Patients want fast access, familiar faces and in-person care

Patients are booking medical appointments online, comparing dozens of physicians and moving more quickly than the broader health care system often allows. But once they arrive in the exam room, many are looking for something familiar: a physician who listens, makes them feel comfortable and earns their trust.

That tension between a digital path to care and a desire for personal connection runs through Zocdoc’s third annual “What Patients Want” report, released earlier this month.

The analysis draws on millions of appointments booked through Zocdoc’s online platform in 2025, along with a national survey of 1,000 U.S. adults. Together, the findings offer a snapshot of how patients searched for, scheduled and experienced health care during a year marked by rising costs, long wait times and growing reliance on technology.

Women shoulder most care coordination

Women continued to carry most of the administrative burden of health care, a role the report refers to as “healthkeeping.”

Women accounted for 67% of all bookings analyzed in the report. More than half managed care for someone else, and 76% of appointments scheduled on behalf of another person were booked by women.

That pattern was especially pronounced for male patients. According to the report, 82% of appointments booked for men were scheduled by women, highlighting how often care coordination falls to partners, spouses or family members.

In-person visits remain the norm

Despite widespread use of online scheduling, patients overwhelmingly chose in-person care.

Ninety-three percent of non–mental health visits in 2025 occurred in exam rooms rather than virtually, the report found. Even among Gen Z, the generation often described as digitally native, 92% of appointments were in person.

Mental health remained the primary exception, with virtual visits accounting for a substantial share of psychology and psychiatry appointments.

Patient reviews underscored the importance of face-to-face care. Common phrases in five-star reviews included “comfortable,” “safe,” “listens carefully” and “like family.” In the national survey, respondents ranked a positive personal connection as the most important factor when choosing a physician, ahead of ratings or office proximity.

“In 2007, Zocdoc began with a simple but ambitious mission: to give power to the patient. Eighteen years later, that mission feels more urgent — and more possible — than ever,” said Oliver Kharraz, M.D., founder and CEO of Zocdoc. “Even as health care becomes more tech-enabled, what matters most to patients is still the connection they feel with their doctor. Technology is a pathway to care, not a proxy for it. When patients find the right provider, they feel seen, heard and cared for — and that's what they want most of all.”

Speed matters, and patients expect it

Long waits remain a defining feature of U.S. health care. AMN Healthcare reported that average physician wait times climbed to 31 days in 2025, up from 26 days the year before.

Appointments booked through Zocdoc tended to occur more quickly. More than one-third of patients were seen within 48 hours of booking, and just over half had appointments within four days.

Primary care, urgent care, psychiatry and ear, nose and throat visits were among the specialties where patients moved fastest from scheduling to care, reflecting growing expectations for timely access.

Cost pressures shape patient choices

Rising health care costs continued to influence booking decisions.

According to the report, 92% of appointments in 2025 were booked in network, with nearly five in six visits paid for using commercial insurance. Medicaid and Medicare accounted for a smaller share of bookings, while self-pay visits remained relatively limited.

At the same time, patients showed a willingness to pay out of pocket for certain services. Out-of-network and self-pay visits were disproportionately concentrated in areas like aesthetic consultations, Botox and other anti-aging treatments.

Headlines and culture influence demand

Patient behavior often tracked closely with news cycles and celebrity disclosures.

Searches and bookings related to prostate cancer rose 436% after President Biden publicly discussed his diagnosis. Weight loss appointments increased 42% following high-profile celebrity announcements. Preventive screenings also climbed, including mammograms and skin cancer checks, amid public awareness campaigns.

Menopause care drew increased attention as well. The report found a 95% year-over-year increase in hormone replacement therapy bookings and a 52% increase in menopause consultations among women. Therapy bookings rose for both men and women.

“In 2025, patients weren't just navigating care, they were navigating culture,” said Jess Aptman, chief communications officer at Zocdoc. “Once-taboo topics like Botox, mental health, even menopause are now mainstream in both the cultural conversation and in Zocdoc bookings.”

Artificial intelligence enters the front end of care

Artificial intelligence (AI) tools increasingly served as a starting point for health questions in 2025, though they rarely replaced physician visits.

One in three Americans reported using AI tools like ChatGPT for health-related advice on a weekly basis, and one in 10 said they used them daily. Patients often used AI to gather information before seeking in-person care.

Patients browse, stay loyal

Patients were deliberate when choosing physicians, viewing an average of 21 provider profiles before booking an appointment. Once they found a physician they liked, they tended to stay.

Eighty-four percent of patients returned to the same provider when rebooking within the same specialty. Primary care ranked among the specialties with the highest patient loyalty, along with otolaryngology, podiatry and psychology.

Patient empowerment slips

Despite greater access to information and scheduling tools, many patients reported feeling less control over their health care.

The Patient Empowerment Index included in the report fell to 50.6 in 2025, down from 55.8 in 2024, marking a three-year low. The share of respondents who said they had “no control at all” over their care rose to 6.2%.

Looking ahead

The report’s 2026 outlook suggests patients will continue using AI for navigation and administrative tasks, while placing greater emphasis on in-network coverage and ongoing relationships with physicians. Short-term, transactional care models may struggle to meet expectations beyond low-acuity needs.