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Google is making changes to search results to make it easier for people to find virtual health care options, the company said in a blog post . The changes, which will be rolling out over the coming week appear to make it easier to find telehealth services, which have seen a huge demand due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Health care providers that offer virtual care options will be able to add a link to their virtual care website on their business profile, and that link will appear in both search results and on Google Maps. If a health care provider has a page dedicated to COVID-19-related information, Google says it will automatically surface a link to that page as well. You can see what those additions might look like in the below image:
Google will also begin surfacing “widely-available” virtual care platforms in a standalone card in search results when you search for terms related to immediate care. That card will link out to the virtual care platform and show information such as the out-of-pocket price for an appointment if you don’t have insurance. This is launching as a pilot in the US, and people could begin to see links to virtual care offered by Amwell Medical Group, Doctor On Demand, and Anthem in search results starting today, Google tells The Verge.
The company also states that however, at this time, Google won’t surface these new features if you’re searching for COVID-19 conditions or symptoms — you need to be making more explicit searches for care to see them. Google had already launched enhanced information cards in search results for terms related to the novel coronavirus .The company also created a website for the pandemic related news.
News about Covid- 19 is the main category which comes up in the frequently search engine of Google and the company plans to make the search easier.