13th was the busiest day in 2023, with 13% more appointments.
Busiest appointment week
September 9
This was the week of the year with the most appointments, with 10% more appointments scheduled for this week vs. the average week in 2024. In comparison, the week of January 9 was the busiest in 2023, with 10% more appointments.
Busiest appointment month
August
Late summer was the busiest for appointments. August was the top month overall for appointments, with 7% more appointments scheduled vs. the average month. In 2023, March was the busiest, with 7% more appointments vs. the average month.
Least busy appointment day of 2024
Monday, January 1
New Year’s Day had nearly 94% fewer appointments than the average Monday in 2024. Thursday, July 4th was the second least busy appointment day.
Least busy appointment week of 2024
January 1
The first week of the new year saw a decrease in appointments, with many people likely still on vacation. There were 51% fewer appointments the week of January 1 compared to the average week in 2024. This changed from 2023, when the week of July 4th was the least busy and could be due to people planning longer holiday vacations around the beginning of 2024.
Least busy appointment month of 2024
January
Surprisingly, the “New Year, New You” mentality didn’t translate to the most bookings –– at least not in the first month of the year. There were 14% fewer appointments in January than the average month in 2024. Last year, April, September, and February were the least busy, which could be due to when the holidays fell and shortness of month relative to 31-day months.
‘Tis the season for…
Checking in with your therapist
You might think stress around the holidays would mean more appointments with mental health providers. As it turns out, October through December were the least busy, with patients booking 19% more mental health appointments in August vs. the average month.
Seeing your dermatologist
Summer skincare (when more skin is typically exposed to the sun) was top of mind for patients in 2024. Patients booked 14% and 12% more dermatology appointments in July and August respectively vs. the average month.
Annual health check-ups
Summer was also the busiest time of year for primary care doctors, as patients booked visits for annual physicals and vaccinations. July and August both saw 12% more appointments in 2024 vs. the average month. Even for those not heading back to school, the late summer months can bring a focus on getting back on track with health routines after travel or time off work.
After-hours booking*
Patients 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.
*After-hours bookings: 5pm – 9am local time
The top 5 specialties booked after-hours:
- Mental health
- Urgent care
- Chiropractor
- Dermatology
- Primary care
Most popular time slots
Overall, 11 a.m. was the most popular time of day for an appointment, followed closely by 2 p.m. and 3 p.m., then 10 a.m. and 1 p.m.
Female bookers preferred morning appointments, specifically 11 a.m., while male bookers preferred the afternoon (1 p.m.).
Most popular appointment days
Mondays (and earlier in the week) were the most popular for an appointment, with popularity dropping off on Friday and into the weekend.
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