Patients across the Delhi/NCR region can now book online appointments with doctors with the launch of HelpingDoc. Founded by UK-based professionals, HelpingDoc will provide an online gateway for patients to connect with healthcare providers by accessing the website 24/7 to search for and book instant appointments with doctors. The service, available free of cost to patients, also provides a provision to book appointments over telephone through HelpingDoc’s call centre. Healthcare practitioners can avail the services for a nominal fee of Rs 499 per month. HelpingDoc can be accessed at www.helpingdoc.com.
HelpingDoc was launched with initial funding by the founders—Amit Bansal, Founder and CEO, Srinivas Gattamneni, Director of Venture Development and Julian Hall, Director of Technology and Dr Hemant Singhal, Director of Medical Affairs.HelpingDoc will enable doctors to have greater visibility on the Internet, helping patients get better accessibility to these highly qualified physicians (all doctors associated with HelpingDoc have post graduate qualifications). It will significantly reduce wait time for patients while enabling doctors to outsource their front office operations.
Following the online booking of appointments, reminders by SMS will be sent to both patients and doctors. Patients can also review the doctors on the HelpingDoc portal.
HelpingDoc has seen more than 400 visitors to its website daily. Over 14000 visitors have visited the website as of May 29, 2012. By the close of 2012, the monthly visits are expected to rise to 100, 000 visitors every month.
“While medical treatment has greatly advanced over the last few decades, delivery of medical services has lacked structure, transparency and accessibility. With the launch of HelpingDoc, we will not only provide patients with access to quality healthcare practitioners, but will also contribute towards providing structure to the delivery of secondary healthcare services in India” said Amit Bansal, CEO, HelpingDoc.
“By merging advances in technology, social media and increased Internet penetration, HelpingDoc has created a platform which enables healthcare practitioners to connect with their patients. While patients can avail HelpingDoc free of cost to access services of highly qualified healthcare practitioners, doctors can outsource their front office operations at a minimal cost. It’s a win-win situation for both doctors and patients,” said Dr Hemant Singhal, Director, Medical Affairs.
EH News Bureau