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DoctorsDirect.com Announces First Nationwide Medical Services Ecommerce Site at World Health Care Congress
CEO Tommy McGloin Takes MapQuest and Moviefone Expertise to a New Level
WASHINGTON, April 17 /PRNewswire/ -- DoctorsDirect.com today announced the creation of a new ecommerce site for doctors and patients nationwide. An industry first, the DoctorsDirect.com network will enable doctors and hospitals to sell medical services, with appointments set and charged on the Web. World Health Care Congress participants will receive a preview of the service, which demands no new equipment or special training, is HIPAA compliant, and is secured by world-class encryption. The site will launch in July 2006.
(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20060417/LAM002-a
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CEO Tommy McGloin's aim is to make DoctorsDirect.com pioneering the way MapQuest and Moviefone were pioneering in their categories. "I loved running MapQuest for four years, especially because helpfulness is its strongest brand asset. Our number one goal is to make DoctorsDirect.com helpful," said McGloin. "And my stint at the helm of Moviefone gave me the inspiration on how to create a service that is immediately functional and strikingly effortless for doctors and patients. Moviefone started simple ... by working with theaters to offer showtimes and tickets to moviegoers. In the same fashion, doctors will offer appointment times and medical services to prospective patients."
Indeed, DoctorsDirect.com is as straightforward as it sounds. The site will offer a select listing of general practitioners and specialists throughout the United States. Prospective patients will find a doctor by location and specialty, knowing that all doctors on the site are Board Certified and have been independently and peer reviewed as among the best in their respective fields. Patients can then book and pay online for appointments.
"People are looking more and more to bypass the gatekeeper and conduct their business online, be it travel, shopping, or scheduling appointments directly with service providers," said McGloin. "Until now, very few patients had access to doctor pricing or the ability to immediately see the doctor of their choice. Soon they can."
The site is being architected and developed by CoreObjects, the leader in Distributed Cooperative Software Development(TM) and partner to companies building world-class software. Girish Venkat serves as the Chief Technologist. As the Chief Software Architect of Stamps.com, the first site authorized by the United States Government to offer consumers the equivalent of United States Currency for purchase online, Venkat brings in years of expertise in building highly scalable, secure and robust software. "Physicians and patients can rest easy knowing that DoctorsDirect.com will provide customers with the best encryption technology available," said Venkat. "My work has been called 'bulletproof' in the past, and I'm delivering the same level of vigilance to this site."
"Online scheduling and payment is going to radically change the way patients and doctors work together," said Dr. Bernard Katz, Senior Medical Advisor to DoctorsDirect.com and Co-CEO, Santa Monica Bay Physicians Health Services, Inc. "As more and more of our patients expect this functionality, it's imperative that we provide it, and provide it right."
Renowned ObG Dr. Lawrence Borow, MD, wanted a feature that would make life easier for the busy women who visit his Philadelphia multi-doctor practice. "Unless it's an emergency, a patient would typically have to book four to six weeks in advance. DoctorsDirect.com allows us to offer what is essentially a 'fast pass' to those who want to set a standard appointment within 48 hours. It's another level of service and convenience we now provide for our patients."
Attendees will be able to sign up as participating doctors during the conference. For more information, doctors, hospitals or administrative staff may contact Jonathan Straub, President, Business Development at 610-941-2778 or jstraub@doctorsdirect.com.
About DoctorsDirect.com
DoctorsDirect.com, a privately held company based in Santa Monica, CA, provides an ecommerce site for doctors and patients nationwide. An industry first, the DoctorsDirect.com network will enable doctors and hospitals to sell medical services, with appointments set and charged on the Web. The fully functioning site is scheduled to launch in July 2006.
About Tommy McGloin
Tommy McGloin is the President and CEO of DoctorsDirect.com, which he conceived after heading the #1 worldwide mapping resource MapQuest for four years. Prior to MapQuest, Tommy guided the AOL Moviefone brand to its position as the top movie information site on the Web. Before Moviefone, he became America Online's first employee in Los Angeles as a founding member of Digital City (now AOL CityGuide). Tommy also worked on the business plan for U S WEST's Yellow Pages on the Internet (now DEX Media). His previous experience was in print: he won the Time Inc. Consumer Marketing Division's Marketing Achievement Award while at Fortune magazine, and then became marketing manager for Investor's Business Daily (IBD). During his three years at IBD, it was the nation's fastest growing newspaper. Tommy was also in charge of creating IBD Online with America Online, and the Web-based IBD electronic edition. Tommy holds an MBA degree from INSEAD in Fontainebleau, France, and a Bachelor of Arts degree from Princeton University.
About Girish Venkat
Girish Venkat is CEO of CoreObjects, the leader in Distributed Cooperative Software Development(TM). He has over 10 years of experience in architecting scalable and high availability Internet and client-server applications. Girish has executed multiple corporate strategic initiatives, including relationships with Stamps.com, the leading provider of Internet mailing and shipping services, OnStation.com, Archive.com, the leading provider of business-to-business transaction archiving and insight services, and other Internet start-up companies. Girish has been involved in the product conceptualization, system architecture and implementation for several start-up companies and has provided consulting services to companies including NetFlip, Information Management Resources (IMR), Equinox Solutions, Reuters America and others. Girish holds a Bachelor of Engineering degree in Electronics and Communication from Sri Jayachamarajendra College of Engineering, India.
About Bernard Katz, MD
Dr. Katz helped establish Santa Monica Bay Physicians Medical Group and its associated management company, SMBP Health Services, Inc. in 1994 and now is Co-CEO of eight medical clinics, two urgent care centers, a radiology center and a foundation serving the medical needs of Southern California residents. He attended Baylor College of Medicine. He holds an MBA from UCLA and is Board Certified in both Family Medicine and Geriatrics. Dr. Katz is a member of the American Academy of Family Physicians.
About Lawrence Borow, MD
Dr. Borow is a Board Certified Obstetrician-Gynecologist practicing on the Main Line in Philadelphia for more than thirty years. He trained at the Temple University School of Medicine and did his residency at the Pennsylvania Hospital. He treats women of all ages. He belongs to numerous local and national professional organizations, does Peer Review for two medical journals and is active in resident education. He edited a major textbook on Laparoscopy and Hysteroscopy, plus co-founded and served as President of the Philadelphia Colposcopy Society. Dr. Borow belongs to the Pennsylvania Medical Society, The Obstetrical Society of Philadelphia and the College of Physicians of Philadelphia.
Photo: NewsCom: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20060417/LAM002-a
http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20060417/LAM002LOGO-b
PRN Photo Desk, photodesk@prnewswire.com
Source: DoctorsDirect.com
CONTACT: Miriam Bookey of DoctorsDirect.com, +1-888-363-3627, or cell,
+1-310-995-2665, mbookey@doctorsdirect.com
Web site: http://www.doctorsdirect.com/
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