The American Academy of Family Physicians reports 16 percent of family physicians used online scheduling in 2009, up from 6 percent in 2005.
Online appointments can reduce overhead costs and add volume at a time when patients report increasing difficulties getting an appointment.
ZocDoc offers online scheduling for practices in New York City, Washington, D.C., Chicago and Dallas and plans to add practices in Boston, Los Angeles, Houston and Philadelphia. About 40 percent of ZocDoc appointments take place within a day of booking and nearly 85 percent of the appointments are for new patients.
Health In Reach, which started in September in Los Angeles, bills practices only when they get an appointment.
Read the USA Today report on appointments.
Read more coverage of scheduling:
–The Best and Worst Ways to Use Benchmarks
–Key Factors in Considering an ASC Clinical Co-Management Agreement
