Zocdoc Announces Completion of its 150th Zocdoc Sync, Powering Online Booking and Driving Scheduling Interoperability Across the Healthcare Industry

Patented, configurable technology aggregates healthcare's appointment inventory, drives ease of integration for providers, and enables seamless online scheduling for patients

NEW YORK, June 21, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Zocdoc, the leading healthcare marketplace that makes it easy for people to find and book in-person or virtual care across +200 specialties and +12k insurance plans, today announced the completion of its 150th Zocdoc Sync. This patented technology is what makes Zocdoc's distinctive healthcare marketplace possible. It allows providers across all specialties to seamlessly integrate their back-end scheduling software with Zocdoc's marketplace to surface their real-time appointment availability. Patients can then book an appointment with the provider who best meets their needs, and Zocdoc Syncs automatically write that appointment into the provider's scheduling software in real-time.

The flexible, configurable technology behind Zocdoc Syncs provides a central point of connection between the hundreds of different kinds of scheduling technology used by providers. Zocdoc wanted people to be able to easily find and book appointments with healthcare providers, so we built 150 EHR integrations. We did so using insights gained from interactions with providers and their support staff; this enabled us to customize the technology, supported by several patents, that powers 245 unique specialties, and saves patients from needing hundreds of logins across multiple offerings. This patented, technological capability is what underlies Zocdoc's ability to empower patients to seamlessly find and book in-network care.

"Unlike other industries — like travel – where there is a central back-end scheduling system, it is challenging to aggregate healthcare appointment inventory in one central place. Solving this problem was complex: different practices use different scheduling software, scheduling rules vary across specialties, not all doctors within a specialty perform all procedures, and different providers accept different sets of insurance plans," said Oliver Kharraz, M.D., Zocdoc founder and CEO. "We successfully built an online booking layer through Zocdoc Syncs, and we continue to add new connections to our platform each month. Ultimately, this technology makes our comprehensive healthcare marketplace possible, and delivers the simple, digital experience patients deserve."

Zocdoc Syncs enable a wide range of providers, from solo practitioners to large care organizations like health systems, to easily connect their existing scheduling software to Zocdoc's marketplace. This allows providers to maintain their existing software and operational practices and avoid burdensome technology migrations. The company has long-term relationships with and has built unique integrations for major healthcare software companies, including Athena, and has an integration available on the Epic App Orchard. Additionally, Zocdoc has built syncs with numerous other EHR companies, including many focused on specialties, such as Allscripts, DrChrono by EverHealth, and PrognoCIS, and dental practice management systems such as Eaglesoft.

Zocdoc's work with these, and many more EHR companies, has helped to:

• Increase practice efficiency for providers. Providers who use Zocdoc Syncs can cut back on manual scheduling and tied-up phone lines by giving patients the ability to book online, leaving more time to do what they do best: care for their patients.
• Automatically surface hidden inventory, accelerating access to care. In healthcare, patients wait an average of 29 days to get in to see a doctor, but providers often have last-minute cancellations and reschedules that go unfilled. Zocdoc Syncs enable patients to see available appointment slots in real time, empowering them to book appointments online, quickly and easily. This accelerates their access to care, as most Zocdoc users see a doctor within 24 - 72 hours of booking.
• Maximize utilization of providers' time. Providers end up utilizing a median of 70% of their time because of the hidden inventory of healthcare: appointment changes that occur with short notice, leading to appointments that go unfilled. By using Zocdoc Syncs to instantly show availability, providers can spend more time seeing patients.
• Reduce complexity. Providers of all sizes use a wide range of EHR and billing systems, have different scheduling parameters, and use distinct methods for insurance verification. Zocdoc Syncs accommodate all of these complex and bespoke requirements, ensuring a seamless experience for providers and patients alike.
• Lead the way on scheduling interoperability. Zocdoc integrated with existing scheduling standards, created standards where there were none, and worked with systems with and without APIs to build a framework that is both highly configurable and extensible. This created a common scheduling interoperability layer. The company is architecting technology that helps providers of all sizes, from large health systems to individual physicians, access and exchange scheduling information, creating a streamlined process to benefit patients and practices.

Altogether, Zocdoc is uniquely positioned to help every type of patient find and book every type of care. The company will continue to grow and deepen its provider network, add new care types to its marketplace, further streamline the search and booking experience, and extend its offerings to improve more aspects of patients' healthcare experience.

If you are an EHR who is interested in partnering with Zocdoc, you can learn more at https://www.zocdoc.com/about/integrate/.

If you are interested in working with Zocdoc to streamline scheduling, and improve Americans' access to care — in-person or virtually — you can learn more at zocdoc.com/join.

Zocdoc is a leading digital healthcare marketplace for in-person or virtual care. Each month, millions of people use our free service, via Zocdoc.com or the Zocdoc app, to find in-network doctors, instantly book in-person or virtual appointments, read reviews from verified users, get reminders for upcoming appointments and preventive checkups, and more. With a mission to give power to the patient, Zocdoc's platform delivers the accessible and simple experience they expect and deserve.

Zocdoc Contact:
Sandra Glading
[email protected]

Epic and App Orchard are trademarks or registered trademarks of Epic Systems Corporation.

SOURCE Zocdoc