New Google Trial Hooks You Up with a Doctor When Symptom

Searching online for the root causes of various medical symptoms you're having can be a hypochondriac's nightmare. We've all done it—Googling a minor ache in the side or a slight headache, reading up on a few associated symptoms, and convincing yourself that you have cancer, a deadly brain tumor, or some extraordinarily rare disease. Thanks, WebMD.

However, to help you better get to the underlying issue of whatever is that's causing you grief, Google is now testing out a new program that makes it easier to get in touch with a doctor when you're searching for various medical issues. One Reddit user noticed the new feature when attempting to Google for 'knee pain' via his Android smartphone.

In addition to the standard search results that described just what knee pain was and gave a pithy explanation for generic causes of knee pain, Google also displayed a more prominent 'Talk with a doctor now' link toward the top. Said link was also accompanied with a Hangouts-like icon, indicating that one could use Google's own services to connect up with a doctor right away.

'Based on your search query, we think you are trying to understand a medical condition. Here you can find health care providers who you can visit with over video chat. All visit costs are covered by Google during this limited trial,' read an accompanying information box.

Google hasn't released any other details related to the trial program. There's no indication as to just how long the company might be testing it out, how users might find themselves eligible to have a Google Helpouts-like chat with a doctor, and how much the service might cost (if anything) were it to go live for all. We don't know where Google is sourcing its doctors, nor what they can actually help a person do: discuss potential illnesses? Make suggestions based on symptoms? Chat about healthy lifestyle practices?

Additionally, what does one do about symptoms that really require an in-person checkup to best assess? If Google does roll out the feature and it costs money for a person to use, would Google refund the fee if the doctor on the other end quickly determines that, no, the severe abdominal pain you're having should really be an ER trip, not a Hangout?

'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,' said a Google spokesperson in an interview with Gizmodo.