Our doctors may never tell us to Google our symptoms, or appreciate it when we do. But that doesn’t stop any of us from searching for the conditions that just won’t go away. Runny nose. Weird rash. A dull pain on our left side.
This new system pinpoints symptom searches so we get answers instead of explanations.
Whatever we plug into Google in the hope of figuring out what’s up, we’re all familiar with the wide range of diseases and conditions that pop up as a result of our internet searches.
Oftentimes, we are led to explanations of symptoms when we would rather know what is causing them. This isn’t really helpful when we’re trying to decide if we need to visit urgent care over the weekend or see a doctor first thing Monday morning.
Because of this, Google recently announced a new app for health-related searches. “Symptom Search” is a product of the search giant’s partnership with Harvard Medical School and the Mayo Clinic.
About 1 percent of searches are based on medical systems, which is why Google created this new capability. It’s only available on the Google app for iOS or Android right now, but Google is hoping to roll it out to web browsers in the future.
While it’s not the only avenue for symptom searches — there are other apps on the market — this one offers a more tailored search, backed by information from credible medical institutions. Most importantly, it pinpoints symptom searches so you get answers instead of explanations.
Consumer Support
To improve on any medical advice its search engines might inadvertently be doling out, Google identified commonly searched-for symptoms and then compared them with medical information from doctors as part of its Knowledge Graph, as well as the Harvard and Mayo Clinic experts.
“We have seen the importance of physicians using clinical decision support. This can be seen as decision support for consumers,” said a health informatics expert.
A basic search should now show a description of the problem, options for self-care, and suggestions on when to see a doctor. Some will show condition cards that may have an illustration.
“The fact that this tool presents more accurate options even if consumers do not know the exact name of what they are looking for is an important step forward,” Dr. Miriam Isola, a professor of health informatics at the University of Illinois at Chicago, told LifeZette.
She said consumers and patients can use the information to see if they need to go to an urgent care center, call their primary care physician — or if a condition can be treated at home.
“We have seen the importance of physicians using clinical decision support. This can be seen as decision support for consumers. Today, consumers are taking a much more active role and they want accessible information at all times.”
As the health care industry moves to boost patient engagement, a tool like this can give users background information that can also build their confidence, especially for those with lingering questions and who may not be sure if they should call their doctor.
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“The ordinary consumer does not have a deep understanding about health-related matters — and a tool that helps to increase awareness and knowledge by using language they can understand is very beneficial,” Isola said. “The fact that you don’t have to know the name of what you are searching for is a step forward in making data easy to access for consumers.”
This may also help with the decision-making process as they take a more active role in their health care, she added.
Dr. Mark Drezde, an assistant research professor at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Maryland, said Google has been trying to move past simply offering search results that lead people in a number of different directions.
He called Google’s tool a “great first step” to help others find meaningful answers to their health questions. “When you search for fever, you don’t want to know what a fever is. You want to know what could be causing it,” he explained.
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