Oliver Kharraz, CEO of Zocdoc, believes artificial intelligence will fundamentally change how patients find and access healthcare, but not in the way some might fear. Speaking recently, Kharraz emphasized AI’s potential to automate repetitive tasks such as appointment scheduling and improve patient-doctor matching, effectively supplanting unreliable online searches. Zocdoc already leverages AI through its ‘Zo’ assistant to enhance customer service.
While Kharraz predicts AI will become the go-to resource for preliminary medical information, he stressed the critical importance of transparency, ensuring users are always aware when interacting with an AI rather than a human provider. He draws a firm line against using AI for diagnostics, underscoring the irreplaceable value of human clinical judgment. Furthermore, Kharraz champions a collaborative approach, urging companies to partner with AI, rather than view it as a competitor, to unlock new efficiencies and improve the patient experience.