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Google Health

Frequently Asked Questions

 

  1. What kind of health information can I store in Google Health?
  2. How can Google Health help me?
  3. Is Google Health a new way to search for health information?
  4. How much does Google Health cost to use?
  5. If Google doesn’t charge for Google Health, how does Google make money off of it?
  6. How does Google Health protect the privacy of my health information?
  7. Will my employer or health insurance provider be able to see my Google Health profile?
  8. Does the data I store in Google Health get used for other Google products, like Search?
  9. Is Google Health a PHR (personal health record)?

 

1. What kind of health information can I store in Google Health?

You can store as much or as little information in Google Health as you want. It's up to you. You can store wellness data, medical records, or both in Google Health including personalized wellness goals around weight or exercise as an example, or more traditional medical history such as your medications, allergies, procedures, immunizations, conditions, health insurance information and test results. You can enter any of this information on your own, or you may be able to import your medical information from a list of Google Health integrated partners such as hospitals, retail pharmacies or laboratories. You can also set personal health and wellness goals in Google Health and track your progress with personal notes. And remember that Google uses sophisticated security measures to help keep your information safe and secure.

2. How can Google Health help me?

Google Health offers a simple online dashboard you can use to track all your health-related information and goals. It also gives you a single, easily-accessible location to consolidate and store your medical records and personal health information. Having all your health and wellness information in one place makes it easy for you to track and achieve your health goals, and have accurate, up-to-date health information for you and your doctors when you need it most.

3. Is Google Health a new way to search for health information?

No, not at all. Google Health helps you organize, track, monitor, and act on your health information. There is a search box at the top of every page in Google Health that says “Search the Web” next to it. If you enter a search query in that box, you go to the Google.com search results page but you are no longer inside the Google Health product. There is also additional personalized content available to you on the medical conditions, medications and lab results you have listed in your Google Health profile. You can access this content in the Google Health product on the detail pages for each entry in your Google Health profile. We developed this content from outside aggregated search results and some licensed content, but this is just provided to you as a reference and none of your personalized data is shared with Google.com search.

4. How much does Google Health cost to use?

Google Health is available from Google at no charge. There is no cost to sign up. All you need is a username and a password. And if you already have a Google account set up then you are set. Google Health is also free to our partners as well. There is no charge to doctors' offices, hospitals, retail pharmacies, and health device makers and other application developers that partner with Google Health. Some third party companies that are integrated with Google Health and provide customized services may charge you directly but it's up to you to elect to work with them. Google has no financial relationship with these companies.

5. If Google doesn’t charge for Google Health, how does Google make money off of it?

Much like other Google products we offer, Google Health is made available at no charge to anyone who uses it. There are no ads in Google Health. Our primary focus is providing a good user experience and meeting our users' needs.

6. How does Google Health protect the privacy of my health information?

You should know two main things up front:

  1. We will never sell your personal health information or data
  2. We will not share your health data with individuals or third parties unless you explicitly tell us to do so or except in certain limited circumstances described in our Privacy Policy.

We make it a point to let you know what information we collect when you use Google Health, how we use it, and how we help keep it safe.

7. Will my employer or health insurance provider be able to see my Google Health profile?

You are in control of who views your Google Health profile. Remember, Google will never sell your health information, and we will not share it with others unless you explicitly authorize us to do so, or in the limited circumstances described in the Google privacy policy, such as when we are required to do so by law.

8. Does the data I store in Google Health get used for other Google products, like Search?

Yes, we share information between Google products to enable cross-product functionality. For example, Google Health can help you save your doctors' contact information in your Google Contact List. But no personal or medical information in your Google Health profile is used to customize your Google.com search results or for advertising. Also, other users cannot access your personal medical records or health and wellness information through a search on Google.com.

9. Is Google Health a PHR (personal health record)?

A personal health record (PHR) is a patient-directed information tool that allows the patient to enter and gather information from a variety of healthcare information systems such as hospitals, physicians, health insurance plans, and retail pharmacies. PHRs allow people to access and coordinate their health information and share it with those who need it. So, yes, Google Health is a PHR, but it is also a bit of a different model. We believe it's not enough to offer a place where you can store, manage, and share your health information. You need to act on your health information to better manage your health needs on a daily basis. This is why we provide you will the ability to set personal health and wellness goals and track your progress over time or interact with personalized applications and content.

For frequently asked questions about Google Health, please go to Google Health FAQ.

 

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