Today ZocDoc, a free online service for patients to find a doctor and instantly book appointments, launches in the Boston region. In Massachusetts, where patients experience the longest wait times in the country for doctor appointments, ZocDoc is able to reduce wait times to mere hours.
ZocDoc is improving access to healthcare by allowing patients to find local doctors, sort by location and insurance plan, read verified reviews, and book appointments online at ZocDoc.com. Patients can find nearby doctors and make appointments using the ZocDoc.com website or the free ZocDoc Apps for iPhone and Android.
Bostonians wait 49.6 days on average for medical appointments, the longest wait in the country, according to a study by Merritt Hawkins, the healthcare search and consulting firm. ZocDoc brings much-needed efficiency and transparency to the region's health care system, resulting in shorter wait times for patients. Forty percent of all appointments scheduled by ZocDoc users occur within one day, and 60 percent of ZocDoc appointments take place within three days.
As of today, primary care physicians, obstetricians/gynecologists, dermatologists, dentists and eye doctors are offering more than 44,000 appointments in the Boston area through ZocDoc. Additional doctors, specialties and appointment times will be added in the coming months.
To use the service, patients visit the ZocDoc website or use the free ZocDoc App for iPhone or Android to enter their location, insurance plan, and the type of medical provider they wish to see. ZocDoc then shows physicians' schedules in real-time, along with credentials and patient reviews, in order to help patients choose a doctor that best fits their needs. Patients simply select a time slot and complete a brief checkout process to book an appointment. ZocDoc then sends email and text message reminders to help patients remember to attend their appointments.
"Patients in Massachusetts are being forced to wait far too long for doctor appointments, and nowhere in this country are doctor shortages more severe," said Cyrus Massoumi, ZocDoc co-founder and CEO. "Thousands of Boston patients have requested that ZocDoc begin serving their area, and we look forward to delivering the improved access to doctors that residents deserve."
According to Dr. Oliver Kharraz, co-founder and Chief Medical Officer of ZocDoc, "Healthcare reform legislation in Massachusetts gave more patients access to doctors, but it also made appointments much harder to obtain. We look forward to improving public health in the Boston area by making it easier than ever to see a great doctor right away, and get well sooner."
Boston is the eleventh region to receive ZocDoc service, and the city was chosen due to high demand in the area for ZocDoc. Thousands of residents voted for ZocDoc to come to their city at http://www.zocdoc.com/vote. ZocDoc currently offers medical appointments in major metropolitan areas including Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Houston, Los Angeles, New York, Philadelphia, Phoenix, San Francisco and Washington, DC. To learn more about ZocDoc, please visit the ZocDoc press room. Keep up on the latest ZocDoc news on the ZocDoc blog, via Twitter or on Facebook.
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