ZocDoc nabs $50M, plans expansion to revolutionize appointments

Online doctor appointment startup ZocDoc announced today that is has raised a cool $50 million from DST Global.

“Of all the things you have to book in your life, booking health care services is arguably the most frustrating,” ZocDoc CEO Cyrus Massoumi told VentureBeat. “Our belief is that for all those people who book services like travel, hotels or restaurants online, health care is the most important service and should have easy access.”

The funding will go toward expanding into more cities across the U.S. and, eventually, around the world. ZocDoc currently serves nine U.S. cities, including New York, San Francisco, Houston, Atlanta and Los Angeles.

“Given the well-documented need for change in the healthcare system, both in the U.S. and worldwide, ZocDoc brings much-needed transparency and efficiency to an immense industry that’s long been difficult to navigate,” said Yuri Milner, founder of DST Global, in a statement. “We look forward to a future in which ZocDoc is the platform for empowered patients to manage all of their care online.”

ZocDoc charges doctors $250 a month to list their practice and let patients find them with ease, set up appointments and rate their bedside manner and professionalism. Well-rated doctors attract more patients and more attention online from ZocDoc’s 700,000 monthly users.

“If doctors get one to two new patients a month, the service pays for itself,” said Massoumi. “It’s a very reasonable pricing model.”

Previously, ZocDoc had raised a total of about $19 million, with investments coming from the likes of Founders Fund and Khosla Ventures.

As someone who’s used ZocDoc to find a primary-care physician in New York, I think the service is strong and helps find quality doctors and set up medical appointments. Here’s hoping the company remains as dedicated to serving patients as it is now while it expands to more cities.