Google Health's vice president of engineering will move to the company's commerce division in January, becoming the third executive to exit Google Health this year, according to Business Insider.
Shashidhar Thakur, a search engine expert, will depart Google Health next month, following former Google Health UK lead Dominic King, PhD, who joined Optum in October. Director of global deployment Michael Macdonnell exited Google Health in September to join Sensyne Health.
Anurag Agarwal, an engineering vice president, is set to replace Mr. Thakur, according to the report. Mr. Agarwal has experience leading work on clinical tools within the organization. Google Health launched an app Dec. 9 to connect individuals to clinical studies, and its partnership with Rochester, Minn.-based Mayo Clinic launched its first artificial intelligence initiative in October.
Google has made significant moves in the healthcare space this year, primarily through Google Cloud, which most recently signed a six-year partnership with Pittsburgh-based Highmark Health to develop a secure and scalable platform with advanced analytics and artificial intelligence capabilities. Google Cloud also invested $100 million in telehealth company Amwell in August.