Information on Diseases

Google Health, happens to be a place where one can enter medical health care data so that it can be accessed across the globe, avoiding our carrying health records physically alongwith us during our journeys.

With added features like Import Medical Records (from selected hospitals, as yet), Graph test results, Share profile, Upload images, print wallet-size Health Profile, etc. it is doing more than just giving us an option to enter data like what Excel gives :). One thing among all these that is striking is the More Info option next to each Diagnosis Condition which one can link to their profile.

Here is one example on Acne

Very impressive. It contains all the information that one (as a patient) needs to know on Acne. They are adding for other conditions too! The complete list appears here. I doubt anywhere else it is given in such a complete fashion. I checked on Wiki for information on Acne. The info given on Google's Reference page is more comprehensive, clean and informative.

Interestingly, there is a post on Google blog saying SNOMED-CT is a better way of coding diseases than International Classificaton of Diseases (ICD-9) (New versions: ICD-10 CM / PCS). When Google makes such statement, its implications can be huge especially when whole of USA uses ICD coding!

Lets wait and see, if in any way, this influences the type of diseases coding system adopted by the hospitals across the globe.