How to Book Medical Appointments Online: a Complete Senior Tutorial

Booking a doctor’s appointment in a few clicks, without waiting on the phone, is what online booking platforms offer. This tutorial guides you step by step, from account creation to your first video consultation, with simple explanations for each step.

Transparency note: This article is purely informational and contains no commercial links. Doctolib is a major booking platform in France and parts of Europe. In the UK, the NHS App provides similar functionality for NHS services.

Note for UK readers: This article was originally written about Doctolib, which is widely used in France and Germany. In the UK, the NHS App provides similar functionality — booking GP appointments, viewing health records, and ordering repeat prescriptions. Many private practices also use online booking systems. The general principles described here apply to all these platforms.

Note for international readers: Doctolib is available in France, Germany, and Italy. If you are in Germany, Doctolib.de works the same way and is described in the German version of this article.

Online medical booking has become the norm across Europe. According to Doctolib’s figures published in January 2026, more than 80 million patients have an account on the platform, and over 400,000 healthcare professionals are listed. Yet many seniors still hesitate to use it, due to fear of complexity or lack of guidance. This guide is made for them.

Why use an online booking platform?

Before getting started, here is what it offers concretely:

• Book appointments 24/7 without waiting on the phone
• See availability in real time and choose the slot that suits you
• Receive automatic reminders by text or email so you don’t forget
• Store your medical documents (prescriptions, test results) securely
• Do video consultations without travelling when your condition allows it
• Find a specialist by location and availability

Step 1: Create your account

What you need

• A smartphone, tablet or computer with internet
• Your email address (or mobile phone number)
• Your health insurance number (optional but recommended)

The registration steps

1. Download the app from the Play Store (Android) or App Store (iPhone)
2. Open the app
3. Tap Sign Up
4. Choose Continue with email (the simplest)
5. Enter your email address
6. Create a password (minimum 8 characters, with at least one uppercase letter and a number)
7. Enter your first name and last name
8. Enter your date of birth
9. Enter your mobile phone number (to receive text reminders)
10. Tap Create my account
11. A confirmation email arrives — open it and click Confirm my email

Important tips

• Write down your password on paper kept in a safe place
• Use your real name as it appears on your health records (to avoid reimbursement issues)
• If you struggle with email, ask a relative to help for this first step — once the account is created, daily use is simpler

Step 2: Search for a doctor or specialist

Simple search

1. On the home screen, you see two fields:
   • “Name, speciality, practice”: type what you are looking for (e.g. “dermatologist”, “Dr Smith”, “physiotherapist”)
   • “Where?”: type your city or postcode
2. Tap Search
3. The list of available practitioners appears with their photo, name, speciality, address, next availability and fees

Filter results

Useful filters include:

• Consultation type: in-person or video
• Availability: today, tomorrow, this week
• Fees: standard fees vs higher fees
• Language spoken
• Accessibility: wheelchair access, lift

Step 3: Book an appointment

1. Tap the practitioner’s name
2. Their detailed profile appears with availability as a calendar
3. Choose an available day
4. Choose a time from the slots offered
5. Select the reason for consultation
6. Check the summary: practitioner name, date, time, address
7. Tap Confirm appointment
8. You receive an email confirmation and a text reminder the day before

Book for a relative

If you are helping an elderly parent who does not have an account:

1. Log in to your account
2. Go to My Profile > My Family Members
3. Tap Add a family member
4. Enter your parent’s details
5. When booking, choose For a family member and select their name

Step 4: Manage your appointments

Cancel an appointment

1. In your appointment list, tap the appointment to cancel
2. Tap Cancel Appointment
3. Confirm the cancellation

Note: Some practitioners charge for late cancellations (less than 24 hours before) or no-shows.

Step 5: Video consultation

Video consultation lets you see a doctor by video from home, without travelling. This is particularly useful for seniors with mobility difficulties.

When to use video consultation

Suitable for: prescription renewal, chronic disease follow-up, quick medical advice, post-operative check-ups, showing a skin condition to a dermatologist.

Not suitable for: medical emergencies (call 999/112), physical examinations, blood tests.

How to do a video consultation

1. When searching, filter by Video Consultation
2. Book normally
3. On the day, at the scheduled time, open the app
4. A Join Video Consultation button appears
5. Tap it and allow access to camera and microphone
6. Wait for the doctor to join

Preparing your video consultation

• Sit in a quiet, well-lit place
• Prepare your documents: current prescriptions, recent test results
• Check your internet connection beforehand
• Charge your device or plug it in
• Write down your questions in advance on paper

Common pitfalls to avoid

1. Booking with the wrong reason — if the slot is too short for your real need, the consultation may be rushed
2. Not checking the fee structure — specialists may charge above the standard rate
3. Forgetting to cancel — a missed appointment blocks a slot for another patient
4. Confusing the booking platform with medical advice — these are booking tools, not diagnostic sites

Security and privacy

Online booking platforms used by healthcare providers must comply with strict data protection regulations (GDPR in Europe, similar regulations elsewhere). Your medical data is stored securely and encrypted.

Security tips

• Never share your password
• Enable two-factor authentication if available
• Log out on shared devices
• Be wary of suspicious emails — legitimate platforms never ask for your password by email

Alternatives

If your doctor is not on Doctolib:

• UK: NHS App, Patient Access, or your GP’s own booking system
• Germany: Doctolib.de, Jameda
• France: Doctolib, Maiia, Keldoc
• And remember: the phone still works for booking appointments

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Editorial note

Sources consulted:

• Doctolib press release and key figures, January 2026
• BVA survey on health platform user satisfaction, 2024
• Health insurance reimbursement conditions for video consultations, 2025
• CNIL activity report 2024

Limitations of this article: The steps described correspond to the version of Doctolib available in March 2026. Interfaces may change. Not all practitioners are listed on any single platform.

Verification date: 26 March 2026

Conflicts of interest: None. This article contains no commercial links.

Questions fréquentes

Is Doctolib free for patients? ▼

Can I book an appointment on Doctolib without internet? ▼

How do I cancel an appointment on Doctolib? ▼

My GP is not on Doctolib, what should I do? ▼

Is video consultation on Doctolib covered by health insurance? ▼