The search giant is even partnering with one of the country’s largest medical providers, CVS Health, to develop the functionality. The news was announced by Hema Budaraju, the company’s Senior Director of Product for Health and Social Impact, during Google Health’s second“There can be a lot of friction when you’re making a doctor’s appointment,” she said during the keynote. “In the U.S., the average wait time for a primary care appointment can be 20 days or more.
The company said it is in the early stages of rolling this feature out and is working with partners, including medical scheduling solution providers and CVS’ in-store “MinuteClinic” general practice clinics. Budaraju showed a screenshot of the “Appointments” feature, which shows a variety of different schedule availabilities with an option for a user to book an appointment. The feature can be handy for a parent looking for a same-day appointment for their ill child or useful for someone looking for a new doctor after a move, she said.