In the ever changing world of healthcare, one of the latest hot topics is how patients book appointments.

According to a 2014 study conducted by Accenture, one of the world’s leading technology consulting services, statistics show that digital self-scheduling is set to explode in healthcare over the next 5 years.

The study projects that by the end of 2019, 66% of all health systems will offer digital self-scheduling, and that 64% of all patients will book appointments digitally. Think about that—in just a few years, 986 million doctors’ appointments will be made through services like Everseat. This roughly equates to a total value of $3.2 billion in services rendered by healthcare practitioners

Perhaps even more importantly, digital self-scheduling provides a new level of convenience to the patient. Patients should be empowered to be in control of their health, their schedules, and their lives. Accenture reported that 77% of all patients believe the ability to book, change, or cancel an appointment digitally is important. Apps like Everseat provide easier, faster access to appointments in a simple, practical manner. Report findings go on to state that historically the average time for a patient to complete a scheduling call is just over 8 minutes. Leading health professionals are already starting to take note that digital self-scheduling tools are outpacing these older methods and are investigating alternative solutions. A practice using Everseat can post an open appointment in less than 30 seconds—a significant time & effort savings for a busy front office.

More and more health professionals are turning to digital self-scheduling to differentiate themselves competitively, improve their appointment-making efficiency, and enhance their overall patient engagement and satisfaction. The consequences for late adopters of digital self-scheduling could be severe. Don’t miss out on investing in your future in healthcare. Here’s to the next 5 years.