Noticing that more and more of your family and friends are catching colds recently? With flu season around the corner, it is impossible not to be worried that every sneeze might lead to something worse. And many of us immediately search Google to self-diagnose ourselves with the worst-case scenario after we start to feel a little bit ill.
Google is easing anxieties by testing a new service that will connect patients to doctors when they are searching for information on symptoms.
"When you're searching for basic health information— from conditions like insomnia or food poisoning -- our goal is provide you with the most helpful information available," a Google representative said. "We're trying this new feature to see if it's useful to people."
The new Google function mirrors the Helpout service launched in 2013, which links doctors, teachers, personal trainers and other health professionals with users via video chat.
Following the same model, the new service will be similar to the Helpout marketplace, which allows professionals to charge users for lessons and advice.
Google is covering all costs for the chats during the trial period, but it is expected that patients will have to pay for virtual appointments if the service is fully released.
However, the expected future cost will most likely be much less than visiting your regular doctor. Patients will also be able to get professional medical opinion in real-time from the comfort of their own home.
The new feature was first unveiled in a screenshot posted by a Reddit user. Google later confirmed that it is working on the service, which is being tested with a limited number of users.
"Wait, is Google going to bring us Universal Health Care," one user commented in the thread.
While there aren't many details about the new Google health service, it will bring another option for those seeking to take control of their health.
