Doctoralia (Doctoralia) — is an online platform for finding private doctors and booking medical appointments in Mexico. The site is not a clinic or medical organization, its task — bring the patient and a specific consultant together, show where and on what criteria the doctor accepts, and simplify the initial contact. Essentially, Doctoralia — is a digital directory of private medicine with elements of recording, reviews and communication. The platform belongs to the international company DocPlanner Group, operating in more than 15 countries around the world.
On the scale of Doctoralia — one of the largest medical sites in Mexico. The site is visited by millions of people every month. The database contains tens of thousands of doctors of all major specialties, from therapists and gynecologists to specialized specialists. The platform covers the entire country: from Mexico City and Monterrey to resort and provincial cities. For private medicine, this is actually the standard entry point — Many doctors are online thanks to Doctoralia and instead of a link to their website they provide a link to their profile on Doctoralia.
WebsiteDoctoralia
Main functionality for patients:
- search for a doctor by specialty, city and other filters, in particular, the doctor speaks English,
- viewing a doctor’s profile with a description of education, experience and appointment locations,
- online booking of an appointment or sending a request to a doctor,
- reviews from other patients,
- in some cases — online consultations and correspondence through the «Pregunta al Experto» section,
- a mobile application through which you can manage your appointments, receive SMS reminders, correspond with doctors and conduct video consultations.
The service is available free of charge to patients. Payment is taken only for an appointment with the doctor himself or for additional services, if provided by the specialist.
The benefits of Doctoralia lie not in the medical part, but in the organizational one. The site saves time, allows you to compare professionals and immediately see where exactly the doctor is seeing you. The same doctor has the right to work in several hospitals and clinics, and it is the doctor, and not the institution, who is the key figure.
In Mexico, the doctor is more important than the clinic because the quality of treatment depends almost entirely on the individual consultant. Private hospitals and clinics often differ only in the level of service and prices, and not in the medical school. A good doctor is able to see both in a prestigious private hospital and in a simpler clinic, and sometimes — in your own office. Doctoralia reflects this reality, showing the doctor as the main unit of the system.
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The site has a review system, but you can’t trust it completely. Reviews are subjective, often emotional and do not always reflect the real quality of medical care. In addition, patients evaluate not only the medical result, but also expectations, service, duration of appointment and personal impressions. Users report that Doctoralia is capable of removing negative reviews or making it too difficult to publish them. Reviews may be used as an additional guideline, but not as a decisive criterion for choosing a doctor. It's always a good idea to double check your materials.
Searching for a doctor through Doctoralia looks like this:
- select a state or city,
- choose a medical specialty,
- open several doctor profiles,
- check the doctor’s education, experience and places of appointment,
- pay attention to the language of communication, if indicated,
- choose a convenient place and time for your appointment,
- make an appointment online or contact a doctor through the website.
For patients who do not speak Spanish, Doctoralia can be helpful, but with limitations. The site's interface is intuitive, however, most profiles are filled out in Spanish, and not all doctors speak English. Sometimes information about languages is indicated directly, sometimes — No. In such cases, you have to clarify this when making an appointment or look for consultants focused on foreigners, most often in large cities and guest country areas.
An important feature of Mexican medicine, clearly visible through Doctoralia, — The doctor can see you in several hospitals and clinics at once. This is normal practice. The patient is able to choose not only a doctor, but also a specific appointment location, based on price, location and level of service.
However, the Doctoralia website is not always needed. If the task is simple — obtain a prescription, certificate or intern consultation, — It is often easier and faster to contact a consultant at a network pharmacy. Such offices operate in pharmacies; appointments are inexpensive and cover basic medical needs without making an appointment or searching for an expert. You can read about doctors at Mexican pharmaciesHere.