Healthcare
The Uber of Healthcare: How OverbookMD is Using Data and Tech to Redefine Patient Care
In today’s world, where instant delivery and ride-sharing are everyday norms, healthcare access still lags behind. Patients now wait an average of 31 days to see a specialist in major U.S. cities—a 19 percent jump since 2022—according to AMN Healthcare’s 2025 survey. The stakes are high: delays can lead to worsening conditions, increased ER visits,…
Key takeaways
Patients in major U.S. cities wait an average of 31 days to see a specialist — a 19% increase since 2022.
OverbookMD fills cancellation and no-show gaps to deliver specialist appointments within 48 hours without sacrificing care quality.
The platform uses a proprietary Overbook Quality Index — evaluating outcomes, licensure, litigation history, experience, and reputation — to maintain a high-caliber provider network.
In today’s world, where instant delivery and ride-sharing are everyday norms, healthcare access still lags behind. Patients now wait an average of 31 days to see a specialist in major U.S. cities—a 19 percent jump since 2022—according to AMN Healthcare’s 2025 survey. The stakes are high: delays can lead to worsening conditions, increased ER visits, and skyrocketing costs for patients, providers, and employers alike.
So why are we still waiting on healthcare, and how do we fix that? Is it possible to deliver rapid, high-quality access to top-tier physicians without sacrificing care or overwhelming the system?
In this episode of Highway to Health, host David Kemp is joined by Priya A. Patel, CEO and Co‑Founder of overbookMD, to discuss how her company is tackling this access crisis. OverbookMD connects patients to top specialists within 48 hours without compromising quality. Patel explains how her background in pharmacy, data science, and healthcare operations helped fuel a tech‑forward solution to one of medicine’s most stubborn bottlenecks: scheduling.
Key Highlights from the Episode:
- How overbookMD transforms no‑show gaps into rapid access slots: The platform dynamically fills cancellations and no-show openings so patients can see board‑certified specialists—often within 48 hours.
- Why fast access matters across the care ecosystem: Reducing wait times not only benefits patients but also decreases unnecessary ER visits and eases workload for administrative and clinical teams.
- How overbookMD balances speed with uncompromising quality: Using a four-pillar vetting framework—including outcome metrics, license and litigation checks, experience, and online reputation—they maintain a high-caliber provider network via the proprietary Overbook Quality Index.
Priya A. Patel is the CEO and Founder of overbookMD, a company dedicated to providing rapid, concierge-level access to industry-leading medical specialists. With over 20 years in healthcare operations and a Doctor of Pharmacy degree, Patel blends clinical insight with operational expertise. She has built a company driven by data-backed decision-making to break through entrenched healthcare inefficiencies.
About the author
With experience in coaching college basketball, supporting large healthcare systems through ICD-10, to now leading the healthcare vertical at MarketScale, David enjoys the journey. Craving knowledge is one of David's core values, and he has the opportunity to learn from some of the best as host of the Highway to Health podcast series.
