Internet giant Google is testing a new program that connects people searching for health conditions with doctors via video chats.
A Reddit user revealed the feature by posting a screenshot of the service online. The user discovered the feature while looking up symptoms for his knee injury. He found that Google offers free Web chats with a doctor to certain users during a trial period. Google representatives later confirmed its authenticity and stated that the company is testing the service with a small number of users. Google says that this will help in addressing the tricky business of medical diagnoses by offering a free consultation with a doctor over Web video chat.
The service will be tied up with Google Helpouts, a marketplace where "experts" can charge to give lessons and advice over video chat. It remains to be seen whether the service will remain free for users or will it cost money.
In a statement Google explained that "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."
Apart from Google other tech giants like Apple and Samsung have unveiled health related apps. Apple has introduced HealthKit in its iOS 8 at Apple’s Worldwide Developers Conference in San Francisco. The feature gathers data like glucose levels, blood pressure and weight from various health apps that can be viewed by doctors at one place. Samsung has also announced a new wearable health gadget called 'Simband' and SAMI health platform that monitors the human body by checking blood glucose levels, heart rate, oxygen levels and more.