13 Stats Show You Need Online Scheduling On a Patient Mobile App

Online appointment scheduling for patients isn’t new, but it continues to be an area for growth in many healthcare organizations. Providing easy access for patients to search for a provider or service and book an appointment isn’t always simple. It requires a clean provider database and an intuitive scheduling interface, and that can take some work. However, the potential value far outweighs the work.

These stats show why offering the ability to schedule appointments online through web and mobile is so important.

• 67% of patients prefer online booking
• 68% of patients are more likely to choose a provider who offers the ability to book, change or cancel appointments online
• 67 percent of patients want the capability to schedule and reschedule healthcare appointments online or via an app
• Among patients who used self-scheduling tools, 92% would do it again
• Patients wait an average 24 days to see a provider. With online scheduling, two out of three patients were able to get an appointment within seven days.

When we look at the benefits of online scheduling through the web and mobile, it is important to look beyond initial appointments for primary or specialty care. There are two other areas to consider: ED and urgent care use and referral booking.

ED & Urgent Care
Over use of emergency departments costs the U.S. healthcare systems $XXX. That has made directing people to the correct site of care a priority. Providing guidance on the right site of care along with the ability to book appointments, do a telehealth visit, and see ED and urgent care wait times with the ability to save a spot online is critical.

In addition, there are many patients who have emergent needs and want to be seen the same day. Offering wait times and an option to save a spot is a competitive differentiator. A report from Solv showcased patient preferences around same day care:

• 26% of patients would like to be seen same day
• 50% of parents with children under 18 said they would not wait to see a provider beyond today.
•  In addition, 81% said they would not wait beyond the next day.
• 38% said that distance was one of their top priorities for same day care

A mobile app can show the nearest urgent care and how long the wait is as well as the ability to save a spot and click to be navigated to that location. Perhaps one urgent care is a few miles further away but has no wait time. 

Referral Appointments
Referral revenue leakage is a top challenge for many healthcare organizations. This is an area where online scheduling and easy access can also make an impact.

• One out of three patients are referred to specialists each year. 
• As many as 8 in 10 patients can end up going out of network
• 94% of health systems reported that reducing patient leakage is a priority.
• Referral leakage can be as high as 55-65%, on average, resulting in losses of $200-$500 million per year for a hospital.

Branded mobile apps for hospitals that include all patient-facing technology solutions have been shown to have very high reuse rates of 70-80% on average. Once a patient has used an app like this, they continue to come back over and over again. This can help reduce leakage by keeping patients in the health system for referral appointments.

All-in-all a branded mobile app with online scheduling features has the potential to impact a health systems key goals around patient access and appropriate sites of care. Download this guide on the ROI from your digital front door for more insights.