After a long build-up, Google finally launched its personal health record (PHR) for public consumption. There has been great anticipation that Google’s entry into the health care space could be the most disruptive innovation to a delivery system nearing a state of disarray. After all, before Google had invested even one dime in health care, each day more people were going to Google to answer their health questions than were going to a doctor.

The amazing economic and information transformation that Google has achieved in less than a decade coupled with the delays in launching Google Health led to perhaps unrealistic expectations. A quick review of what it has to offer leaves me with several questions…

• (The biggest question) Given that there is nothing in my Google Health profile right now and none of the links to Google’s partners provide any personal health data for me, what benefit is there for me to using Google versus a spreadsheet on my own laptop?
• Will consumers who have experienced auto-populated PHRs (e.g., via providers that have transferred EHR data to a secure patient portal) be interested in starting all over again (even if they can import that data–such as with Cleveland Clinic patients)?
• How big of a challenge will it be for Google to get consumers to trust the corporate behemoth with their personal data?
• Why does a search for “diabetes” in the Google Health search engine generate completely different content for me than looking under “diabetes” in Google’s “Health topics”?

This last question is particularly perplexing to me. Google Health tells me that one of the things it allows me to do is “Review trusted information on diseases and conditions and learn about possible medication interactions and other topics to talk your doctors about.” But I don’t know how they decide what is trusted information and why they direct me to different content depending on which way I decide to enter Google searching.

Part of the aforementioned unrealistic expectations is because health care is more complicated than many other information industries. There’s no doubt the health care delivery system is in dire need of dramatic change and that Google’s sheer power as an information broker has tremendous potential to shape any field that is so dependent on finding good information. I hope this is just the beginning.

At the 7th Annual Information Therapy (Ix) Conference, “WIxRED: Next-Generation Patient-Centered Care,” participants will hear from national leaders in implementing much of what Google Health is trying to do: Deliver the right information to the right person at the right time. Take a look at the agenda and register today.