Health issues are highly personal. Some folks, for example, are scared of living for years on end without control of their bodies. Others are terrified that a plug will get pulled moments before they make a total recovery. And a certain search giant thinks both of these attitudes represent great reasons to start using Google Health.
A post on the Official Google Blog tells readers, “An advance directive allows you to determine your end-of-life wishes so that your family and doctor can honor them if you get sick and are unable to communicate.” It has the ability to save all sorts of people all sorts of pain, and whatever your age or condition, is something you should consider completing.
Google just wants to make sure its software is part of the equation, and as it turns out, Google Health can now process scanned paper documents.
So the post continues, “Google Health is now working with a leading advance directive provider, Caring Connections, that provides a free, downloadable form customized for all 50 states. To complete your form, download it, print it out, complete it, scan it, and upload it to Google Health. Once you’ve uploaded the signed form, Google Health makes it easy to share it with your caregiver.”
Admittedly, this seems morbid and a bit opportunistic. But the issue’s an important one, and this may prove an effective tack for Google to take.
