Google Health -- In Name Only?

	Search GovernmentHealthIT

	Advanced Search

GHIT Notebook

June 28, 2007

No-one is sure how long Google's tip towards the health information market will continue to generate interest, but an announcement about a new, star-filled "Health Advisory Council" should keep the speculation going, at least for the foreseeable future.

The Council has an enviable list of industry luminaries, with the likes of Dean Ornish, the American College of Physicians' CEO John Tooker, former FDA commissioner David Kessler and former NIH chief Bernadine Healey in its ranks. If, indeed, Google wants to plumb expert minds for advice on what's needed in medical search, it's got a good group to go to here.

To be fair to the dominant search company, it's admitted that the health field is one of the more complex ones it's engaged with. The fact that it's decided it does need this level of advice is therefore a good move.

Of course, it could be that it's just assembled these names as an easy way to give it visible competitive chops in this growing sector of the market, but let's give it the benefit of the doubt, at least for now.

There are caveats to the announcement, however, and many of the initial objections can be found in the comments to Google's own blog posting on the Council. One of them points out, for example, that there isn't (so far) a diabetes specialist on the panel. Since this disease is already near epidemic levels, that's a big omission.

One of the comments I like the best comes from Dean Giustini, a medical librarian and noted critiquer of all things online. Writing on the OM Blog, part of the online journal Open Medicine he's helping to start up, he calls the Google announcement "an insult to health librarians everywhere", with no person from the librarian ranks to be seen anywhere on the new Council.

He makes the case as follows:

Imagine what the American Medical Association (AMA) or the Canadian Medical Association (CMA) (in short, the doctors) would have said had they not been asked to participate? The newly-formed Google Health Advisory Group mostly consists of MDs, with some representation from health provider and consumer groups - but no hospital librarians, no clinical librarians, no consumer health librarians or informationists. In fact, no nurses, no therapists nor technologists. It's a list that surprises by its one-dimensionality, and its errors of omission.

Note to Google: Who do you think provides patient education and materials to consumers? It's nurses. It's health librarians. In the information age, librarians are equal partners in the delivery of health care, in case you haven't noticed. Who do you believe is responsible for delivering information to patients outside of the clinical team? Further, who knows these tools better than health librarians?

He has got a point. If Google really is interested in good advice about the medical field then this Council should be broadened substantially, at least to give it the street cred it needs as well as the auspicious glow the current names provide.

As another look into medical search, note the announcement that Healia -- a search engine specifically consumer health search -- has been bought by Meredith Corp., which is finding a growing market in providing health information for its female-oriented publications.

Looks like Meredith sees the appeal of providing online, interactive health services al la Revolution Health. We should only expect more of this stuff.

By Brian Robinson, GHIT Contributing Writer

View Comments

Generic medication. Guaranteed lowest price. High qualtity pills. Easy order processing. Free 24/7 customer support. Privacy and confidential pharmacy. cheap cialis cheap ativan order butalbital alprazolam online generic prozac

Posted by npqmberz on October 31, 2007

Hello, of course I came to visit your site and thanks for letting me know about it. I just read this post and wanted to say it is full of number one resources. Some I am familiar with. For those who don’t know these other sites they are in for a treat as there is a lot to learn there.

Posted by Male Enhancement on March 6, 2008

Hello, I found interesting site on witch you may find new hookups with the hottest singles. Free dating site register is free. This is the world's largest adult sex and swingers site. Or if you want find really nice girl you may visit dating site. Best regards John

Posted by finascapync on June 19, 2008

hi all. I just found a great site for warcraft gold and wow leveling. Are you all aware what wow power leveling is? It is where someone plays your character. You can also buy gold wow from Live4Game as well. Good luck to you all. If you are in the mood for Final Fantasy XI gil, then please go to FFXI Gil, Buy FFXI Gil, FFXI Gil Sale, Cheapest FFXI Gil, Buy Cheap FFXI Gil, final Fantasy XI Gil, Cheap FFXI Gil.

Posted by zoe on August 1, 2008

antispyware spybot spyware software super antispyware hoax spyware removing

Posted by sddsg on August 6, 2008

The www.govhealthit.com is excellent site, thanks, owner. And see this state water heaters uk

Posted by stateelectricwaterheaterslot on August 19, 2008

Beautifull design Thanks, webmaster.

Posted by Ipod Nana Online on August 25, 2008

mac video converter Ipod to computer transfer is your ideal solution which can quickly transfer music from ipod to computer. It supports to transfer all popular video formats supported by iPod. While m4p converter is an easy-to-use software for protected music conversion. It allows you easily convert your different audio file formats to most commonly used formats，and we also got dvd creator，mac dvd ripper | avi converter for mac

Posted by liliana on August 25, 2008

Amazine site Thanks, webmaster.

Posted by best savings accounts uk on August 26, 2008

mov converter for mac is currently one of the best conversion software program.

Posted by liliana on September 8, 2008

Posted by liliana on October 8, 2008