How ZocDoc and other Technologies are Changing Healthcare

By Nancy Wurtzel

Until recently, finding a doctor and booking an appointment hadn’t changed much in decades.  Patients asked family, friends and co-workers for recommendations and might research a physician online.  Then, they would call the doctor’s office, often waiting on hold to speak to a scheduler, only to learn the first available appointment was weeks away.

However, things are changing.  Patients, especially urban millennials, are embracing new technologies that allow them to make faster and better informed decisions finding a doctor, making appointments and booking earlier.

The major player is an app called Zocdoc, the brainchild of physician and entrepreneur Oliver Kharraz.  In 2007, Kharraz launched ZocDoc, initially serving New York City, and later expanding to serve most major U.S. cities, allowing access to 60 percent of the U.S. population.

On Zocdoc, patients search for doctors in a variety of ways, from those with highest ratings to practices located nearby.  They can also review feedback, which is gathered in a closed-loop system so it is always from actual patients.   When they are ready, patients make real-time appointments and add them to their personal calendar.  Then, they can fill out patient forms online, access their medical records, and receive reminders for appointments and medications.

Designed to improve patient convenience and help them make better-informed decisions, Zocdoc users have access to booking more than 1,800 different types of medical procedures across more than 50 specialties.  And, they typically see a doctor within 24 hours, about 18 times faster than the national average.

“You see, people aren’t just patients when they’re in the exam room wearing a paper gown,” Kharraz said.  “They are patients before, when they are looking for a doctor, deciphering insurance benefits, and guessing at the cost of an office visit. They are patients after, when they are sorting through claims, filling prescriptions, and logging their FSA benefits.”

While Zocdoc is free to consumers, physician’s pay a monthly fee of $300.

Zocdoc says its physicians benefit substantially.  First, they are tapping into a pool of new patients that might never find them if it were not for the Zocdoc platform.  Doctors also build a stronger online presence and reputation, and they report a higher patient retention rate.

But patient health care technology is moving quickly, and Zocdoc isn’t the only app in town.

Patient Fusion, launched in 2013, is an offshoot of Practice Fusion, a highly-regarded electronic health records platform used by more than 150,000 physicians nationwide.  Users can search for healthcare providers by location or specialty, access their medical records and leave reviews of their experience.  When booking appointments, patients see open time slots for doctors.  They can also request appointments through its booking portal.  Free to patients and physicians can sign up for free, but the site has advertising.

BetterDoctor has been called the “OpenTable for doctors.”  This app focuses on finding the best physician to fit a patient’s needs, rather than booking an immediate appointment.  BetterDoctor is also free to patients, and offers 600,000 doctors on their easy-to-search system.  Instead of trying to cover all physicians and specialties, it focuses on GP’s, dentists, pediatricians, OB/GYNs and optometrists.  Doctor’s sign up to have their profiles “verified” and then can promote their services, with service fees varying.

Medicast helps users find a doctor who makes house calls, usually within two hours or less.  It’s a pay-as-you-go system with either a monthly membership or individual visits costing $199.  Visits place at home, an office or even a hotel room, which is great for patients who need to see a physician when traveling.  Physicians are reimbursed for services rendered.

How do physicians decide if they should join one or several of these platforms?

Compare costs and benefits.  Location is also critical, since most of this technology makes sense only if a doctor practices in an urban area.  Currently, the appeal is mainly to younger, tech savvy patients, so it wouldn’t be a good fit for a gerontologist or a doctor who focuses on older patients.

Try out the sites as a user to see what the patient experience is like and if it seems like a good match.  Talk to existing patients to see if it would appeal to them.

What to do after signing up for ZocDoc, Patient Fusion or another platform:

• Make sure your profile is complete and well written
• Language should be professional but welcoming
• Have someone check spelling and punctuation
• Profile pictures are important, invest in a good headshot
• Be prepared to honor appointments. Cancelling or changing appointments may mean you get a bad review or even locked out of your ZocDoc account
• Don’t turn off patients by asking them for a positive review

No more holding and listening to bad music – or having to discuss your medical history in your work cubicle.

If scheduling is easier and streamlined, the hope is more people will take advantage of preventative care screenings and wellness visits.