Mayo Clinic and Google have announced a new, 10-year partnership that aims to develop ways for cloud computing, data analytics, machine learning and artificial intelligence to “redefine how healthcare is delivered.”

In particular, Mayo Clinic aims to tap AI-enabled digital diagnostics along with Google Cloud technology to advance both virtual care and medical research.

According to Gianrico Farrugia, M.D., president and CEO of Mayo Clinic, the move “will empower us to solve some of the most complex medical problems; better anticipate the needs of people we serve; and meet them when, where and how they need us. We will share our knowledge and expertise globally while caring for people locally and always do it with a human touch."

As part of the 10-year agreement, Google has said it will open an office in Rochester, Minn., home to Mayo, in order to work directly with Mayo Clinic researchers, physicians, information technology staff and data scientists to apply advanced computing techniques to health care problems.

Moreover, Google Cloud will secure and store Mayo Clinic's data, although Mayo Clinic will continue to control access and use of its patient data using long-standing institutional controls

"With one of the most robust sources of clinical insights in the world, Mayo Clinic is well-positioned to lead digital transformation in health care," says Christopher Ross, chief information officer, Mayo Clinic. "Our partnership will propel a multitude of AI projects currently spearheaded by our scientists and physicians, and will provide technology tools to unlock the value of data and deliver answers at a scale much greater than today.”

Minnesota's largest private employer, last year, the clinic posted income of $706 million on $12.6 billion in revenue, while Google’s parent company Alphabet Inc. posted earnings of $8.2 billion on $39.3 billion in revenue.

"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 at the time of the announcement.

According to the companies, Mayo Clinic will specifically authorize the use of data in projects to create new healthcare insights and solutions in conjunction with partners, including Google.