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You’re on vacation and your child wakes up in the middle of the night with a fever. You want a doctor to check her out in the morning to see whether she’s teething or she caught the bug that’s been going around. You have no idea where to find a good doctor, much less one who takes your insurance and can see her the next day.
Your solution may be ZocDoc. ZocDoc is a free service designed to help you not only find a doctor, but also to schedule medical appointments. Similar to OpenTable, which helps you discover restaurants and make reservations, ZocDoc can help you find new doctors and make appointments with your regular doctors.
ZocDoc lets you search for doctors based on:
- Distance from you
- Area of specialty
- Insurance plans accepted
- Available appointments
- Ratings from existing patients
You can use ZocDoc from its website, a participating doctor’s website or from an app on your Android, BlackBerry, iPhone, iPad or iPod Touch.
I recently spoke with Cyrus Massoumi, CEO of ZocDoc, who said that ZocDoc is available for medical appointments in 17 geographic markets, with plans to expand to the entire US by the end of 2013 and internationally eventually. The service covers 40 different specialties, including medical doctors, dentists, physical therapists and nutritionists, though not all specialties are available in all markets yet. ZocDoc qualifies all of its physicians, reviewing their board certifications and credentials.
Massoumi informed me that they have over 7 million appointments available within the next 90 days throughout the US. ZocDoc integrates with a doctor’s computerized scheduling system, but it also has tools for medical practices that use paper books for their scheduling. When an appointment is made or cancelled, ZocDoc will show that change on its site within seconds.
Convenience
According to ZocDoc, the average wait time for seeing a doctor in the US is over 20 days but the average wait for a patient using ZocDoc is 24-48 hours. “There’s a certain portion of the population who always chooses doctors based on convenience,” Massoumi explained. “They want to find the right doctor at the right time at the right location.”
By using ZocDoc, you can see exactly when a doctor has available times and then determine which of those times fit your schedule. You don’t have to work with a receptionist to figure out which times are mutually convenient.
Your doctor’s office probably isn’t open 24/7 but by using ZocDoc you can still make appointments day and night, even when your doctor’s office is closed. You don’t have to wait for the office to be open to make an appointment.
Another benefit is that you don’t have to be put on hold or navigate through a phone menu when you use ZocDoc.
Doctor Reviews
An additional advantage of using ZocDoc is the review system. Unlike other online review sites, ZocDoc asks actual patients to rate the doctors. The reviews on ZocDoc are only from patients who have been seen by a doctor, not from the general public.
“The reviews are community-based,” explained Massoumi. “The community rates the doctors. We don’t edit or pull reviews down. A doctor’s reputation on ZocDoc has a huge bearing on how well they do with our service.”
Background Information
You can also find out additional information on a doctor, such as education, hospital affiliations and professional statement. Massoumi pointed out that often what matters most with a new doctor is how quickly you can be seen, but if background information is important to you, ZocDoc has it available for you.
A Doctor’s Perspective
I also spoke with Dr. Christine Stanko, a dermatologist with Bryn Mawr Dermatology, about her experiences using ZocDoc. Her practice has been using the service for about two months and she has been very pleased at the impact the service has had on her practice. “Every day I‘m getting an average of two patients scheduling with ZocDoc,” Dr. Stanko said. “It’s definitely been a positive experience.” These patients are a combination of existing patients and new patients to the practice.
Dr. Stanko explained that her patients especially enjoyed the added convenience of being able to schedule appointments even when the office is closed. “Patients like that even in the evenings and on weekends they can still schedule their appointments.”
She also pointed out other benefits that ZocDoc has had for her practice. “ZocDoc is also saving staff time because they don’t need to be on the phone so much.” Her staff is more efficient because they can spend more time with the patients in the office. They appreciate a more peaceful environment “without the phones ringing off the hook all day.”
Apps
As useful as ZocDoc is, the service is even more convenient when using the ZocDoc app. Just grab your smartphone and make an appointment without getting out of bed or off of the sofa. You can let the app figure out your location and show you the closest doctors in a list or on a map, which can be especially handy when you’re traveling.
By pressing on the listing for a doctor, either on the list or the map, you can see a picture of the doctor, address, reviews, education, languages spoken and the available appointment times.
The ZocDoc app is available free for Android devices at Google Play, BlackBerry devices at App World, and for iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch at the iTunes App Store.
Would you like the convenience of making medical appointments from your computer or smartphone any time of day or night? Would you like to be able to search for available appointments? Have you used ZocDoc? Let us know in the Comments section below!
* Open 24/7 image by Tom Magliery
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The Wonder of Tech has completed the first phase of improvement (moving to a pro account at Bluehost for fellow bloggers who may be wondering). This site should be much faster and we’ve eliminated the Captcha math problem which was required to leave a comment.
We’re not done yet. Stay tuned for more improvements to come!
That’s one thing we don’t need in the UK with The National Health Service. I’m not sure if it’s better or not, but it has improved for me in the past few years. It does cost over 100 billion a year though…
Hi Mike, As I recall, there sometimes was a wait for medical appointments in the UK. If and when ZocDoc arrives on British soil, it could be much easier for patients to book appointments, freeing up the office staff to handle other matters. That would be a good thing, right?
Great info Carolyn!
This seems like a good solution for parents who really don’t know where or whom to turn to when their kids fall ill, especially if they are on vacation or travelling. I wish we had such things at our end though 🙂
We are all tuned right in and waiting for the surprise coming on at Wonderoftech. 🙂 Thanks for sharing.:)
Hi Harleena, Yes, it’s a great solution for anyone who needs medical treatment. I think it’s even helpful for those who just want an easier way to schedule an appointment with their own doctor.
