Its quite common for people to search online about some symptoms that they might be experiencing. The idea is to find out what might be wrong. However given the fact that there are countless information sources online it is possible to think you’ve got something when the reality is quite different. This is why online searches should never replace a visit to an actual doctor, but what if you could do that as you search your symptoms online?
Engadget has confirmed that Google is trying a new feature in Google Search that will allow users to video chat with actual doctors, the feature is similar to Helpouts in many ways in which people can pay to learn about various things through video chat.
The screenshot which shows this feature in trial phase contains a card with a link to “talk with a doctor now.” This card would pop up when Google Search detects that the user has searched for a symptom such as knee pain in this case. In the trial phase all visit costs are covered by Google, but this means that the feature could get a price tag if its ever taken live for all Google Search users, at least those residing in the U.S.
Obviously there will be certain limitations when visiting a doctor over the internet as opposed to visiting them in person but it would probably be cheaper. Google hasn’t said if it has any plans of opening up this feature for everyone in the future so for all we know it may never progress beyond the trial stage.
Filed in . Read more about Google and Google Search.