450,000 healthcare professionals and 80 million patients use Doctolib to make and manage their appointments. What has made this European platform so popular? Dr. Katharina Schweidtmann, Head of Strategy & Partnerships at Doctolib, describes the drivers behind the company’s growth, its vision, and the role of AI for the future of a seamless and frustration-free patient journey.
As a medical doctor by training, why did you join Doctolib and focus on digital health?
The company’s mission has remained unchanged for 13 years: first, to improve the daily lives of healthcare staff, and second, to enhance access to care for patients. These goals really resonated with me. I’ve seen firsthand how outdated systems hinder healthcare workers. At Doctolib, I can help bring modern, intuitive software into clinical environments. And of course, improving access to care was the reason I became a doctor in the first place. I’ve found a way to scale that impact.
Sometimes I miss meeting patients. There’s a unique fulfillment in one-on-one care. But the scale I can reach now, impacting millions of patients, makes it worthwhile. I’ve found a different kind of role in healthcare, one that’s just as meaningful.
How does Doctolib envision the future of appointment management?
We’re building on our roots in appointment scheduling to offer even smarter solutions. The idea is to move from helping patients find a doctor to anticipating their needs and guiding them toward the right type of care, be that an in-person appointment, a video consultation, or a message to their provider.
We're introducing better filters, smoother booking experiences, and deeper integration into the whole care journey. This includes launching our clinical and financial management system, which will transform how practitioners document and bill. We're also investing heavily in interoperability so we can exchange data with other systems, especially important for hospitals.
Ten years ago, calling to book an appointment was the norm. Now, it’s largely digital. How has Doctolib influenced patient engagement?
It really comes down to putting the user first. We develop everything in close collaboration with both patients and practitioners, testing with real users, observing workflows, and making our solutions as intuitive and barrier-free as possible. That’s why we’ve seen such widespread adoption, with 25 million users in Germany alone. Tools like our waitlist function, where you can opt in to be notified of earlier appointments are convenient and encourage patients to engage with their care more actively and responsibly.
What about the benefits for practitioners? How are they reacting to the platform?
It’s all about creating win-win situations. Patients want autonomy; practitioners want less admin. We help shift time-consuming tasks, like appointment changes or document uploads, onto the platform, which patients appreciate and which frees up valuable time for doctors. We also centralize communication. Instead of dealing with emails, faxes, or missed calls, everything is streamlined. Our messaging tools enable asynchronous communication, allowing staff to manage inquiries efficiently and on their terms.
No-shows are a notorious issue in healthcare. How does Doctolib help reduce them?
We’ve brought average no-show rates down to around 2%, with some institutions going below 1%. Our waitlist tool helps fill cancelled slots quickly, and we send timely reminders by app, SMS, or email. We also make it incredibly easy for patients to cancel or reschedule. The common assumption is that digital tools reduce patient commitment, but the opposite is true. When patients are engaged, they show up.
What’s Doctolib’s business model? And how do you maintain free access for patients?
Our model is subscription-based, which means that practitioners pay a monthly fee for a comprehensive resource management system. Patients never pay to use the platform. And to clarify, we do not and will not sell patient data. Our revenue comes exclusively from the practitioner side, where we offer not just booking tools but a full practice management solution, even for patients who don’t book online.
How is Doctolib contributing to the advancement of electronic health records?
Our goal is to ensure patients arrive fully prepared for appointments. Especially in complex hospital visits, our system can automatically request documents, like referrals, medical histories, and insurance cards, based on the visit type. This saves time and reduces friction for both patients and clinicians. We’re also integrating with national EHR systems. In France, we’re already connected to the DMP; in Germany, we’re working toward full interoperability with the EPA.
Let’s talk about operational efficiency. What other tools are you offering to support clinics and reduce burdens?
In addition to appointment settings that ensure only eligible patients can book, we offer a smart check-in system. Patients can submit documents, complete medical histories, and even sign forms in advance. It’s calmer for the patient and more efficient for staff. We also have a secure messaging system (Silo) which allows practitioners to communicate with each other just like WhatsApp, but compliant and verified. This is key to fostering cross-sector collaboration, which is often missing in siloed healthcare systems.
Ambulatory care is gaining ground across Europe. How does Doctolib support this shift?
Our platform enables seamless transitions between care settings. Whether it’s outpatient clinics, inpatient hospitals, or medical care centers, we make referrals, documentation, and collaboration easier. We also support cross-practitioner appointment booking and inter-facility messaging. These tools are critical as we shift more care out of hospitals and into the community, where patients often prefer to be.
What role does artificial intelligence play in Doctolib’s future?
AI is central to our roadmap. We want to embed AI in every part of the product. One example is our Virtual Phone Assistant, which answers calls, triages needs, and logs the reason for the call. It ensures 24/7 availability and saves practices up to 45 hours a week, equivalent to one full-time employee.
We’re also rolling out our Consultation Assistant, a speech-to-text tool that transcribes and summarizes appointments in real time. It’s already live in France and will launch in Germany soon. Doctors can focus on patients without being glued to a screen. It’s a huge improvement in both efficiency and the quality of the interaction.
What’s next for Doctolib in the coming years?
We’re evolving from an appointment tool to a full-service ecosystem that supports the entire patient journey. For practitioners, that means deeper integration into clinical workflows and financial systems. For patients, it means even smarter, more personalized guidance and communication. We're also expanding into new European markets beyond France and Germany. Our goal is to connect health systems across borders and offer the same user-centric experience wherever you are in Europe.
