Fakhri K.
With the rise of new technologies and the evolution of the legislative framework, digital health has made a real leap forward in several countries around the world. In France, the platform Doctolib is one of the undeniable locomotives of this booming field. The principle of this Franco-German company is simple: patients can make an appointment on the Internet with Doctolib specialists or general practitioners… But it's not just that.
With a value of 5,8 billion euros, Doctolib has become, in 2021, the most valued French start-up in France. Exponential growth that intensified during the COVID-19 health crisis. Between February and April 2020, the Franco-German platform recorded more than 2,5 million teleconsultations carried out from its site, i.e. since the start of the pandemic. What explains such success? How does Doctolib work? This is what we will explain via the guide of the day.
Table of contents
Doctolib: principles and features
The Cloud is at the heart of how Doctolib works. The platform, as a reminder, was developed by Ivan Schneider and Jessy Bernal, its two founders. There was also Philippe Vimard, CTO (Chief technical officer) of the company.
It is therefore based on proprietary technology that was designed in-house. Open, it can easily be linked to other medical software. This is the case, for example, of hospital information systems, or practice management solutions.
Business Intelligence
It is one of the practical tools integrated in Doctolib. Intended for doctors, Business Intelligence allows them to carry out tailor-made consultations, thus avoiding missed appointments. The device works on the basis of emails, SMS and memos. It also gives the possibility to cancel an appointment online.
Over time, in partnership with its various customers, Doctolib has been able to develop other functionalities. Moreover, aware of the high demand on its site, the Franco-German company often uses the model Agile. Through this, it has the possibility of accelerating the development of a given device, in order to deploy it quickly.
The possibility of making an appointment at any time
For their part, patients have the option of booking a consultation at any time, regardless of the day of the week. They also have the option to cancel it. It is through their user accounts that they can do this. This also allows them to receive notifications from doctors.
Teleconsultation on Doctolib: how does it work?
It's a convenient service offered since 2019, well before the COVID-19 pandemic. It is provided by videoconference and takes place entirely remotely. Of course, some consultations require a direct examination. However, teleconsultation via Doctolib proved to be very practical during the March 2020 confinement. Patients can also obtain prescriptions and pay for the consultation online.
What does Doctolib bring to doctors?
To be able to use Doctolib, a doctor must pay a monthly subscription. It is on this principle that the business plan of the start-up is based. This is a non-binding subscription. Also, practitioners have the possibility to terminate it at any time.
The user interface is smooth and simple to use. In order to simplify it further, Doctolib works closely with doctors to find out their needs and adapt its services.
What does Doctolib bring to patients?
In addition to the possibility of booking a teleconsultation at any time, Doctolib allows patients to access a rich directory of doctors. They can also access an extensive list of healthcare facilities.
The platform displays contact details, but also useful information on healthcare professionals. Patients can also access their personal space from a computer or mobile device (smartphone, tablet, etc.).
What are the main advantages of Doctolib?
These are not the advantages that are missing with the Doctolib platform. First of all, the Franco-German company makes it possible to drastically reduce the number of calls received by a doctor. Then, it is an excellent solution that reduces the number of missed appointments. According to the latest estimates, these can drop by 75%.
Benefits for doctors
With the Doctolib platform, a practitioner has a better chance of becoming known. It can also boost the development of the community of its patients. Not only: the platform allows him to increase his income, while reducing secretarial time. The time saved is also notable thanks, in particular, to teleconsultations and the reduction of missed appointments.
Benefits for patients
A patient, for his part, has a whole list of health professionals in front of him thanks to Doctolib. Even more: the platform allows him to better understand his care journey. He will then be able to better protect his health.
Making an appointment on Doctolib: how does it work?
To make an appointment via Doctolib with doctors, simply go to the platform's official website. The operation can be carried out via computer or mobile. Once logged in, choose the specialty of the doctor you need. Also enter their name and your region of residence.
You will have no trouble recognizing practitioners practicing teleconsultation. These are marked with special logos. Once the choice is made, you must check the box "make an appointment". Thereafter, the site will ask you for your identifiers (login and password) in order to finalize the operation.
For your information, you will not need third-party software to perform a teleconsultation. In fact, everything happens on Doctolib. Just make sure you have a good internet connection.
Doctolib: what about data protection?
The data stored on the Doctolib platform is very sensitive. The question of their protection therefore inevitably arises. The platform guarantees the security of your data. This is one of its most important commitments. Before storing your information, it has obtained special authorization from the government and the Commission Nationale de l'Informatique et des Libertés (CNIL).
However, in computing, nothing is invulnerable. In 2020, in the midst of the COVID-19 crisis, the Franco-German start-up announced that it had been affected by a data theft. No less than 6128 appointments were stolen because of this attack.
Few people affected, but...
Admittedly, the number of people affected by this attack is rather small. However, it is the nature of the hacked data that worries. Also, the hackers were able to obtain the telephone numbers of the users, as well as their email addresses and the specialty of their attending physicians.
A serious security problem?
This episode did not fail to tarnish Doctolib's image. Despite all the advantages it offers, it is not free from disadvantages. And its main flaw lies, precisely, in security.
Indeed, the company does not encrypt the data from end to end in order to protect it. This information was revealed by a survey conducted by France Inter. The platform has faced other equally serious problems. In August 2022, Radio France revealed that fake doctors practiced there, including naturopaths.
Doctolib: our opinion
Doctolib really does not lack assets. It is an easy-to-use and practical platform for both patients and doctolib doctors. It is fully in line with the digital health perspective.
Only, the French start-up should still work on data security. It must also set up an effective authentication system in order to avoid fraud and exclude bogus doctors.
