Google partners Apollo Hospitals for Symptom Search

New Delhi: Tech giant Google has partnered with Apollo Hospitals to roll out a new feature Symptom Search to provide better search results to users querying for medical symptoms.

Starting this week, Google will be adding information about commonly searched symptoms and the feature will be available in English and Hindi, it said in a statement.

When a user searches for symptoms like cough and pain, the feature on Google app will show a list of related conditions like common cold, acute bronchitis, flu, pneumonia, and chest infection. For individual symptoms like headache, the app will show digital cards providing users an overview description and what may warrant a doctor's visit.

n 2016, Google had introduced health condition cards to make it easier for Indians to find reliable health information. Google said roughly one percent of searches on Google are symptom-related.

"By doing this, Google aims to help users navigate and explore health conditions related to various symptoms, and quickly get to the point where they can talk to a health professional or do more in-depth research on the web. To make sure the information is tailored to India, Google has been working closely with a team of medical doctors at Apollo Hospitals," the statement said.

It added that the search results are intended for informational purposes only, and users should always consult a doctor for medical advice and treatment.

"The abundant experience and expertise of our consultants were drawn towards providing clinical validation of the symptoms to spread the message of awareness and prevention of diseases. With the launch of the Symptom Search Project, we aim to provide quality healthcare information which can be accessed by a billion Indians," Apollo Hospitals Enterprise Joint Managing Director Sangita Reddy said.