Finding virtual health care options is now easier than before through the latest changes in Google search results. Julie Black, Director of Product Management, Google Health, announced in a blog post that seeing the growing demand for better healthcare service during the COVID-19, it is working to make telehealth services easier to search. The changes are expected to be rolled out next week.
Health care providers who are offering their services virtually will be able to add a link of the virtual care website on their Google My Business Profile. The link will then be shown in search results as well as Google Maps, so people can easily contact them.
If the health care providers have a dedicated online page which contains information regarding COVID-19, the link of the page will automatically appear directly in a search result. The image below shows how the changes might look like in Google search results.
Also, when a term directly related to "care" is searched, widely-available telehealth services will be shown in a search result in a standalone card. The card will have a link to the platform where virtual care information will be available like the appointment fee if there is no health insurance.
From today onwards, it will be functional in the US only where links to virtual health care providers like Amwell Medical Group, Doctor on Demand and Anthem will be shown in the search results. Here is how it will look like:
According to Google, these links will not appear if people search for COVID-19 symptoms or conditions, rather they will have to search more specifically for care.
Last month, information cards were introduced by Google in the search results when people looked for coronavirus and a special website providing COVID-19 resources was also launched. The company is also making communication easier for students, families, and workers by providing them free access to advanced features of Google Meet, like videoconference service.
Google and Apple have also announced that together they will build a system in iOS and Android to track the spread of Coronavirus spread.
Read next: Apple and Google Are Working On A System Together To Track And Fight COVID-19 Pandemic
Health care providers who are offering their services virtually will be able to add a link of the virtual care website on their Google My Business Profile. The link will then be shown in search results as well as Google Maps, so people can easily contact them.
If the health care providers have a dedicated online page which contains information regarding COVID-19, the link of the page will automatically appear directly in a search result. The image below shows how the changes might look like in Google search results.
Also, when a term directly related to "care" is searched, widely-available telehealth services will be shown in a search result in a standalone card. The card will have a link to the platform where virtual care information will be available like the appointment fee if there is no health insurance.
From today onwards, it will be functional in the US only where links to virtual health care providers like Amwell Medical Group, Doctor on Demand and Anthem will be shown in the search results. Here is how it will look like:
According to Google, these links will not appear if people search for COVID-19 symptoms or conditions, rather they will have to search more specifically for care.
Last month, information cards were introduced by Google in the search results when people looked for coronavirus and a special website providing COVID-19 resources was also launched. The company is also making communication easier for students, families, and workers by providing them free access to advanced features of Google Meet, like videoconference service.
Google and Apple have also announced that together they will build a system in iOS and Android to track the spread of Coronavirus spread.
Read next: Apple and Google Are Working On A System Together To Track And Fight COVID-19 Pandemic
