After a seemingly dormant period in Google Health’s development, one that saw Microsoft zip by them with its HealthVault service, Google Health returned to the spotlight. A Reuters report said the Cleveland Clinic and Google will start a pilot project for patients to manage health information:

Cleveland Clinic plans to enroll between 1,500 and 10,000 patients to trial the secure exchange of medical record data such as prescriptions, conditions and allergies between the clinic and a secure Google profile in a live clinical delivery setting.

The benefit to patients comes in the form of an easily and securely accessible gateway to all of their clinical information. Since access to the details requires only a web browser, any Internet connection can reach the respository.

The Cleveland Plain Dealer raised an important point about sharing health information. Insurance companies cannot share medical details about their members.

Technology hurdles face the project too, as it will have to be able to bring in information from the various systems used by healthcare professionals.

The first time the system helps doctors treat an unconscious patient by providing data about an existing condition, people will see the real benefit of a portable health record like what Google and the Cleveland Clinic propose.