Archive notice: This article was originally published on May 21, 2008. Links and embedded videos are preserved as part of the historical record.
The US search engine operator Google has now officially introduced its health information service Google Health http://www.google.com/health , which it announced some time ago. On the portal, users can create personal profiles and a virtual medical record in which the most important medical data is stored. This can subsequently be passed on to doctors. In this way, the aim is ultimately to ensure the archiving of important data and support the healthcare system as a whole. Alongside a database, the platform also has a search function that allows users to obtain information on particular diseases, doctors, medications and other health-related topics.
“We have found that more and more people want to use our online search to find information on health-related topics”, explains Stefan Keuchel, spokesman for Google Germany, in an interview with pressetext.de. Google Health offers significant advantages in this respect. “The service allows users to find information in a much more targeted way”, Keuchel explains. The option of storing personal health data online is also a fundamental improvement for users in terms of managing it. “But networking with doctors and clinics brings benefits to both sides, patients and medical professionals”, Keuchel stresses. Google Health can, for example, be extremely helpful for users in finding the right medical specialist. “Another important advantage is that the health data stored in the database can be accessed over the Internet from anywhere in the world”, Keuchel adds.
At present, however, Google Health is available exclusively in the USA. According to Google, implementation for other markets such as Europe is not yet in sight. “Google Health was designed very specifically for the US market, and that is also the focus of the service”, Keuchel states. Adapting it for the European market would involve a number of difficulties because of the fundamental differences between the two regions’ healthcare systems. “But we think globally. If there is strong demand for the service in Europe, we will also consider implementing it here”, Keuchel says.
In the USA, Google cooperates with hospitals and pharmacy chains such as Walgreen, Longs Drug Stores and the CVS Caremark Group. An initial pilot project with a clinic in Cleveland, in which 1,600 patients put Google Health’s functionality through its paces in practice, was positive throughout. Only the security concerns of some users posed a problem in certain cases. “We apply extremely high security measures to protect users’ sensitive health data”, Keuchel makes clear. Users can decide for themselves at any time who has access to their stored information, Keuchel concludes.
