A recent study into the changing shopping habits of consumers has yielded some interesting insights. With the rising costs associated with doctor’s visits, it seems patients are now beginning to behave more like traditional consumers when shopping for any other professional service. It concludes people want healthcare that is more convenient, inexpensive, and of high quality.

Patients are no longer willing to wait for 3 hours to see a doctor. They expect to know what they’ll need to pay before service is provided, and they want easy methods of making those payments.  To stay competitive, practices need to anticipate and embrace these rising expectations.​

“26% of patients expect to speak with
a doctor within an hour”

While the majority of patients still prefer real-time interactions with providers, many are willing to use other methods if it’s more convenient or reduces wait time for an answer.