Question
When a patient views a Routine Request, HotDoc shows an estimated response time – for example, Typical response: within 1 business day. Where does this figure come from, and can it be changed?
Solution
The response time estimate is automatically calculated from your practice's real data and refreshes weekly. It can't be set manually. Below is a breakdown of how it works and what to expect in different scenarios.
What the response time means
The estimate reflects how long it typically takes for a request to be actioned (approved or rejected) once it reaches the practitioner – not the patient's end-to-end time to care.
How it's calculated
HotDoc calculates the estimate using your practice's own recent activity:
- We look at every Routine Request actioned in the last 30 days.
- We take the 80th percentile of those times – meaning at least 8 out of 10 recent requests were actioned within the figure shown. This deliberately leans toward the slower end, so most requests are completed faster than the time displayed.
- The figure is refreshed every week, so it keeps pace as your turnaround changes.
- It's then rounded up to the nearest band shown to patients (e.g. "within 24 hours", "within 2 days").
Why do I see different response times in different places?
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You may notice different response times in different parts of HotDoc – this is expected:
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On a practitioner's name – that individual doctor's own recent response time.
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On the clinic or landing page – a practice-wide figure, used before a specific doctor is chosen.
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In your Terms & Conditions – your own custom text, set by your practice. This is separate from the calculated estimate and won't update automatically. If your T&Cs and the displayed estimate disagree, you may want to align your T&Cs wording.
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In the patient's confirmation email – reflects the specific doctor the request went to, so it can differ from the clinic-wide figure the patient saw earlier. Both are correct; they're measuring different things.
Why is a newer practitioner showing the clinic's response time?
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A practitioner needs at least 3 actioned requests in the last 30 days before HotDoc can calculate their own response time. Until then, patients will see the clinic-wide figure. Once the practitioner has actioned a few requests, the estimate automatically switches to reflect their own real performance.
How often does the response time update?
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Because the estimate is based on real recent activity, a part-time practitioner or a busier-than-usual period will be reflected in the number. The figure updates every week, so it will self-correct as your turnaround normalises – usually within a week or two.
How do I manage patient expectations around response times?
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The response time updates automatically every week based on your practice's real activity, so if it's currently showing higher than usual, it should self-correct within a week or two as things settle.
If you'd like to manage patient expectations in the meantime, there are two things you can do:
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Update your Terms & Conditions to set broader expectations with patients – for example, noting that response times may vary if demand is high or a doctor is away. Your T&Cs sit alongside the calculated estimate and give you a way to add context that the estimate alone can't capture.
For further information, please see: How do I set up terms and conditions for Routine Requests?
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Reassign requests to another practitioner if one doctor is temporarily overloaded. This reduces the load on the affected doctor and their response time will self-correct as it recalculates over the following weeks.
For further information, please see: How do I reassign a Routine Request to another practitioner?