WebProNews

Healthcare as an informational topic continues to intrigue Google, which has gathered a group of healthcare experts to help the search advertising company understand health issues better. "Although we have some talented people here with extensive backgrounds in health policy and technology, this is an especially complex area," Google's Missy Krasner wrote about the formation of a Health Advisory Council.

Google's outward-look for expertise has led it to contact and invite a number of prominent people who work regularly with healthcare issues to advise it. The Health Advisory Council will "help us better understand the problems consumers and providers face every day and offer feedback on product ideas and development," said Krasner.

American Medical Association COO Bernie Hengesbaugh and Cleveland Clinic CEO Delos Cosgrove are among the members of Google's new advisors. Many people will recognize the name of the Council's chairman, Dean Ornish, whose work has been featured in a number of media outlets over the years.

With billions spent on healthcare each year, it isn't surprising that Google would want to be closer to that flow of money. Since Google users search regularly for health-related information, being able to tap a group of experts for medical advice makes sense.