Google is the most popular source for searching for a physician or hospital, more popular than physician websites, healthcare sites or social media, VentureBeat reported April 28.
Because of improvements to its search engine, Google has become the No. 1 viewed site for healthcare consumers, according to the report.
Here's how the tech giant became more valuable for healthcare seekers:
- Google Search allows patients to see which healthcare providers are in their insurance networks. Patients can also filter providers nearby who accept Medicare.
- Google has an option for healthcare professionals to let prospective patients know what languages are spoken at their office.
- Google Search added a feature that shows appointment availability for healthcare providers. A "book" button also allows patients to schedule an appointment directly through the search engine.