Google is testing a new feature that allows you to get in touch with a doctor virtually when you search for medical symptoms. When Reddit user, Jason Houle, Googled "knee pain," the search giant offered him to "talk with a doctor now" through a video chat, in addition to the standard search results that described the problem and its causes.
As seen on the screenshot below, the new service is currently being tested with a limited number of users and Google is incurring all visit costs during this trial. However, it isn't yet clear how much the service will cost when and if it rolls out.
"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. We're trying this new feature to see if it's useful to people," said a Google spokesperson.
The feature is integrated with Helpouts, a service Google launched last November, allowing you to easily reach out to experts who can help you fix a computer problem, learn how to play guitar, master your yoga technique, bake a cake, and more. The service is HIPAA compliant, which means that it is secure enough to ensure the online privacy of patient information and medical records.
Google's biggest competitors in this field are Teladoc and Doctor on Demand. While the former doesn't have fixed pricing plans, the latter charges a flat fee of $40 per session.