title: Cancellations and patient access to physicians: ZocDoc and the evolution of e-medicine.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Appointment attendance has always been a concern for physicians and the landscape is changing now that patients can book appointments online in many practices.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  This manuscript examined attendance rates of appointments made on the internet for rural and urban dermatology clinics.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study analyzed appointment records made over a 6-month period on ZocDoc.com for 3 dermatology clinics located outside Houston, Texas.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Non-attendance rates for online appointments were much lower (6.9%) than non-attendance rates at dermatology clinics through traditional means. The average age of patients who missed their appointments was lower than the average age of those who made their appointments. In addition, the average age of those who cancelled their appointments was higher than those who made their appointments. Also, urban non-attendance rates were higher than rural rates.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study has a small sample size because online appointment scheduling is not a common practice.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The early returns of online appointment scheduling indicate that appointments made online are more likely to have lower non-attendance rates than appointments made through traditional means.
authors.affiliation: University of Texas at Houston, Houston, Texas.
authors.forename: Zuhair
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Siddiqui
authors.forename: Rashid
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Rashid
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000554:Ambulatory Care Facilities / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D001071:Appointments and Schedules; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003880:Dermatology / Q000458:organization & administration*; D034742:Electronic Mail / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006297:Health Services Accessibility / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D008499:Medical Records; D009819:Office Visits / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D010349:Patient Compliance / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012423:Rural Health; D013781:Texas; D014504:Urban Health