Zocdoc, an online marketplace that helps patients find and book appointments with in-network providers, has partnered with healthcare ratings and patient reviews website Healthgrades, the companies announced last week.
Healthgrades helps people search for the right doctors and hospitals for them based on experience, a background check, patient reviews, insurance and culture competencies. But patients previously haven’t been able to see providers’ availability and book appointments with Healthgrades.
Now, through the partnership with Zocdoc, patients will be able to find providers who accept their insurance, view real-time availability for appointments and book appointments directly through the Healthgrades website.
Providers who are listed on both Healthgrades and Zocdoc will gain “additional reach and patient accessibility,” according to the announcement. They’ll just have to do a one-time activation, and their information will be automatically shared between the two sites.
“This partnership brings Zocdoc’s real-time booking infrastructure directly onto Healthgrades. … If providers are active on both platforms, patients will see their real-time availability on Healthgrades and can book instantly — powered by Zocdoc,” said Oliver Kharraz, MD, founder and CEO of Zocdoc, in an email. “There is nothing new for providers to manage, just another way to reach high-intent patients wherever they are looking for care. At launch, we are unlocking over 16 million hours of bookable appointments, with more to come.”
This partnership will greatly simplify the process of finding a doctor and booking appointments, according to Courtney Jeffus, president of Healthgrades.
“Patients deserve a healthcare experience that is seamless, supportive, and tailored to their specific needs,” Jeffus said in a statement. “Integrating Zocdoc’s real-time booking into Healthgrades’ doctor finder platform is an important step toward that vision. This partnership helps remove obstacles for people seeking support and creates a more connected journey—empowering consumers to move from insight to action and supporting providers in delivering timely, accessible care.”
Finding open appointments is often a significant challenge for patients due to outdated systems. A recent survey from Zocdoc showed that a quarter of Americans “hate” calling the doctor’s office. In addition, more than half of patients who couldn’t reach their doctor had to delay care, while one in three gave up scheduling a visit altogether. By partnering with Healthgrades, Zocdoc hopes to improve these issues.
“Our goal is to ensure patients can schedule care wherever they’re searching – whether it’s on ratings and review sites, Google Business Profiles, health insurance directories, providers’ websites and phone lines, and more, while allowing providers to easily capture and convert that demand,” Kharraz said.
This announcement comes after Zocdoc announced a similar partnership in June with Blue Shield of California, which allows members to find real-time availability of providers in their network and book appointments directly through the insurer’s website.
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