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New Web service can make getting doctor's appointment simpler, quickerDec 06, 2010 (Fort Worth Star-Telegram - McClatchy-Tribune Information Services via COMTEX) -- Getting a doctor's appointment is now as easy as making a dinner reservation online or on your smartphone. And no more waiting on hold listening to boring music. ZocDoc cuts out the receptionist and allows patients to go directly to the physician's appointment book. Lindsay Bessette of Dallas turned to ZocDoc when she needed to see a dermatologist for red, burning skin. "It was literally the easiest doctor's appointment I've ever made," said Bessette, 26. "I was trying to make a same-day appointment with a new physician, and I was able to get an appointment within hours." The great thing about ZocDoc is patients can see the physician's calendar in real time, said Jessica Vaccaro, a spokeswoman for the online service. "We make all appointments available so patients can choose what's best for them," she said. The service, launched in Dallas in October with more than 150,000 appointments available, recently expanded to include physicians in Tarrant County. Most of the Tarrant County doctors are in Fort Worth, Arlington and Grapevine, but more are being added every day, Vaccaro said. So far, the highest demand has been for primary care doctors, obstetrician/gynecologists and dermatologists. Dr. Jeannine Hoang, a dermatologist with offices in Arlington and Mansfield, signed up a month ago because she wanted a greater Internet presence. People Google everything rather than using phone books, she said. "I think it is the wave of future," she said. "This sounded like a new and innovative way for people to find doctors." The service makes it possible for patients to get an appointment quickly, often the same day, Vaccaro said. Cancellations, which often can waste doctors' time, can be rebooked immediately by another patient, she said. Last year, the average wait time to see an obstetrician/gynecologist was 17 days in Dallas, and for a dermatologist it was 18 days, according to a 2009 survey by Merritt Hawkins & Associates. By going to www.ZocDoc.com, patients can also pick a doctor who is close to them and accepts their insurance. An iPhone application recently was added to streamline the process even more. Nationwide, ZocDoc has more than 2.4 million available appointments at any given time. There's no charge for patients to use the service, but doctors pay a monthly fee, around $200, to be listed on the website. ZocDoc was founded in New York in 2007 and has expanded to Chicago, San Francisco and Washington, D.C. Co-founder Cyrus Massoumi came up with the idea after his eardrum ruptured on a trip to New York and he spent four days trying to find a doctor who would take his insurance and book an appointment quickly. Hoang said it's a service that works for patients and doctors. "I think it's really easy for patients and takes the hassle out of calling for an appointment," Hoang said. "It just simplifies the process." Jan Jarvis, 817-390-7664 To see more of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to http://www.dfw.com. Copyright (c) 2010, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Texas Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services. For more information about the content services offered by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services (MCT), visit www.mctinfoservices.com. |