Google announced the availability of the Cloud Healthcare API, which makes it easy to transfer data between healthcare applications and solutions built on Google Cloud. The API allows companies to embed and manage data from a variety of inputs and systems, and then analyze that data using secure A.I. and machine learning.

The Cloud Healthcare API helps to alleviate the pressure on health systems that are burdened by the coronavirus infection. As Google notes, even in the best of circumstances, combining data is often a challenge for health and life sciences companies. The API, then, enables it to communicate data using endpoints and health plans that support visibility, security, and patient access.

What is a “Cloud Healthcare API”?

The Cloud Healthcare API – a managed, scalable environment for building clinical and analytics applications that supports HIPAA compliance – integrates multiple data loss preventions, policy, identity management, and encryption solutions. Customers can choose the area where their data is stored and receive administrative systems that allow them to implement procedures such as the Minimum Offer Policy. Thanks to the integration of the API with cloud audit records, they can monitor all processes that affect their data.

Cloud Healthcare API for Data Processing in Google products such as Dataflow, Pictureware, AI Platform, and Looker is shipped with connectors. Beyond this, it has an automated de-identification capability that removes or clarifies personal information from the organization, so they can be used to analyze, train and evaluate machine learning models and share with non-privileged parties and protect patient privacy.

Since the launching of Google partnership last year, Mayo Clinic relies on its Healthcare API to enable the storage and operation of its medical data. “We’re in a time where technology needs to work fast, securely, and most importantly in a way that furthers our dedication to our patients,” said John Halamka, M.D., president of Mayo Clinic Platform. “Google Cloud’s Healthcare API accelerates data liquidity among stakeholders, and in-return, will help us better serve our patients.”

More solutions to support healthcare providers in the fight against COVID-19

In addition to the Cloud Healthcare API, this week, Google highlights several solutions to help healthcare organizations, researchers, and patients navigate the COVID-19 epidemic. Working with Google Search, YouTube, Google Maps Platform, and other groups across Alphabet, these solutions include:

Virtual care and telehealth services: Healthcare providers can offer video appointments to patients through Google Meet and take advantage of G Suite to keep patient information in Google Docs, Sheets, or other files stored on Google Drive to those it can be accessed and updated from anywhere using laptops, tablets or smartphones. All while maintaining data security and HIPAA compliance.

Collaboration capabilities for remote work: With G Suite and Google Meet, healthcare and life sciences organizations can virtually connect with colleagues to drive conversations and projects as they face the new standard of remote work mandates. And with Chrome Enterprise, healthcare providers like Hackensack Meridian Health break free of fixed workstations with mobile access to the files and information they need on the go.

24/7 Conversational Self-Service Support: Their new Rapid Response Virtual Agent, launched last week, helps organizations like the University of Pennsylvania provide immediate responses to patients and disseminate information Quickly pinpoints during this critical time, removing the burden of overworked hotlines and call centers.

High Demand Public Health Data Sets: Google is helping health organizations study COVID-19 with a previously hosted repository of public health data sets. And local providers and emergency planners can also apply Looker’s pre-built dashboards and analyses to these data sets.

Essential Service Visualization: Using the Google Maps Platform in conjunction with COVID-19 data sets, healthcare organizations can locate critical equipment, provide test site locations, instruct patients, and route medical deliveries to recipients. Earlier this month, we announced a new initiative with HCA Healthcare and SADA, called the National Response Portal, to help U.S. hospital systems. To better track necessary data on ventilator utilization, ICU bed capacity, COVID-19 test results, and more.

Google Cloud Research Credits: They are also enabling researchers, educational institutions, nonprofits, and pharmaceutical companies to advance their COVID-19 research by accessing scalable computing power. Eligible organizations may apply for research credits to receive funds for projects related to potential treatments, techniques, and data sets.

“Health care is one of the most important fields that technology will help transform over the next decade, and it’s a major area of investment for Google,” Google CEO Sundar Pichai said in a statement.

Google also said, “Although we are still in the early days of this fight, the stronger we work together as firms, organizations, and communities, the better we can ensure positive results. We are here to help, and we have teams that work closely with healthcare organizations across the country to support the unique needs that are emerging in response to COVID-19. We are amazed at the global response we have seen to date, and we are honored by the opportunity to continue to play a key role in helping health care organizations deliver care during the pandemic.”