We are working hard to renovate The Wonder of Tech. We have our hard hats on and our sleeves rolled up. We should have the unveiling soon!
Awesome stuff Carolyn, am sure this information is useful to all parents out there. I can imagine the plight a parent goes through if their kid falls ill during a vacation. I have been there and I tell you it just ruins everything. Hope I never get to use this during vacation though 🙂
Thanks for sharing.
Hi Praveen, You’re right. It’s no fun when a child gets sick on vacation. But ZocDoc is handy even when you’re at home and want to make a doctor’s appointment with your existing doctor. You don’t even need to make a phone call. You just set the date and the available appointments are shown.
I’m hoping my family’s doctors sign up with ZocDoc as it would make our lives much simpler when we need to see a physician.
I know that they are coming out with a lot of different apps and stuff, a good bit just for fun, but this is really cool Carolyn.
I would hate to be in another city and something happen. Locating not only a doctor that can see you right away but handles your insurance is extremely helpful. I’m sure that parents are thrilled about this one but just everyone in general. Hey, anyone at any age can get sick you know.
Thanks Carolyn!
Hi Adrienne, Exactly. ZocDoc is good for anyone, not just for parents. You can use it at any age with a participating doctor. This is a really great service and can save patients, doctors and staff lots of time and frustration.
I hope the doctors in your area are using ZocDoc, Adrienne!
Hi, Carolyn. I’m stopping by to say hello to all my friends I haven’t seen in a while. Hope you’ve been doing well. I’ve certainly missed our time together.
I see you’ve made some changes since I last visited. Can’t wait to see the finished product once you’re done moving your site.
I love your article. I don’t know how you do it! You seem to find the most interesting apps I never would have thought of. Goodness! ZocDoc sounds like a great find. Why wait to use it for when I’m just out of town, right? I like this idea so much better than calling the receptionist to make an appointment. I remember calling my doctor a number of times during my lunch break, only to find that the office was closed for lunch… Then by the time lunch was over, I’d forget to call back. I also like the fact that you can check out reviews from real people.
Great info, love it! Thanks for sharing.
I’ll see you again, hopefully soon, and will do my best not to make it so long. Take care, my friend.
~ Allyson
Hi Allyson, Welcome back to The Wonder of Tech! I am so glad to see you back here. I hope all is going well for you.
Yes, ZocDoc is amazing and not just for people finding new doctors. If ZocDoc has come to your area, you should see if your doctors are using it. What a convenience not to have to call a receptionist when you want to make an appointment. Plus, once you’re at the doctor’s office, the staff will have more time to deal with you.
I hope you have a fantastic weekend, Allyson! 🙂
Hi Carolyn,
It sure is very nice to hear about ZocDoc and how it works. Truly, technology should not only be fun, but helpful as well. I do wish this ZocDoc would expand its influence to many countries, especially those who are in dire need of medical aid.
Hi Sylvia, I agree, ZocDoc is a fantastic resource. They haven’t quite arrived to my area yet, but I’m hoping they do soon. The faster this service spreads the better.
thank you for sharing this with us another great post of yours.
Hi Andrew, I’m so glad you enjoyed this post. Thanks for sharing your thoughts with us!
Hi Carolyn,
ZocDoc sounds like an amazing service and app. I’d love to have something like this available in Norway. I haven’t had the need to find a doctor fast, but having small kids, it’s been on my mind many times 🙂
Ps. I’m looking forward to read about your experience with the pro account at BlueHost.
Hi Jens, You’re right, this is a very handy service for parents or anyone else who needs to see a doctor. I hope it comes to Norway very soon as well!
Once I complete the renovation of my blog, you can be the best judge of how my Pro account at Bluehost is going. If the site loads faster for you, then the investment was well worth it! :-bd
No tests; I can just comment?
It would be a lot more convenient if I could just get the doctor to show up at my place instead of going to see him/her……….:).
I will download this app; seems pretty cool.
Hi Bill, In England there was a private service that offered housecalls from doctors. You had to sign up for a membership though which wasn’t covered by insurance. It was quite expensive, as I recall.
ZocDoc just arrived in Tampa last month so they should be in Lakeland soon. But if you have someparticipating doctors in Tampa, you will love using ZocDoc!
Great stuff, Carolyn. It’s a great service for people who can’t go out and look for doctors. Can’t wait to have something like this in my country.
Thanks for sharing about this great app.
-Dev
Hi Devesh, you’re absolutely right. This service can be a great time-saver for both the patient and the doctor. I hope they expand world-wide!
I’ve seen few sites similar to this but Zocdoc seems to be more user friendly . I like their User interface.If they could expand to other countries this site can generate millions.
Hi Pubudu, I have seen other sites that recommend doctors but I’ve never seen a site that allows you to make appointments from a website or an app. That’s a big advantage in my mind because it doesn’t matter how great a doctor is if you can’t get an appointment within the next year!
You’re right, the sooner ZocDoc expands geographically, the better for us all!
Hi Carolyn,
I think the best part of it is the way doctors can be rated. It would be beneficial to them as well because their good services are rewarded.
Also it will help them to market themselves and establish their profession.
Really cool app.
Hi Ashvini, You’re right, the ratings from patients is key. I have seen other sites where doctors are rated, but they aren’t necessarily rated by patients. With ZocDoc the ratings only come from patients.
Good point. If I were trying to choose between doctors and one had ZocDoc and the other didn’t, I would choose the one who used ZocDoc (assuming the ratings were good). The convenience of being able to make an appointment from an app would be amazing for me. ZocDoc is close to my area, though not here quite yet.