News : Google trial lets you chat with doctors when you search for symptoms.

[Anonymous]

Headline : Google trial lets you chat with doctors when you search for symptoms.

Excerpts from the Link "Searching the web for symptoms of illness can be dangerous -- you could identify a real condition, but you also risk scaring yourself for no reason through a misdiagnosis. Google might have a solution that puts your mind at ease, though."

My thoughts :

With trying to secure a GP appointment getting more difficult this could help some people needing help / assurance ,but I still don't think services like this should stop someone concerned from making an appointment.

Source : Engadget.
Read more here : http://www.engadget.com/2014/10/11/google-tests-doctor-video-chats/

[Cleoriff]

The whole system would be open to abuse. Can you imagine this scenario? (I have hundreds)

Patient: Doctor I have a bad back..... (One of the hardest things to disprove)

Doctor: Take 2 weeks off work......

[Anonymous]

Am I the only one who thinks this is a good idea?
Obviously not to detect a cancer but when you have a cold, or when you have been food poisoned you don't really need to see a doctor...I think is a good idea for basic things...

[Anonymous]

I think its a decent idea as well!

If nothing more it'll stop people self diagnosing or thinking they've got something terminal after checking WebMD when all they have is a sore elbow!

I am fairly sure that if its something that needs a physical examination or further examinsation/consultation, users will be pointed to a GP waiting room which, knowing Google, will also be chargeable.

[Anonymous]

Well still with @Cleoriff on this one, if all they would do is listen to symptoms given by the customer and then tell to go to the gp Webmd does that...I think the only difference between this and webmd is that it will not give u a possible diagnostic, as I assume if the doc was suspicious of something he wouldn't tell the patient , he would just tell him to go to his GP.

[Cleoriff]

Just to be clear....I am all for progress and development. The more it helps patients and medical personnel the better. The problem as I saw it when last active in the medical field was that technology was a factor in reducing hands on care and interaction with people.

Nurses and doctors 'nurse' patients...Many machines do not..the basic ones are simply there for diagnostic purposes. (I am not talking about ventilators, defibrillators,dialysis machines et al)

In these times of doctors taking on more and more patients and GP practices becoming unmanageable..

my fear is that this will be an easy diagnostic tool for some Dr's

A lot of conditions do actually require human interaction, examination and discussion.

The elderly are renowned for hiding symptoms as they don't want to be a bother. A good nurse or doctor can pick up underlying conditions by giving time and hands on care.. (It may take days not a 5 minute chat in a virtual world)

Apologies for getting on my soapbox.....but I am concerned that patient care COULD suffer...

And just to add...not all 'basic things' turn out to be that 'basic' at all