SpecialGuest and Zocdoc Ask Patients: Are You “Ready to be Seen?”

Zocdoc, the healthcare access infrastructure that connects patients to great care, has launched “Ready to be Seen,” a new integrated marketing campaign about what it really means for patients to both get seen and feel seen.

Too often, patients struggle to find and access care that fits them and their lives. Getting in front of a doctor can mean navigating scheduling hassles, insurance confusion and long waits. In fact, 61% of patients say they’ve skipped a medical appointment because scheduling was a hassle.

But getting an appointment is only the first hurdle. Getting an appointment with the right provider is equally important: 64% of U.S. adults wish healthcare providers took more time to understand them, while research has found that 60–80% of patients have withheld medically relevant information from their doctors, often for fear of being judged or lectured.

Click here to watch the spot.

“Ready to be Seen” brings to life how Zocdoc supports patients with both challenges. Zocdoc helps patients find in-network doctors with near-term availability and book instantly. And through verified patient reviews and detailed provider information, patients can choose a doctor who fits their needs — so they don’t have to compromise between getting seen and feeling seen.

“Patients shouldn’t have to work this hard or compromise this much to get great care,” said Brian Irving, Chief Marketing Officer at Zocdoc. “They want a doctor who can see them when they’re ready, but they also want to feel confident they’ve found someone who’s right for them. ‘Ready to Be Seen’ is about both: making it easier to get through the door, and giving patients the ability and information to find a doctor who truly makes them feel seen.”

Developed with creative agency SpecialGuest, “Ready to be Seen” reinvents one of healthcare’s most familiar phrases through that double meaning. The campaign brings it to life through hyper-specific patient truths, from a runner looking for a podiatrist who understands he isn’t giving up marathon training to a patient looking for an allergist who accepts that both his girlfriend and her cat are a “package deal."

"A patient's need for care is one of the most personal things in their lives. They bring their fears, priorities, quirks and non-negotiables with them," said Aaron Duffy, co-founder and CCO of SpecialGuest. “Patients want to feel seen. Zocdoc helps people more easily find and book a doctor who really gets them, and we wanted the work to celebrate just how personal and achievable finding the right fit can be."

The campaign launched September 14 and rolls out over several months across TV, audio, social, and digital, with out-of-home creative in New York City and Houston.