How to Build a Doctor Appointment App Like ZocDoc

People are becoming more health-conscious than ever before, which is always good news to hear. After all, If you are not well, you will not be able to enjoy the pleasures of life. The healthcare scene has reached a whole new stage with the advent of wearables and artificial intelligence technologies. However, there are a few underlying problems that must be addressed.

Young people, also known as Millennials, are drawn to something that makes their lives easier and more comfortable. Whether it’s for food delivery, online shopping, or online ticket booking, they prefer time-saving and superior technology over conventional, time-consuming, and uncomfortable practices.

An online doctor appointment scheduling service is a solution to the long lines outside of doctors’ offices. The success of healthcare applications like Practo, Doctor on Demand, and ZocDoc suggests that long lines will soon be a thing of the past.

ZocDoc is a mobile application that incorporates an internet-based SaaS tool to connect doctors and patients. It enables patients to order needed medications online, schedule health check-ups, contact physicians online, and, in emergency situations, make an appointment with the appropriate doctor.

It is an online booking portal/app in the Healthcare sector where any individual can consult and receive health advice from the appropriate physicians, as well as make reservations at any time that is convenient for them. And that’s not all; the app also includes an online directory of doctors who have completed qualifications in their respective fields of study. The user may choose a doctor from the list for medical appointments and consultations based on their expertise, specialty, feedback, and ratings.

Zocdoc – The Doctor Appointment App’s Growth Timeline

ZocDoc is among the most widely used apps for scheduling medical visits in the United States.

ZocDoc was founded in 2007 and secured a Round A funding worth $3 million led by Khosla Ventures in August 2008, followed by $15 million in the Series B round in July 2010. But that didn’t stop there, they gathered around $75 million in a Series C round in September 2011, and finally $130 million in a last round of funding in August 2015.

Every month, more than six million patients use ZocDoc to book over 1,800 different medical procedures across 50 different specialties. Both physicians and patients will find the program simple to use and appealing at first glance.

According to Kharraz, it’s a win-win situation for both doctors and patients. Patients who use Zocdoc become “serial clients,” according to him. Doctors pay a $3,000 annual fee and “love the service,” according to Kharraz, because it “improves the way their company operates, ensuring they see patients every hour of the day that they’re available.”

Must Have Features in a Doctor’s Appointment App like ZocDoc

• Telemedicine
• Geo Location based search
• At home medical service 
• In built payment options
• Stakeholder’s profile
• Patient check in from the app
• Reminder for appointments
• Doctor Review
• Appointment booking
• Doctor and clinic search
• User’s Profile
• SOS
• Push Notifications
• Chat options
• Customer Support
• Search
• Document sharing

ZocDoc’s App Workflow

ZocDoc’s workflow can be divided into two different sections:

• For Patients

Consumers benefit from Zocdoc’s search, information, and convenience features. 

• • Zocdoc addresses the issue of finding a doctor by allowing customers to search through a database of local doctors and filter by form of medicine (i.e., generalist, vision, ENT, etc. ), insurance approval, place, availability, gender, ratings, and more.

• • It also addresses a lack of (information on the customer side). Consumer input ratings shed light on this black box, providing information on promptness of service, bedside manner, and other factors. Healthcare is one sector where quality of service is generally unmonitored (with the exception of malpractice) – consumer input ratings shed light on this black box, providing information on promptness of service, bedside manner, and other factors.

• • Finally, Zocdoc enables booking convenience. Instead of calling a doctor’s office and waiting on hold to make an appointment, one can do it online, which streamlines an otherwise inefficient procedure in comparison to other industries in the modern era. The platform then sends schedule confirmations and updates via email.

• For Medical Professionals

Zocdoc makes scheduling and check-in easier for physicians and healthcare staff, as well as serves as a customer acquisition tool.

• • Using the Zocdoc app to migrate scheduling from phone to online frees up administrative workers at physician offices to focus on more pressing or higher-level tasks. Similarly, online check-in, which involves entering medical records and insurance information, speeds up the check-in process and allows administrative staff to spread out their workload and complete non-urgent tasks during off-peak hours.

• • Furthermore, one of Zocdoc’s most important services is physician marketing. It increases visibility and recognition while also serving as a customer acquisition tool and filling excess space. Strong customer ratings will also favour high-performing doctors, who can be praised for their quality of service.

ZocDoc’s Monetization Strategy

The cost of developing a ZocDoc Application is ultimately covered by the revenue generated by its use. As a result, when creating such an app, it is critical that the business model be established and all revenue sources are identified.

