Although physician visit volume decreased in November and December 2016, appointments have surged in only the first few days of January 2017, according to data from Zocdoc.
Zocdoc, an online booking platform that connects patients to in-network physicians, has complied findings based on appointments booked Jan. 3, 2017, the first work day of the new year. On Tuesday, Jan. 3, physician appointment bookings increased by 48 percent compared to bookings on a typical Tuesday in the fourth quarter of 2016.
Most of the physician appointments booked were preventative, including dental cleanings (75 percent), annual skin screenings (70 percent) and annual physicians (66 percent). These three appointment bookings were all up in volume when compared with Q4 2016 daily averages.