New patients are essential to healthcare practices, but increasingly, being a credentialed, highly regarded provider is no longer enough to guarantee a steady stream of new patients. Providers have to get into the patient mindset and adjust their services accordingly.
In this age of convenience, you can order a meal or watch a new TV show at any time in just a few clicks. Zocdoc data shows that patients value the ability to book medical appointments just as seamlessly, and that providers should consider offering a way for patients to book with their practices at any time of day, any day of the week. Why? Read on.
It simplifies healthcare.
Patients already find healthcare confusing, so anything that makes the experience simpler and more convenient is a huge draw. For patients who work from 9 am and 5 pm, finding time to book doctor’s appointments during the day can be difficult.
On Zocdoc, between August 2021 and August 2022, 37% of all appointments were booked between 5 pm and 9 am, and 17% of all appointments were booked on a Saturday or Sunday. Offering a way to book doctor’s appointments after hours online allows patients to book on their own time, rather than scrambling to find a way to get the care they need.
It allows patients to book last-minute.
Anytime-booking is especially appealing because it enables patients to get last-minute care. If a patient decides at night they need to see a doctor right away, they want to be able to make an appointment on the spot. If they can hit “book” before going to bed, that’s one less thing standing between them and the exam room.
How to provide after-hours booking in your own practice:
After-hours booking pleases patients and can also help with your patient acquisition goals. It allows you access to an expanded new-patient pool and gives you the opportunities to fill last minute appointments that may otherwise go unfilled.
While some practices have solved this with manual solutions like hiring staff to work around-the-clock, the simplest way is to use a service like Zocdoc that integrates with your schedule and lets patients view and book your open appointments directly day and night.