Blue Button Download of Personal Health Data to be Expanded to Federal Employees and Their Families

Below is a little history on the Blue Button to include the HealthVault information that Veterans have been able to use as well. To me this is the way to go to get your own information as you know who has access…you…and anyone else you designate.

VA Blue Button Update–If You are a Vet or an MD Seeing a Vet Get the Health Data Available With Patient Ability to Download (Video)

I have posted on this topic a few times but the White House has released a video that gives a quick over view and man Vets have ben able to retrieve their information to keep or choose to share with their doctors. If you are a private practice doctor seeing a Veteran, it’s worth mentioning in case they have not had the chance to download their information.

VA Can Now Use the “Blue Button” to Download Their Data from Their PHR (Personal Health Record)

Also, the information can be sent to Microsoft HealthVault for storage as well to share with doctors outside of the VA with a paperless method instead of printing and I am guessing once in place federal employees will enjoy the same options.

Also worth mentioning is that folks on Medicare can do the same thing and get their data, so if you are not a Vet, check out the link below. BD

Millions of federal employees, retirees and their families will soon be able to use the Blue Button to download their personal health data from the websites of their health plans.

In a Carrier Letter issued on December 19, 2011, the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) asked all health insurance carriers in the Federal Employees Health Benefit Program (FEHBP) to add Blue Button functions to personal health record systems (PHRs) on their websites.

Blue Button allows patients to see, download and keep their personal health data by clicking the "Blue Button" on a secure Internet site. Patients can then choose to share their data with their physicians or family members or make it available if emergency treatment is needed. Blue Button downloads are delivered in text files that can be downloaded, read, stored and printed on any computer without special software. Patients can also authorize use of a Blue Button transfer of their medical data from a treating physician to another medical provider. An important innovation that enables patient's easy access to their personal health information, Blue Button has already been adopted by some 500,000 veterans, servicemembers, Center for Medicaid and Medicare Services (CMS) beneficiaries in just 14 months.