West Australians are leading the nation as first movers in eHealth having racked up the most number of online bookings for doctor’s appointments in the country. According to HealthEngine, Australia’s largest medical appointment online booking system, online bookings for GPs in Western Australia grew a massive 200 per cent from 2013 to 2014¹.
GPs are also following the trend with 50 per cent of all Perth GPs now using online booking services for their practices. Convenience is a key factor in the big shift to online bookings. Western Australian consumers are loving the convenience of booking appointments at any time of the night and from anywhere. Seventy-four per cent of all online bookings are made out of office hours², over forty per cent are made between 9pm and 2am³ and fifteen per cent of those booked between midnight and 1am⁴. Fifty per cent of all online bookings are made using a mobile device⁵. HealthEngine also reported its online booking service is most commonly used by women with more than 68 per cent of users being female⁶.
HealthEngine CEO and Medical Director and fellow West Australian, Dr Marcus Tan said, “With around 83 per cent of the population now online⁷ and more and more people using online platforms for everyday purchases including flights and groceries, it’s no surprise that consumers are enjoying the convenience, efficiency and privacy of booking health appointments online.”
“Nobody chooses when their children, family members or they themselves get sick. HealthEngine is a free online service that is available 24/7, making it quick and easy for people to find and book an appointment to see a doctor.”
“Gone are the days of waiting until the local clinic opens to call for an appointment only to find out that the first available slot is days away. We bring the doctor to the consumers’ fingertips via their computer or smartphone, offering the largest database of healthcare practitioners and appointments available in their area all at the touch of a button,” Dr Tan said.
The Perth-based online service puts patients in control of their appointment scheduling and is easy to use – simply type in a suburb or postcode to reveal a list of doctors’ appointments at clinics in the surrounding area. The service is particularly convenient if a patient requires an urgent appointment, their regular doctor is booked out or they are new to a suburb and not sure where the closest GP, dentist or healthcare professional is located. Also the leading health directory, HealthEngine lists GPs, dentists, physiotherapists, chiropractors, psychologists, medical specialists, pharmacists and optometrists as well as other health services.
There are currently more than 1,000 GPs in Western Australia offering online bookings through HealthEngine with more joining every day. Deborah Rowell from Jane Brook uses HealthEngine to book appointments for her parents who don’t own a smartphone but require regular appointments with their GP. “I love the fact that I can book appointments for my parents or kids the night before. It’s very useful because you can’t predict when family members are going to fall ill, so the App helps you to book appointments at any time of the day or night. And when you use your smartphone for all other areas of daily living, it just makes sense to use HealthEngine for our doctor’s appointments.”
Forrestfield resident, Elizabeth Painter, a regular user of HealthEngine says she loves the online booking service because she can find an appointment quickly, at a time that is convenient for her without having to contact the clinic via phone. “I’ve made bookings at 11:30pm when I have felt unwell because I didn’t want to wake up at 8:30am to call the clinic to make a booking.
“Using HealthEngine puts me in control so I can make my booking any time of the day, even in the middle of the night.” Dr Tan said, “HealthEngine recognises that consumers want a trustworthy online booking service that they can rely on at any time of the day. It empowers people to find and book an appointment that suits them, at a time when they need peace of mind most.”
Download the HealthEngine App for Android or iOS or book an appointment online today by visiting www.healthengine.com.au.
