Finding a great doctor or dentist has never been easy. Finding a convenient appointment time is even more difficult. According to a study by healthcare search and consulting firm Merritt Hawkins, patients in the greater Los Angeles area wait an average of 24 days to see a doctor. Enter ZocDoc, a free online service that helps patients find nearby doctors who accept their insurance and instantly book appointments online – often for within 24 hours!
To use the service, patients enter their location, insurance plan, and the type of healthcare provider they would like to see on ZocDoc’s website or free mobile app. ZocDoc then shows doctors’ real-time availability, along with photos, qualifications and verified reviews, to help patients choose the practitioner who best meets their needs. Patients can also search by gender and languages spoken. To book an appointment, patients simply click on a time and complete a brief checkout process. ZocDoc then sends email and text message reminders to help patients remember to attend their appointments.
“Angelenos deserve star treatment when it comes to finding a great doctor quickly and easily,” said Cyrus Massoumi, ZocDoc CEO and founder. “By providing verified reviews, photos and more, we help patients quickly make informed decisions about their healthcare providers.”
The idea for ZocDoc came to Massoumi soon after his eardrum burst while traveling. He was in pain and needed urgent medical care, but it took him four days to finally see a physician in New York City. He realized there had to be a better way to get fast, convenient healthcare. ZocDoc launched in New York City in 2007, and quickly spread throughout the country. In 2011, the service went live in Los Angeles. Today, it offers hundreds of thousands of appointments per month to Angelenos seeking medical care.
ZocDoc currently offers appointments with local primary care doctors, OBGYNs, dermatologists, eye doctors, ENTs, pediatricians, orthopedic surgeons, psychiatrists, podiatrists, urologists, gastroenterologists, allergists, neurologists, cardiologists, and dentists.
ZocDoc is also a handy tool for travelers. The service is available in 19 major metropolitan areas, and is expected to complete its nationwide rollout in 2013. ZocDoc is currently available in Atlanta, Austin, Baltimore, Boston, Chicago, Dallas-Fort Worth, Denver, Detroit, Houston, Los Angeles (including the Valleys and Orange County), Miami-Palm Beach, New York, Philadelphia, Phoenix, San Diego, San Francisco, Seattle, Tampa Bay, and Washington, DC.
“We aim to make healthcare more accessible throughout the United States, so patients can save time and avoid the hassle associated with finding the right doctor – whether they’re traveling on the East Coast or are home in the Hollywood Hills,” Massoumi said.
