Improving access to care was the number one priority of CFOs for 2024, as well as a top priority for CSOs and strategy leaders. But benchmarking access remains a challenge. Specifically, a lack of hard data makes it difficult for executives to compare their system’s performance with their peers and competitors, especially across different markets and scheduling channels.

This is compounded by the fact that most access reports only test call center scheduling and leave out the digital experience. Even oft-cited statistics, like Merritt Hawkins’ survey that it takes 20.6 days to get primary care in urban markets, only look at call wait times and thus build an incomplete picture of the full patient experience.

Our Strategy Catalyst team has been hard at work to fill that gap. Building on our previous research, the Strategy Catalyst team spent the past several months conducting another round of “secret shopping” evaluations to test the availability of appointments at 52 health systems and four disruptor competitors (Walgreens, Carbon Health, One Medical, and Tia).

Last year, we tested the ability of consumers to secure a primary care appointment using digital self-scheduling capabilities. For this year’s evaluation, in addition to digital self-scheduling, we also tested the ability to schedule appointments over the phone via health system access centers.