Zocdoc Isn’t the Problem. Misusing It Is.

Erik Petersen

3d • Common DPC Mistakes

This may be one of the most important conversations we have in this community.

Zocdoc gets blamed a lot in DPC circles:

“Low-quality patients”
“Price shoppers”
“High no-show rates”
“Terrible ROI”

Some of that criticism is fair.

Some of it misses the point entirely.

Let’s start with an honest question:

What kind of patients actually use Zocdoc?

In our experience, they tend to fall into a few buckets:

People who are frustrated with access
People who are new to the area
People who are used to transactional healthcare
People who believe “covered = cared for” (until it isn’t)
And yes—some are price shoppers

That doesn’t make them bad patients.

It makes them uneducated patients—and that distinction matters.

Where practices get Zocdoc wrong

Zocdoc is not:

❌ A relationship platform

❌ A loyalty channel

❌ A long-term acquisition engine

Zocdoc is:

✅ A discovery tool

✅ A moment of intent

✅ A chance to redirect the patient journey

The mistake happens when practices treat a Zocdoc booking like a win—when it’s actually just step one.

How we re-framed Zocdoc inside FirstCall DPC

We never built Zocdoc into our system as “marketing.”

We built it as a controlled intake valve feeding into GoHighLevel.

Here’s what that looks like operationally:

1️⃣ Zocdoc → GHL (email-based trigger)

Since Zocdoc doesn’t fire webhooks:

Appointment emails route into GHL
GHL creates the contact
The workflow begins immediately

2️⃣ Immediate expectation setting

Automatic SMS + email:

Confirms the appointment
Clearly states: This is Direct Primary Care We do not bill insurance Membership is required
Encourages early cancellation if it’s not a fit

This alone filters a huge percentage of misaligned patients.

3️⃣ Speed + human touch

Staff attempts live contact quickly
Education > selling
If no response: 3 attempts Then cancellation

No chasing. No begging.

4️⃣ Payment before care

Membership payment links sent via GHL
No payment = no visit
Automation handles reminders and cancellations

This protects physician time and resets the power dynamic.

5️⃣ Post-visit ownership

Once converted:

Zocdoc becomes irrelevant
Patient moves into: GHL Ongoing education Community (Skool) Long-term relationship

Zocdoc did its job. We take it from there.

The uncomfortable truth

Zocdoc patients are not inherently “bad.”

But unfiltered Zocdoc patients can absolutely destroy:

Staff morale
Physician bandwidth
Patient acquisition cost

The difference isn’t the platform.

It’s the system around it.

The real question for this community

Should DPC clinics use Zocdoc at all?
If yes, under what conditions?
At what point does Zocdoc get turned off?
What patient behaviors tell you someone can transition from transactional to relational care?

This isn’t about right vs wrong.

It’s about intentional design.

Curious to hear how others are handling this—especially from clinics who’ve either:

Made Zocdoc work, or
Ripped it out entirely and never looked back.

Let’s talk.

5 comments

FirstCall DPC

skool.com/firstcalldpc

Direct primary care gives unlimited access to your doctor, same-day visits, clear pricing, and no insurance—medicine built on trust.

Leaderboard (30-day)