Google Is Testing A 'Talk With A Doctor' Feature Within Medical Search Results

Google is working on a feature that benefits people searching for information about medical problems. The feature offers the ability to set up a video chat session with a doctor while searching for specific medical symptoms. Doctors at Scripps Health and One Medical with verified credentials have partnered with Google on the video chatting project.

“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,” said a Google spokeswoman in a statement. Google confirmed that the service is currently in a test phase after Reddit user Jason Houle posted a screenshot of the feature on Reddit from his smartphone:

The medical chat sessions will likely be tied into Google Helpouts, which is a marketplace that connects people that need help with people who can give help through PCs and mobile devices. You will notice in the screenshot that the costs during the limited trial will be covered by Google, indicating that there will be a charge after the service officially launches.

Doctors are concerned about patients that self-diagnose themselves based on information from the Internet. Anxiety caused by concerns regarding common symptomatology found on the Internet is known as “cyberchondria.” Benign conditions often have the same symptoms with serious medical concerns and people that do not receive a proper diagnosis sometimes assume the worst case scenario.

Google is not the only Internet company that is working on telemedicine services. There are a startups that offer telemedicine services like Happtique, Amwell, Ringadoc, Teladoc, Doctor on Demand, Direct Dermatology, Healthtap and Sherpaa. But telemedicine through Google would be a game-changer because billions of people use the search engine every day and a large portion of those queries are health-related.

This is not the only medical project that Google is working on. Earlier this year, Google announced an open platform that lets users manage their fitness data called Google Fit. Google also invested in a number of life sciences companies such as DNAnexus, Rani Therapeutics, SynapDx, Transcriptic, Foundation Medicine, iPierian, Adimab, 23andMe and Calico. Last month Google acquired Lift Labs, a company that created a spoon for people that have hand tremors.

One of Google's biggest competitors in the medical sector is Apple . Apple recently announced a health-related app called HealthKit, which can be connected to medical devices to monitor the vital signs of patients and send an alert to their doctors if necessary. And the upcoming Apple Watch smartwatch device will have the ability to keep track of daily activities and workouts.

Another Google product that is beneficial for doctors is Google Glass. There are several hospitals that are using the smartglasses to livestream operations online. Doctors with Google Glass have the ability to float medical images in their field of view for quick reference as well.

It's unknown when Google will launch the ability to launch a video chat session with a doctor while searching for symptoms. However, Google Helpouts has a health section where you can schedule video chat sessions with doctors ahead of time.

What are your thoughts about Google's "talk with a doctor" feature? Let us know in the comments below!