Comments on: ZocDoc: One Doc at a Time http://gesterling.wordpress.com/2008/05/06/zocdoc-one-doc-at-a-time/ Greg Sterling's Thoughts on Online and Offline Media Sun, 20 Jul 2008 20:57:27 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=MU By: Greg Sterling http://gesterling.wordpress.com/2008/05/06/zocdoc-one-doc-at-a-time/#comment-130918 Greg Sterling Tue, 06 May 2008 22:03:18 +0000 http://gesterling.wordpress.com/?p=3329#comment-130918 Hard to please. :) Hard to please. :)

]]> By: Scott http://gesterling.wordpress.com/2008/05/06/zocdoc-one-doc-at-a-time/#comment-130916 Scott Tue, 06 May 2008 21:16:49 +0000 http://gesterling.wordpress.com/?p=3329#comment-130916 I would argue tho that even incompetent dr's could appear quite competent to the lay person and, in a variety of specialties, the consumer would never know the difference in terms of actual result if treated by someone totally incompetent. the same can't be said regarding a restaurant or hotel. After all, pretty much anyone can tell if food is horrific or his/her hotel room is dirty. I guess what I am saying is I think consumer reviews for Docs could help weed out the really terrible ones, however, for the other 99% I'm not sure how much value consumer reviews add in this category. I do like the booking engine tho. Anything that can help me make things easier and not talk to a person is good by me :) I would argue tho that even incompetent dr’s could appear quite competent to the lay person and, in a variety of specialties, the consumer would never know the difference in terms of actual result if treated by someone totally incompetent. the same can’t be said regarding a restaurant or hotel. After all, pretty much anyone can tell if food is horrific or his/her hotel room is dirty. I guess what I am saying is I think consumer reviews for Docs could help weed out the really terrible ones, however, for the other 99% I’m not sure how much value consumer reviews add in this category. I do like the booking engine tho. Anything that can help me make things easier and not talk to a person is good by me :)

]]> By: Greg Sterling http://gesterling.wordpress.com/2008/05/06/zocdoc-one-doc-at-a-time/#comment-130914 Greg Sterling Tue, 06 May 2008 20:31:21 +0000 http://gesterling.wordpress.com/?p=3329#comment-130914 You're right that the pubic lacks expert knowledge but this service is nonetheless valuable. Many drs. are arrogant SOBs and many have no people skills and treat their patients like commodities. Communication skills, personality and related "people skills" are relevant to a determination of whether to see a dr. Also people can expose whether drs. explained procedures, we're interested in alternatives to invasive treatments, etc. Right now there's almost no information out there for the public and many people make choices based on very little information. So anything is helpful. Implied in your comment is the idea that docs might be chosen for the wrong reasons. But I don't think anyone will confuse "short wait" or "nice receptionist" with competent dr. performance. You’re right that the pubic lacks expert knowledge but this service is nonetheless valuable. Many drs. are arrogant SOBs and many have no people skills and treat their patients like commodities. Communication skills, personality and related “people skills” are relevant to a determination of whether to see a dr. Also people can expose whether drs. explained procedures, we’re interested in alternatives to invasive treatments, etc.

Right now there’s almost no information out there for the public and many people make choices based on very little information. So anything is helpful.

Implied in your comment is the idea that docs might be chosen for the wrong reasons. But I don’t think anyone will confuse “short wait” or “nice receptionist” with competent dr. performance.

]]> By: Scott http://gesterling.wordpress.com/2008/05/06/zocdoc-one-doc-at-a-time/#comment-130913 Scott Tue, 06 May 2008 20:17:50 +0000 http://gesterling.wordpress.com/?p=3329#comment-130913 Do you think doctor ratings will ever be a means as to how most people pick a doctor. The problem I have with this vs. other ratings and review categories (e.g. restaurants, hotels, etc) is I would argue 99% of the doctor going public does not have the knowledge base necessary to properly gauge a dr's performance. Sure, I can tell if they are nice, or treated me well, or had a short wait, but I have no idea if they ran the right tests or treated me in the most appropriate manner b/c for the most part I know nothing about diagnostic medicine. Thus, more important reviews that I think people would consider are from either other doctors or people/publications with some medical knowledge. Do you think doctor ratings will ever be a means as to how most people pick a doctor. The problem I have with this vs. other ratings and review categories (e.g. restaurants, hotels, etc) is I would argue 99% of the doctor going public does not have the knowledge base necessary to properly gauge a dr’s performance. Sure, I can tell if they are nice, or treated me well, or had a short wait, but I have no idea if they ran the right tests or treated me in the most appropriate manner b/c for the most part I know nothing about diagnostic medicine. Thus, more important reviews that I think people would consider are from either other doctors or people/publications with some medical knowledge.

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