Aimed at improving the quality of search results and also to make it easier for patients to understand their medical symptoms, Google on Tuesday rolled out a new feature — Symptom Search.
With the latest feature update, users will now be able to find quality information on various medical symptoms on their mobile devices. Starting this week, Google will add information about commonly searched symptoms. The feature will be available in English and Hindi, on both Android and iOS.
For instance, when a user searches for symptoms like “cough and pain”, the feature will show a list of related conditions like common cold, acute bronchitis, flu and pneumonia.
For individual symptoms like headache, it will show digital cards providing users an overview description along with information on self-treatment options and what might warrant a doctor’s visit.
A release issued by Google said roughly 1% of searches on it are symptom-related.
‘Informational purpose’
To make sure the information is tailored to India, Google has been working closely with a team of doctors at Apollo Hospitals. However, it is important to highlight that these search results are intended for informational purposes only and users should always consult a doctor for medical advice and treatment.
“Apollo Hospitals has always been committed to empowering individuals with knowledge and involving them in their own care,” said Sangita Reddy, joint managing director, Apollo Hospitals Enterprise Limited.
“Experience and expertise of our consultants was drawn towards providing clinical validation of the symptoms to spread the message of awareness and prevention of diseases. With the launch of the Symptom Search project, we aim to provide quality healthcare information which can be accessed by a billion Indians,” she said.
