Zocdoc, Gemini deal lets users book appointments in the chatbot

Zocdoc and Google are teaming up to let Gemini users book appointments directly within the chatbot by connecting the Zocdoc app into the system, the companies announced today.

The move comes as AI provider search continues to take hold. Patients are increasingly using AI chatbots such as Gemini to find a provider who meets their needs. The partnership with Zocdoc will take that a step further by allowing users to book their appointments within Zocdoc's network of more than 200,000 healthcare providers.

"Patients are increasingly starting their health journeys with AI, and this collaboration makes it easier for Gemini app users to find the care that they need, when they need it," Oliver Kharraz, M.D., Zocdoc founder and CEO, said in a statement. "We are proud to partner with Gemini as Zocdoc begins to power access to care everywhere."

AI has revolutionized patient engagement, as more patients use it to seek health information and advice.

But it's not just advice patients want. AI has also proven useful for patients looking for a new healthcare provider. Although search engines and provider referrals remain key methods patients use to find a new provider, AI is gaining ground. According to a June 2026 survey from rater8, 47% of patients have used an AI chatbot for online provider search. That's up from 31% who said the same at the end of 2025.

Zocdoc said its partnership with Gemini will close the loop for patients. The chatbot's agentic capabilities will let patients sort through providers according to their preferences, including specialty, location and appointment availability. Through the Zocdoc app, Gemini will then be able to book an appointment for the patient.

Google executives say the system will help streamline the patient access process by simplifying appointment booking.

"Health isn't only about knowledge, it's about action and access. When you need to see a doctor, we want that to be easy. And today it's not," Michael Howell, chief health officer at Google, said in the press release. "We're excited for this first-of-its-kind collaboration with Zocdoc that takes an important step toward realizing one of the promises of the agentic AI moment -- where the technology helps you do the work so that you can focus on what's important: your health."

This news follows a handful of moves by Zocdoc to expand the scope of its appointment-booking capabilities. In April, Yelp added a Zocdoc appointment scheduling button to online provider profiles, enabling users looking at a provider's profile or online reviews to book an appointment without having to call the doctor or exit the Yelp page.

Healthgrades made a similar move at the end of 2025. The companies said users would be able to book appointments in real time using the Healthgrades provider search function and Zocdoc appointment booking button.

This latest deal with Gemini is unique because it leverages the tech space's growing agentic AI capabilities. As more people use AI chatbots to find a provider, it will be essential for those chatbots to provide a mechanism for appointment scheduling.

Sara Heath is an executive editor at Xtelligent Healthcare Media, where she covers patient engagement, healthcare policy and health IT.