Study Source – Talker Research, What’s driving patients to change doctors?

A recent study conducted by Talker Research of a panel of 2,000 Americans who have been to the doctor within the last year identified the top 3 reasons that those patients switch doctors.  While the research doesn’t indicate the care setting, I’m inferring from the overview that it is a primary care setting.  Despite the fact that the study was not Urgent Care specific there are several takeaways that apply to all settings. 

Top reasons patients said they sought out a new doctor:

• Waiting room time greater than 30 minutes – 52%
• Inability to reach a human when calling the office – 48%
  • Average hold time reported when calling – 8.5 minutes
• Difficulty scheduling appointments – 41%
• Feeling rushed through appointments – 41%

Urgent Care centers that offer primary care appointments or appointments at all should take note that patient expectations of waiting or “feeling rushed” may be different for those with appointments than those who are walk-in patients. 

See the full article for more findings related to patient trust in AI, the importance of personal touches and more.