Zocdoc Reports - Healthcare Hope For the Holidays: 2022

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Dec 20, 2022, 13:23 ET

Zocdoc appointment booking trends, and a provider survey, show that in transitional times, there is hope in the healthcare industry, for patients and providers alike

NEW YORK, Dec. 20, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- "Zocdoc Reports – Healthcare Hope For the Holidays: 2022" is a comprehensive report that includes data from a Zocdoc provider survey, and an analysis of healthcare appointment booking trends.

To uncover insights regarding the state of patients' access to care and Zocdoc users' booking choices in 2022, and the perspective of providers preparing for the New Year, Zocdoc conducted a provider survey and analyzed aggregated appointment booking data. The results show three key insights.

Technology can help physician appointment wait times wane
With labor and supply costs rising, and physician and staff burnout a reality for many, average wait times for physician appointments have increased nationwide, according to the latest research from Merritt Hawkins.

But amidst this unprecedented landscape, innovation is driving positive change for patients. With a growing number of people embracing technology as a driver of access to an improved healthcare experience, and patients and providers aligned on telehealth as a supplement to in-person care, there are many reasons to be optimistic.

In 2022, Zocdoc dramatically expedited patients' access to care by surfacing the 20-30 percent of appointments that become available last minute due to cancellations and rescheduled appointments, resulting in a speed to appointment that far exceeded the national average.

Specialty	National Average Physician Appointment Wait Time (Source: Merritt Hawkins)	Typical Zocdoc Physician Appointment Wait Time
Cardiology	26.6 days	Within 1 - 3 days, with 39% seeing a cardiologist within 48 hours
Dermatology	34.5 days	Within 1 - 3 days, with 30% seeing a dermatologist within 48 hours
OB-GYN	31.4 days	Within 1 - 3 days, with 26% seeing an OB-GYN within 48 hours
Orthopedic Surgery	16.9 days	Within 1 - 3 days, with 38% seeing an orthopedic surgeon within 48 hours
Family Medicine (PCP)	20.6 days	Within 1 - 3 days, with 42% seeing a PCP within 48 hours
Average across specialties	26.0 days	Within 1 - 3 days, with 36% seeing a physician within 48 hours.

Happier providers, happier patients
Beyond impacting the speed of access to care, provider and healthcare staff burnout can have a significantly negative effect on the patient experience. While there's no silver bullet for solving this complex issue, savvy providers and support staff are taking steps, including using technology, to run more efficient practices. This benefits providers and leads to increased patient satisfaction.

In 2022, positivity pervaded providers' perspectives on technology:

64% of providers surveyed indicated they agreed or strongly agreed that in 2022 their scheduling software helped their practice run more efficiently.
57% agreed or strongly agreed that in 2022 their telehealth solution was easy and intuitive to use.
36% agreed or strongly agreed that in 2022 insurance verification/eligibility software helped their practice run more efficiently.

This provider perspective looks even brighter for 2023, painting a positive picture for many patient-provider relationships:

71% of providers agreed or strongly agreed that in 2023 scheduling software will help them run an even more efficient practice.
69% agreed or strongly agreed that in 2023 technology will help practices run more efficiently.
59% agreed or strongly agreed that in 2023 their telehealth solution will become even more intuitive and easy to use.

Looking back to look forward
Zocdoc's position affords us unique, actionable insights into consumers' healthcare behavior. So while we don't have a crystal ball, examining the healthcare industry's journey in 2022 affords us the opportunity to predict what may continue to resonate in 2023.

Telehealth usage declined in all specialties except mental health, moving virtual care toward being a specialty- and case-specific care modality.

From January-November 2022:

18% of appointments booked via Zocdoc, across all specialties, were conducted via telehealth
Excluding mental health, just 9% of appointments booked via Zocdoc were conducted via telehealth
88% of mental health appointments booked via Zocdoc were conducted via telehealth

Patients got back to taking care of themselves, after delaying or canceling healthcare appointments following the pandemic's onset.

From January-November 2022, the top 5 appointment booking reasons on Zocdoc, in the following categories, were:

Across all specialties:

Dermatology consultation
Annual physical
Annual Pap smear/GYN exam
Illness
Dental cleaning

Within mental health:

Psychiatry consultation
Anxiety
Depression
ADD/ADHD
Psychotherapy

Within dentistry:

Dental cleaning and consultation
New patient dental exam (adult)
Dental emergency
Broken tooth
Cavities

Within eye care:

General eye consultation
Annual eye exam
Eyeglasses
Contact lenses
Eye infection

By specialty:

PCP
Dermatologist
OB-GYN
Dentist
Physician assistant

Here's to healthcare hope for the holidays!

For more information, contact [email protected]. If you are a healthcare provider who wants to reach new patients and offer seamless access to care — in-person or virtually — you can learn more at zocdoc.com/join.

About Zocdoc

Zocdoc is a leading digital healthcare marketplace for in-person or virtual care. Each month, millions of people use our free service, via Zocdoc.com or the Zocdoc app, to find in-network doctors, instantly book in-person or virtual appointments, read reviews from verified users, get reminders for upcoming appointments and preventive checkups, and more. With a mission to give power to the patient, Zocdoc's platform delivers the accessible and simple experience they expect and deserve.

Zocdoc Contact
Sandra Glading
[email protected]

SOURCE Zocdoc