"Dr. Google" has a booming virtual medical practice, but it doesn't compete with a real health professional when it comes to providing care and information about health concerns, according to a new survey from the Pew Internet and American Life Project.

It found most Americans looked online for health information in the last year and one-third used the Internet as a diagnostic tool, but patients still relied primarily on their doctors or other health professionals for treatment, information and guidance. They also found that many people hit "pay walls," which asked them to pay for information they sought; most declined and tried to find the same information elsewhere, though some paid and others gave up the search.

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