{"id":18353,"date":"2024-07-19T10:56:05","date_gmt":"2024-07-19T15:56:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.zocdoc.com\/resources\/blog\/article\/\/"},"modified":"2024-07-19T10:56:05","modified_gmt":"2024-07-19T15:56:05","slug":"9-healthcare-insights-from-zocdoc-ceo-oliver-kharraz-md","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.zocdoc.com\/resources\/blog\/article\/9-healthcare-insights-from-zocdoc-ceo-oliver-kharraz-md\/","title":{"rendered":"9 Healthcare Insights from Zocdoc CEO, Oliver Kharraz, MD"},"content":{"rendered":"

Zocdoc CEO and founder, Oliver Kharraz, MD, recently <\/span>joined The Beat podcast<\/span><\/a> with Gautam Gulati, MD to discuss the evolving landscape of healthcare, what patients want, and the pivotal role Zocdoc plays. Here are nine key takeaways:<\/span><\/p>\n

1. The healthcare system must prioritize a patient-centric approach<\/h2>\n

\u201cToo often we think about healthcare from the perspective of the care provider, of the financial sponsors, and the technology giants that have developed in healthcare, and too little from the perspective of the patient,\u201d says Kharraz. There needs to be a shift toward prioritizing patient needs and experiences, as the entire system ultimately exists to serve them, he notes.<\/span><\/p>\n

2. Patients are overwhelmed by choice and need guidance<\/h2>\n

When searching for a provider, patients face an overwhelming array of choices and they don\u2019t know where to start. That\u2019s where Zocdoc comes in. \u201cWe act as a private sector interoperability layer for healthcare logistics,\u201d says Kharraz. \u201cWe help patients answer critical questions like ‘Where should I go?’, ‘Who\u2019s available in my neighborhood?’, and ‘Who takes my insurance?’\u201d This patient-centric approach simplifies the complex healthcare system, making it easier for patients to confidently navigate their options.<\/span><\/p>\n

3. Near-term availability is more important to patients than brand reputation<\/h2>\n

Currently the national average wait to see a primary care provider is 26 days. It\u2019s even longer to see a specialist. \u201cIncreasingly, consumers want care on their schedule. <\/span>Are you accessible in the next 24 to 72 hours<\/span><\/a>? That gives you a much bigger leg up than the strongest brand you could imagine,\u201d says Kharraz.<\/span><\/p>\n

4. Patients want to be loyal<\/h2>\n

Despite the abundance of choices, <\/span>new patients want to become long-term patients<\/span><\/a>. \u201cPatients want to be loyal,\u201d says Kharraz. \u201cWhen an initial decision is made, then the patient wants to sustain that relationship.\u201d This means it\u2019s more important than ever for providers to be where the patients are searching and capture them at their first decision point. \u201cYou need to do more to break through and be that initial choice that the patient is then loyal to,\u201d explains Kharraz.<\/span><\/p>\n

The data shows <\/span>80% percent of Zocdoc users return to the same provider<\/span><\/a>, and 70% choose a provider within driving distance even for virtual visits. This is good news, since patients that return again and again <\/span>generate the most revenue<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

5. Patients value \u201cpre-meeting\u201d providers with reviews and photos<\/h2>\n

\u201cConsumers like to pre-meet their providers, so how you present yourself matters,\u201d says Kharraz. \u201cYour reviews matter. Your photos matter.\u201d Since patients want to be loyal, they care about finding the best fit right away and having as much information as possible before booking. Having <\/span>trustworthy reviews and more photos<\/span><\/a> on your website or Zocdoc profile directly translates to more bookings.<\/span><\/p>\n

6. Telehealth complements in-person care, but is not a replacement<\/h2>\n

Telehealth saw an 80% increase in adoption during the pandemic, but when in-person visits are possible, over 90% of patients choose them, notes Kharraz. It\u2019s still important to offer telehealth whenever possible, since the majority of patients prefer a hybrid model (providers that offer both in-person and telehealth visits) within driving distance.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cTelehealth isn\u2019t the car replacing a horse-drawn buggy, it\u2019s an e-scooter,\u201d says Kharraz. \u201cMaybe you take it down to the convenience store occasionally, but you\u2019ll never go to the airport with it.\u201d In other words, telehealth is a useful, complementary option, but not a total replacement for in-person care.<\/span><\/p>\n

7. Data and AI can enhance the patient experience<\/h2>\n

Zocdoc leverages 17 years of proprietary data and also takes advantage of machine learning to enhance its search algorithm and better serve patients. \u201cOur search algorithm is educated by tens of millions of overall interactions that consumers have had with that search algorithm,\u201d says Kharraz. \u201cThat puts us in a position to be a really fantastic tool for them to use to find their doctor. As we scale, it becomes an even more powerful tool.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

8. Zocdoc\u2019s free Practice Solutions saves time for both providers and patients<\/h2>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s a lot of administrative tasks that make a practice less efficient and that contribute to burnout,\u201d says Kharraz. \u201cAs part of that, Zocdoc launched <\/span>Practice Solutions<\/span><\/a>, a suite of tools that are completely free for any provider to use,\u201d he adds. These tools streamline the intake process, retain patient information on forms so they can be reused with the click of a button, and adapt forms to provider preferences. This ensures a smoother experience for both patients and front office staff.<\/span><\/p>\n

9. Pricing transparency will play a significant role in the healthcare industry<\/h2>\n

As healthcare costs and out-of-pocket expenses rise, patients are increasingly evaluating self-pay options and weighing the trade-offs between more and less expensive services. \u201cWe\u2019re learning a lot about how consumers trade off,\u201d says Kharraz. \u201cWhen do they trade up to a more expensive service? When do they trade down to a less expensive service? This is going to be an interesting field of study as this price transparency becomes broadly available as to where you position yourself in the value chain. It\u2019s quite possible that, like in many other industries, you don\u2019t want to be in the middle. You\u2019re either all the way on one end or the other.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Ultimately, prioritizing patient preferences including speed to care, trust, and transparency is paramount. Zocdoc’s innovative approach as the largest healthcare marketplace of its kind aims to simplify healthcare logistics, enhance the patient experience, and ensure providers can save time and deliver high-quality care while growing their patient base. In the future, pricing transparency will significantly influence patient decisions.<\/span><\/p>\n

Check out <\/span>the podcast<\/span><\/a> for the full conversation and Zocdoc\u2019s <\/span>What Patients Want<\/span><\/a> webinar for more industry insights.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Zocdoc CEO and founder, Oliver Kharraz, MD, recently joined The Beat podcast with Gautam Gulati, MD to discuss the evolving landscape of healthcare, what patients want, and the pivotal role Zocdoc plays. Here are nine key takeaways: 1. The healthcare system must prioritize a patient-centric approach \u201cToo often we think about healthcare from the perspective […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":48,"featured_media":17755,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[111],"tags":[121],"class_list":["post-18353","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-healthcare-trends","tag-general-healthcare"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n9 Healthcare Insights from Zocdoc CEO, Oliver Kharraz, MD - Practice Resources<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Zocdoc\u2019s CEO shares data on what patients want and industry predictions.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.zocdoc.com\/resources\/blog\/article\/9-healthcare-insights-from-zocdoc-ceo-oliver-kharraz-md\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"9 Healthcare Insights from Zocdoc CEO, Oliver Kharraz, MD - 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