I was reading John Battelle’s blog this morning and came across a really cool post about Google health, In short, You can import medical records from other services, and explore the list of health services to link to your profile. Google writes, “When you link a website to your profile, you may authorize that website to read your Google Health profile or to automatically send and update information in your profile (such as medical records or prescription histories). You decide which permissions to grant when you sign up with each website.”
Here’s a screen shot:
Some would have you believe based on this article about Where does Google go next, that they are hurting. What do you think?
Direct Marketing Observations 
I don’t think Google is ‘hurting’ at all. I think they have long-tern vision and goals laid out and are working towards their goals, following their vision.
I assume their vision has to do with much more than ‘search’ activities as we would normally think of those activities. I assume they have expanded ‘search’ to relate to all information. By this, I mean that I think they want to be in the middle for all information, everywhere, in all forms, for all people.
For their business, that is a great vision.
For me, this medical information application is simply another step in a long series of applications focused on getting in the middle for all information.
There might be some danger for us, but I’m not overly concerned. All of the applications I’ve seen them produce are benign (so far).
OMT: I’m sure an application like this medical information one took many, many months to design, create, test, and roll-out. It seems a little far-fetched to think that it somehow relates to some current market activity situation.
Rodger
Rodger I have to agree with you. What Google does with their research and their money for the most part is benign. People should give them so credit for at least trying new things. If they don’t work, no big deal and they are no less the company they were prior to trying.