---
title: The doctor will see you now - through Google | VentureBeat | Health | by Jordan Novet - San Mateo Podiatry Group
description: The doctor will see you now — through Google Google seems to be getting smarter all the time. It’s already a sort of virtual encyclopedia. Now, for at least some users, it’s behaving like a wise, caring parent that will not only tell you to see a doctor but will actually make it happen. Developer Jason…
---

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# [The doctor will see you now - through Google | VentureBeat | Health | by Jordan Novet - San Mateo Podiatry Group](https://blog.sanmateopodiatrygroup.com/the-doctor-will-see-you-now-through-google-venturebeat-health-by-jordan-novet)

 Written by [Bill Metaxas](https://blog.sanmateopodiatrygroup.com/author/bill-metaxas) | 10/14/14 11:44 AM

# The doctor will see you now — through Google

Google seems to be getting smarter all the time. It’s already a sort of virtual encyclopedia. Now, for at least some users, it’s behaving like a wise, caring parent that will not only tell you to see a doctor but will actually make it happen.

Developer Jason Houle noticed an interesting feature when he googled “knee pain” on an Android device recently: Google was offering him to “talk with a doctor now” through a video chat. He [posted a screenshot to Reddit on Friday](https://www.reddit.com/r/google/comments/2it7xn/_/), and Engadget [confirmed](http://www.engadget.com/2014/10/11/google-tests-doctor-video-chats/) yesterday that Google was indeed testing the feature.

The extraordinary aspect of the feature is that it suggests Google does actually harbor major ambitions for [its expert-chatting feature, Helpouts](http://venturebeat.com/2013/11/04/google-helpouts/), specifically in the domain of health care.

Sure, Helpouts could help people learn how to apply red lipstick or prepare a turkey dinner.

But the service is far more capable than that. It’s HIPAA-compliant, ensuring doctors won’t need to worry about the security of patient information, as[VentureBeat reported last year](http://venturebeat.com/2013/11/20/googles-big-health-care-play-helpouts-is-all-about-video-consultations-with-your-doctor/). Back then, people who paid for health care through the One Medical network were able to talk with doctors affiliated with the network over a Helpout. If Google has incorporated the feature into some people’s search results, that would suggest Google has brought more doctors aboard for the initiative.

Meanwhile, startups focused on telemedicine like [Teladoc](http://venturebeat.com/2014/09/23/teladoc-raises-50-million-for-telemedicine-platform/) and [Doctor on Demand](http://venturebeat.com/2014/08/06/branson-venrock-others-bet-21m-on-doctor-on-demand-telemedicine-platform/) have been pulling in funding in recent months. But, Google being a web service people already use all over the world, the company could be quicker to make telemedicine a common practice and potentially a money-making one at that.

###### More information:

Google’s innovative search technologies connect millions of people around the world with information every day. Founded in 1998 by Stanford Ph.D. students Larry Page and Sergey Brin, Google today is a top web property in all major glob… [read more »](http://www.vbprofiles.com/companies/company-3e122f809e597c1003565d3f)

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[The doctor will see you now — through Google | VentureBeat | Health | by Jordan Novet](http://venturebeat.com/2014/10/12/the-doctor-will-see-you-now-through-google/).

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