The following are the top five ZocDoc App revenue models:

• Commission Based

This approach allows the app’s owners to earn a percentage of any transaction between a doctor and a patient that takes place on the app. The app serves as a forum for doctors to connect with patients and expand their practice. As a result, a small commission is deducted from their commission-based app payments.

• Subscriptions

By subscribing to the app, users can access its premium features. Users will be charged a reasonable fee for this subscription. For $99 a month, HealthTap, for example, provides unrestricted access to consult doctors through text messages or live video chat.

• In-App Advertising

One of the most popular and commonly used business models is in-app advertising. In this model, the pathology laboratories and pharmaceutical firms pay to have their advertisements shown in the app for promotional purposes. The app thus serves as a platform for them to promote their services to patients and grow their business.

• Video Consultation Fees

Apps like “Doctor On Demand”, one of the competitors, are one of the few apps that charge for live video consultations. For a 15-minute video consultation with a doctor, the app charges about $40.

• Featured Listing

A platform like ZocDoc will potentially provide a large database of doctors who are willing to help patients by providing their services. These doctors can have similar backgrounds, credentials, and ratings, making it difficult for them to stand out from the long list of candidates. As a result, doctors will invest in putting their names at the top of the lists so that patients see their profiles first.

 

Suitable Team Structure to Build a Doctor Appointment App

• 1 Front end Developer
• 2-3 QA Specialists
• 2-3 Android/IoS developers
• 1-2 Backend Developers
• Graphic Designers
• 1 Project Manager

Technology Stack for a Doctor Appointment App Like ZocDoc

Application and Data

• Javascript
• Python
• Node.JS
• Kafka
• Go
• Swift
• Scala
• Finatra
• Redux
• TypeScript
• Amazon S3

Utilities

• Elasticsearch

DevOps

• Docker
• Kibana
• Ansible
• Sentry
• Travis CI
• TeamCity

Business Tools

• Slack
• Confluence
• G Suite

Tips For Building An App Like ZocDoc

Here are some smart tips to consider while building an app like ZocDoc-

• Domains of Specialization should be reduced.

Your app would need to include various databases and categories in order to display doctors’ specializations. This will take more time and require more complex creation on the backend. It necessitates extensive development in order to feed a large database and records, which costs money to retrieve. Keep the software available for at least 4 to 5 specializations or for someone in particular. Make applications only for physiotherapy or dental issues, for example.

• Save On The Geographical Boundaries.

When it comes to data collection, getting information from all over the world and then extracting it to save it can be difficult on your wallet and money. You can start by launching the app in a small area and then gradually extend the boundaries as revenue and returns flow in.

• Add-ons should be kept to a minimum.

Features such as blogs, wellness stories, and food recipes increase the positive perception of your product. They serve as an additional benefit to users in order to improve customer loyalty. When it comes to cost-cutting, certain functions can be skipped in favor of adding them later.

• Save Your Bucks on Panels.

Two panels are needed to create an app like ZocDoc: the Doctor Panel and the Patient Panel. Both of these panels must be filled and run by different individuals. The doctor and the patient will communicate through these panels and have an online video consultation.

If you remove one panel, your app will become less interactive but more informative. Your app could be used to browse information about physicians, and then appointments could be manually scheduled. As a result, the software will be insightful and ready to use at a low cost in the beginning. The other panel, on the other hand, can be added after revenue has been produced.

• Save On The Platforms.

ZocDoc is an app that works on both Android and iOS devices. Since it must be user-friendly on both platforms, it must be configured in two separate ways on each. You can start or launch the app on Android (which is preferred because it has a larger user base) and then move to IOS after generating enough revenue and turnover.

• Concentrate on your main feature.

This is a clever way to save money while also standing out from the crowd of online doctor appointment applications. You can sacrifice some of the above-mentioned features when investing in that extra unique feature that is still new to your target audience. For instance, your app may have a bidding function where users can enter their budget and request a consultation. The doctors who receive the request will then respond with a fee proposal. The appointment is scheduled if all parties agree on a price.

Conclusion

In today’s world, developing an appointment booking app has a lot of potentials. The explanation for this is that it is gaining popularity and has less competition, allowing it to easily capture the market. If you’re trying to create a fitness app, try to focus on the app’s usability and database. The rest can be changed depending on your budget and current emphasis. 

See Also:

• How to develop an On Demand Pediatrics App Like Biloba
• Steps to Make an On Demand Beauty Services App

FAQs For Building a Doctor Appointment Booking App