Mapping the Doctor Visit Journey:
New findings show patients most active on health information sites before and after accessing an online physician directory
WebMD is the most visited
New York, NY, August 11, 2021: New research from WebMD finds that most consumers (72%), visit a health website for condition and treatment information immediately before and after visiting an online provider directory to schedule an appointment for care.
This high level of engagement may represent an overlooked touchpoint for marketers engaging with patients on their healthcare journey.
More than 1,000 consumers participated in the independent research, conducted to get a clearer view of how patients leverage online tools to navigate their health actions, and what factors motivate them to rely on online information platforms.
Among the highlights:
- Consumers are most active with online health research one week before and one week after visiting physician directories for appointments and scheduling
- Most health-seeking consumers said they turn to health information websites to prepare for a doctor visit and find out about possible treatments.
- WebMD was the most used health information site prior to and immediately after the directory visit, including for those related to health conditions such as cancer, cardiovascular, rheumatology and type2 diabetes.
The majority of consumers indicated trust was the key motivating factor for online health content, with WebMD cited as the most trusted by 87% of the study participants.
About WebMD
WebMD Health Corp., an Internet Brands Company, is the leading provider of health information services, serving patients, physicians, health care professionals, employers, and health plans through public and private online portals, mobile platforms, and health-focused publications. The WebMD Health Network includes WebMD Health, Medscape, Jobson Healthcare Information, MediQuality, Frontline, Vitals Consumer Services, Aptus Health, MedicineNet, eMedicineHealth, RxList, OnHealth, Medscape Education, and other owned WebMD sites. WebMD®, Medscape®, CME Circle®, Medpulse®, eMedicine®, MedicineNet®, theheart.org ®, and RxList® are among the trademarks of WebMD Health Corp. or its subsidiaries.