Scheduling appointments can be a significant challenge for patients, often forcing them to navigate multiple portals, download a new app or deal with outdated directories.
That’s why Blue Shield of California, a nonprofit health plan with 6 million members, announced Wednesday that it is teaming up with New York City-based Zocdoc, an online marketplace that helps patients find and book appointments with in-network providers.
Through this partnership, Zocdoc’s technology has been embedded within Blue Shield of California’s “Find a Doctor” feature, where people can find providers based on location, plan, care specialty, etc. Members can now log in and find real-time availability of providers in their network and book appointments within a 90-day window directly through the insurer’s website. They can use this for virtual and in-person care for a variety of needs, including primary care, specialty care, mental health, vision and dental.
Zocdoc’s scheduling software is also embedded on the provider side. Providers who are in-network with Blue Shield of California can integrate their practice calendar with Zocdoc so that patients can see their availability and book appointments directly into their calendars. This is at no cost to the providers.
“When we thought about how we could improve the member experience for scheduling care appointments, we had two options: we could either build this function ourselves, or we could team up with someone who already has the expertise and the system in place to help us. We chose to work with Zocdoc, given their 18+ years of experience leading the way in online appointment booking,” said Jigar Shah, senior vice president and chief marketing officer of Blue Shield of California, in an email.
Previously, members would have had to call the doctor’s office or go to the provider’s app or website to schedule. They could also schedule virtual care appointments through Accolade and TeleMed2U, but this was not in the Find a Doctor tool.
This is Zocdoc’s first such collaboration with a health plan, according to Oliver Kharraz, MD, founder and CEO of the company.
“It is symbolic of our expansion beyond our marketplace to power scheduling wherever patients are seeking care—including within health plans’ provider directories,” Kharraz said. “We’re actively exploring similar opportunities with other forward thinking payors who want to modernize their members’ find-a-doctor experience.”
The partnership comes as many patients battle outdated scheduling systems. According to a recent Zocdoc survey, over half of patients who couldn’t reach their doctor by phone (54%) reported delaying care, and one in three (33%) said they gave up on scheduling a visit altogether. A survey from Kyruus Health, meanwhile, shows that 61% of consumers say that online appointment scheduling is important when choosing a new provider.
Blue Shield of California’s primary goal in this partnership is “to ensure that every member is able to find and schedule a care appointment when they need it,” Shah said.
“We want to make it as easy as possible for our members to get their care, so that they can stay on top of their overall health and well-being,” he added. “We understand that outdated scheduling systems have become a significant barrier to health access, and we’re excited to be working alongside Zocdoc to eliminate those barriers by providing simple, real-time appointment availability and scheduling options to our members.”
Other online scheduling companies included Doctor on Demand and Vitals.
Photo credit: sorbetto, Getty Images
