ZocDoc Launch Improves Access to Medical Care in San Diego

USA - English

• Latin America - español

SAN DIEGO, Jan. 30, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Today ZocDoc, a free service for patients to find nearby doctors who accept their insurance and instantly book appointments online, launches in the greater San Diego area. Local primary care physicians, obstetrician-gynecologists, and dermatologists are now offering medical appointments through ZocDoc. Additional doctors, specialties, and appointment times are continually being added.

(Logo:  http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20111128/NY11439LOGO )

ZocDoc is improving access to medical care by allowing patients to find doctors based on specialty, location, insurance plan, and languages spoken. Patients are able to view the doctor's available appointment times and qualifications, along with verified reviews from other patients, allowing them to choose and instantly book an appointment with the best medical provider for their needs.

"Following the overwhelming success and positive feedback we have received since bringing ZocDoc to Los Angeles one year ago, we are thrilled to announce that we are expanding our service in Southern California," said ZocDoc founder and CEO Cyrus Massoumi. "ZocDoc will help San Diegans get the medical care they need, when they need it."

San Diego residents wait over 20 days on average for a medical appointment, according to a study by healthcare search and consulting firm Merritt Hawkins. ZocDoc's unique system reveals a hidden supply of doctor and dentist appointments, such as those that result from last minute cancellations, and makes them available instantly online. ZocDoc delivers shorter wait times for patients and increased efficiency for medical providers. Forty percent of all appointments scheduled by ZocDoc users occur within 24 hours, and 60 percent take place within three days.

To use the service, patients visit the ZocDoc website (or use the free mobile app) to enter in their location, insurance plan, and the type of healthcare provider they wish to see. ZocDoc then shows each doctor's schedule in real-time, along with tools such as reviews and qualifications, to help patients choose the practitioner who best fits their needs. Patients then select a timeslot, and complete a brief checkout process to instantly book an appointment. ZocDoc even sends e-mail and text message reminders with the doctor's information to help patients remember to attend their appointments, as well as reminders when it is time for their next checkup or dental cleaning.

"At ZocDoc, our mission is to improve access to healthcare," said Dr. Oliver Kharraz, ZocDoc founder and COO. "By removing some of the barriers to receiving medical care, we hope that San Diego residents will feel empowered to take control of their health."

San Diego is the 15th region to receive ZocDoc service, and the city was chosen due to high demand in the area for ZocDoc. Thousands of residents asked ZocDoc to bring its service to their city by voting for San Diego at ZocDoc.com/vote. ZocDoc currently offers medical appointments in major metropolitan areas including Atlanta, Baltimore, Boston, Chicago, Dallas-Fort Worth, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami-Palm Beach, New York, Philadelphia, Phoenix, San Diego, San Francisco, Seattle, and Washington, DC. To learn more about ZocDoc, please visit the ZocDoc press room. Follow the latest ZocDoc news on the ZocDoc blog, via Twitter, or on Facebook.

About ZocDoc

ZocDoc, founded in 2007, is improving access to healthcare by enabling patients to search for doctors, sort by location and insurance accepted, read verified reviews, and instantly book an appointment online or via the free ZocDoc Apps for iPhone, Android, and BlackBerry. There are more than 5.5 million medical appointments available on ZocDoc. Over 800,000 people use ZocDoc to find a doctor or dentist each month.

CONTACT: Allison Braley, +1-917-553-8644, [email protected]

SOURCE ZocDoc