Use Blue Button Service Marks

Blue Button Service Mark   Use the Blue Button® Service Marks to connect to your patients and customers. Across America, Blue Button® is the single most recognizable symbol pointing the way for patients and providers to download or transfer health data.

Whether you are a physician or hospital who wants to help patients download their clinical or discharge summaries and medication lists, a health plan which wants to help your members stay healthy, or a software developer who is building an application to help physicians exchange patient information with other physicians or hospitals – the Blue Button® Marks will help you connect.  

Originally, in 2010, organizations needed a license to use the Blue Button® Marks (at no cost).  As of October 2012, the trademark has been transferred to the Department of Health and Human Services.  Application and licensing is no longer required.  The usage of the logo and brand is still free, within Guidelines for Use.  More detail, including freely downloadable graphic assets and a series of Q&As, is available at http://www.healthit.gov/BlueButton 

Guidelines for Use (from HealthIT.gov/BlueButton)  

The words “Blue Button,” the Blue Button logo, the Blue Button Combined Logo and the slogan “Download My Data” are what consumers look for when they want electronic access to their health data. You are free to use these Trademarks consistent with the guidelines listed below. Additional information can be found in the Questions and Answer section.  

First, the Blue Button Marks are to be used to identify electronic access to health data views, downloads, and transmissions. Health data includes clinical, demographic, financial (explanation of benefits or invoices) and other information related to the health and medical care of a patient.  

Blue Button Marks should not be used for other types of data.  

Second, patients should be able to read their Blue Button information.  

Machine-readable formats are fine, so long as humans can easily read and print, too (e.g. through a freely available viewer).  

Third, the Blue Button Marks may not be used in any manner that could give rise to the appearance of endorsement or solicitation on behalf of the Department of Health and Human Services or the U.S. Government.  

It’s your product or service. Don’t suggest in any way that the federal government or any of its agencies endorse or support your product or service.  

Finally, the Blue Button Marks are registered trademarks. Proper use of the Blue Button Marks with the trademark symbol lets everyone know they are legally registered and protected by trademark law.  

Use the ® symbol to designate the registered status of the Blue Button Marks. See more details in the Q&As and the Service Mark Use Rules.

Service Mark Use Rules to Follow When Using the Blue Button Marks: 

Use the ® symbol the first time you use the words “Blue Button” or “Download My Data” in a document or on a page, and make sure the ® appears any time you use one of the graphic Marks. The ® is included in the graphics files we’ve made available elsewhere on this page.  

The Marks should be used and displayed in their entirety, without variation in design or color, and without other elements superimposed on them. If you’re not printing in color, grey tones can be used instead of blue.  

Use the following notice nearby — at least on the first page of the use of any of the Marks, or on a credits, page: ‘Blue Button’, the slogan, ‘Download My Data’ the Blue Button Logo, and the Blue Button Combined Logo” are registered Trademarks of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.  

When referring to the marks in text always use the mark as an adjective, not a noun. For example, the Blue Button Electronic Health Record Retrieval System.  

Should you become aware of any misuse of the Marks, send an email to: BlueButtonMarks@hhs.gov. Please include details of the alleged misuse, such as screen shots and copies of the improper use.  

'Blue Button’, the slogan, ‘Download My Data,’ the Blue Button Logo, and the Blue Button Combined Logo” are registered trademarks of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, an agency of the United States Government, which reserves all rights. VA does not endorse or warrant any goods or services identified by the use of the Blue Button® Marks.