Google: Just What The Doctor Ordered?

Search is getting ready to go vertical and it looks like Google's first market of choice could be healthcare.

A study published last week in the British Medical Journal showed that a doctor or patient using common keywords thorugh a Google search could get a correct diagnosis in almost six out of 10 cases. The researchers warned that efficacy of the searches could vary widely depending on the knowledge and skillset of the those conducting the searches and that searches conducted by healthcare professionals could be more accurate.

This is especially interesting since Google will supposedly launch its "Google Health" initiative this coming spring. No one really seems to know what this initiative will consist of. Some insiders speculate that "Google Health" will involve the company's Custom Search Engine, a service that lets users create their own customized Google-powered search.

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