How It Works
How does an OkDoctor search work?
Patients using our portal can search using the search bar on our homepage by simply typing:
- a symptom / disease
- a performance
- a medical / specialty category
- Specialist's name and surname
Searches can be located by city, region.
For example, patients who seek online counseling may choose to see professionals in a specific city or not, depending on your needs. We know that patients often prefer to see specialists close to home or work, but At a time of urgency, as the COVID-19 experience and quarantine have shown us in recent months, we do not want to rule out any possibility. Patients can find a specialist available for consultation online, no matter where they are. his studio is located.
Once you've done a search, You can refine your results using filters for online pathologies, services, insurance, and tips. Finally, you can choose to see only visiting specialists < strong> children , only those who have a bookable agenda online and indicate your preferred profile (specialist or medical center).
Each search is; Patient-oriented. Our marketplace It was created to benefit patients and allow them to choose the best specialist in a completely independent way, according to their needs. This is the reason for the research results and the unique positioning of the specialists for each patient and for each research. Since new specialists create a profile on OkDoctor every day and every hour, results fluctuate dynamically daily . Our goal is; to ensure that each patient achieves the desired results.
What are the factors that determine the position of a specialist or medical center in the list of results?
We consider a variety of factors, each focused on the patient's experience. Patient searches is one of the most important issues. important: it means that the order of the specialists in the search results may vary depending on the research metrics used by the patients. Each profile is evaluated based on the patient's experience and what is attractive and relevant to the research at that time. To help professionals maximize their efforts, we also evaluate the number of online bookings previously obtained.
Since the search results are unique to each patient, the list oscillates dynamically based on the "search" initiated by each patient, the time availability of the specialists, and finally also based on filters used. In addition, if activating your specialist's Premium profile is recent and / or if your subscription is First Class and presented to patients, it could vary just as dynamically.
We believe that the needs of patients and specialists are unique and may differ depending on the specialty / medical category. For this reason, we have formed a team of specialized consultants, who have the task of following and guiding our clients leading them to success .
There are, however, some basic tips that every specialist should follow in order to get a good profile and therefore a good conversion of traffic into bookings and reviews. Let's see below what these are.
- Reservation and availability; schedule
Users using our portal are looking for a specialist to make an online reservation. This is why having an online bookable agenda is an essential element for every professional. Our goal is; offer a wide range of specialists to choose from and book a visit, making the online search and booking experience as much as possible; completely possible. Each user's search criteria may vary from person to person: Some come to OkDoctor with the need to book a visit urgently, others do not have such a time constraint. tight and prefer to find the time that best suits their needs. For this reason, we strongly suggest that each specialist set the actual reception times and keep them up to date, in order to offer an alternative to each type of patient (it may happen, for example, that some patients may have to book a weekend visit.).
- Build an attractive profile
We consider that a fundamental aspect is to attract the attention of users in the "exploratory" phase, ie when they search and compare results. To do this, it is important to provide all the details necessary for the patient to make a choice. It is important that the specialist's profile is "attractive", accurate and up to date. To do this, we suggest:
- Insert an appropriate profile picture
- List all services performed at the clinic, including prices and any insurance (we remind you that it is quite unlikely that a patient will visit if they cannot know the price, price range or insurance coverage)
- Complete your profile accurately (describe yourself as a professional - talk about your experience and specialty; provide details such as what types of patients are being treated, what languages are spoken, or how to get to the office). />
- Patient feedback matters
We know that patients are particularly interested in the opinions of other patients and that this is why reviews can influence their choice. This is why we believe that every specialist should be open to reviews. In addition, we believe that a professional who takes the time to respond to reviews, whether positive or not, shows attention and commitment to the patient, two other key aspects in the decision-making process.
Reviews are therefore an important element in assessing patient experience. This does not mean that we only consider the number of reviews: on the contrary, we also evaluate the quality and timeliness; of the same (how recent they are).
- Patients who re-register
Because our main goal is; patient experience, we constantly monitor and study our market positioning criteria. In this regard, we have introduced an additional variable that affects the order of the results of a search. In addition to reviews, we also consider the number of patients who re-book online after the first visits to the same specialist. We believe that a patient who re-book online is a sign that the specialist has provided a good experience. By patients who book online again, we therefore refer to patients who book a visit to the same specialist through OkDoctor. We also know that the number of patients who re-book a visit to the same professional may vary depending on the medical branch, which is why our algorithm also takes this additional variable into account. To help professionals improve the patient experience, and from this point of view, we offer some specific tools useful for educating patients to take advantage of online booking.
What types of profiles are available on OkDoctor?
a BASIC profile - a free account that allows you to build your profile by entering basic information about your profession and professional experience. For example, a specialist with a BASIC profile may receive reviews, but may not receive online bookings from the online address book, a feature dedicated to PREMIUM and FIRST CLASS accounts.
a PREMIUM profile - this option allows you to access many more; services and functionality; which allow you to gain more visibility, convert traffic into online bookings, and provide better services and a better patient experience. For example, if a specialist has a PREMIUM profile it is; Patients may be allowed to book a visit online. You can also manage your visits using our calendar and take advantage of many other benefits thanks to all the other features; available.
a PLATINUM profile - Specialists who wish can obtain, by rotation and depending on the combination of medical category and city, a higher position; topped the list of results by paying an additional fee. The number of First Class profiles is; limited. Moreover, these profiles can be identified in the results list by a special badge. In order for a specialist to have access to this opportunity, certain quality criteria must be met, always aiming to provide an optimal experience for the patient.
