Google has gained access to a huge trove of US patient data - without the need to notify those patients - thanks to a deal with a major health firm.

Axar.az reports citing BBC.

The scheme, dubbed Project Nightingale, was agreed with Ascension, which runs 2,600 hospitals.

Google can access health records, names and addresses without telling patients, according to the Wall Street Journal, which first reported the news.

The tech giant said this was "standard practice".

Among the data Google reportedly has access to under the deal are lab results, diagnoses, records of hospitalisation and dates of birth.

Neither doctors nor patients need to be told that Google can see this information.

The Wall Street Journal reports that data access began last year and was broadened over the summer.

In a blog, Google said its work with Ascension would adhere to industry-wide regulations, such as the US Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA).

"To be clear... patient data cannot and will not be combined with any Google consumer data," the firm added.

Ascension said the deal would help it to "optimise" patient care and would include the development of artificial intelligence (AI) tools to support doctors.

The company also said it would begin using Google's cloud data storage service and business applications known as G Suite.