Consumer behavior is driving patients’ expectations for convenience in healthcare. In fact, convenience has become a key driver for patient loyalty. According to consumer insights company NRC Health, 80% of patients are choosing providers based almost exclusively on ease of access, outpacing reputation, care quality, bedside manner, and even insurance coverage.

Delivering convenient healthcare means providing digital access, starting with a patient’s first encounter with a doctor’s office: scheduling an appointment. Most patients’ lives are entirely digital, except when it comes to seeing their doctor, which is often marked by long hold times, phone tag, and inconvenient office hours. This compromise in patient experience and, ultimately, loyalty comes at a cost for practice managers who are struggling to embrace digital medical practice.

As healthcare continues trending more and more digital, the time is now for developing an online scheduling strategy. NextPatient co-founder Kyle Morham shares four best practices to keep in mind for your practice:

1. Think like Amazon.
2. Consider your competition.
3. Prioritize real-time API sync.
4. Avoid the all-or-nothing trap.

Read more about these best practices on our partner Nextech’s blog.