Doctolib: a French success which has struggled to establish itself among our European neighbors

A true French success story, Doctolib decided to try its luck on other European markets. However, the platform had to face many difficulties to triumph, particularly in Germany.

Launched in 2013, Doctolib was already enjoying significant success in France before the pandemic, but it was during this period that it reached new heights. In question, among other things, its partnership with the government to facilitate the vaccination campaign. Today, the company stands out as the largest French unicorn, its valuation approaching $6 billion.

Its second largest market is Germany, where it launched in 2016. Of the 900,000 healthcare providers and 80 million patients who use the app, Germans account for 200,000 and 19 million. But it is only recently that the platform has really gained ground across the Rhine. How can we explain his particularly difficult beginnings?

German specificities

Doctolib first encountered an operation that was very different from France. Germany being a federal state, it had to adapt to the 16 regions, each with its own health regulations. Furthermore, the adoption rate among doctors has been more complicated, because their expectations differ from French caregivers.

Typically, they are part of large, well-equipped medical practices, have better salaries, and employ administrative assistants. These firms already rely on well-established companies, which fully protect their interests and provide closed systems to practitioners. As a result, connecting them to a third-party service is an almost impossible mission.

Doctolib was therefore forced to rehire and train its sales teams on several occasions in order to best conform its product to German specificities.

On the upward slope

Another important point, Germany still relies a lot on paper format. A 2023 study by digital advocacy group Bitkom found that 82% of businesses in the country still use fax regularly. This is the preferred method, in many cases, for sharing medical information. The government also aims to develop digitalization.

Despite these many difficulties, Doctolib began to really gain traction in Germany in 2021, once the many adjustments were made. Today, the growth of German patient and healthcare professional accounts reaches 50 to 60% per year. His journey across the Rhine demonstrates the obstacles faced by start-ups launching abroad, particularly in the very specific field of health.

Doctolib is also available in the Netherlands and Italy. The firm, which has invested massively in research and development, is targeting profitability by 2025.

Source : BBC