The release of new software enabling personal medical devices to stream data results into and out of Google Health accounts, or other personal health records, marks a major play by Google in the emerging PHR space. The software, which was rolled out by Google, IBM and the Continua Health Alliance in early February, competes with Microsoft’s HealthVault offering and marks the search giant’s next step forward, just as the federal government prepares to throw funding at health IT initiatives.

Designed to enable consumers to store and securely manage their personal health information and medical records online, Google’s cloud-based program is free to users. IBM’s contribution streamlines the flow of personal information by integrating Google Health with IBM’s Information Management, Business Intelligence and WebSphere Premises server platforms. This integration ensures that patient records are up to date and accurate around the clock.

Aside from coinciding with the most lavish government spending spree in the history of the world, the roll-out aims to harness the rapid growth of remote patient monitoring, which IBM officials say will boost the real-time value of PHRs for consumers. In addition, the software is partly based on open-source software already available from Eclipse and Open Health Tools, two open-source communities dedicated to supporting advancements in healthcare.

The software was developed according to guidelines from the Continua Health Alliance, a consortium created in 2006 to select standards, write interoperability guidelines and overcome security issues for personal health care products.

With so much working in Google Health’s favor—the personal health record technology, the software, the team of experts driving development, the timing to market, the first wave of public funding, the enormous patient population that stands to benefit from the advance of telehealth—it’s hard to argue that the time for PHR adoption is now.