Let's start with a list of features. With Google Health, you can:
- Build online health profiles
- Import medical records from hospitals and pharmacies
- Learn about health issues and find helpful resources
- Search for doctors and hospitals
- Connect to online health services
The Health profile allows you to enter your age, sex, height, medical conditions, medications, allergies, medical procedures, test results, and immunizations. It's a lot like filling out your LinkedIn profile, or even more like of those applications you get handed every time you go to the doctor's office. That makes a lot of sense. If I can fill out the forms once and then just keep them maintained and then communicate a copy to my doctor's as needed, this whole process ends up being a good use of my time. I enter the data, keep it updated as needed and share it with doctor's and pharmacists as needed.
Import data into Google Health
You can also import information into your Google Health Profile from some pharmacies and health care providers, including Walgreens, CVS, the American Heart Association and Quest Diagnostics.
Google Health looks like an interesting start on eliminating a lot of paperwork. I like the promise of the future, and even what it can do for me right now. At launch, I can import my data from the pharmacy, key in my changes and updates, and then have a sheet of paper in hand with all of my information the next time I go in for a checkup.
Next Step: Take the Google Health Tour
