New VA Blue Button Features for 2013:

VA Notes, VA CCD and More

Already in 2013 the VA Blue Button has expanded significantly in January and March. This expansion includes additional types of information for Veterans’ Personal Health Records. Several new types of information from the VA Electronic Health Record are now available for authenticated VA patients.

In March (Release 12.4)  there were a number of new features added that make the VA Blue Button output files much friendlier for the end user, including:

• Filenames based on time and date output
• User messages to explain business rules, such as hold periods
• VA CCD file output now includes a PDF as well as XML file format

as well a variety of other changes and improvements offered in the 12.4 Release Notes.

Release 12.3 in January included a significant number of new types of data from patients’ VA Electronic Health Record:

• VA Demographics
• VA Problem List (active problems)
• VA Admissions and Discharges (including Discharge Summaries)
• VA Notes (Progress Notes)
• VA Laboratory Results: (adds Microbiology)
• VA Vitals and Readings
• VA Pathology Reports: (Surgical Pathology, Cytology, Electron Microscopy)
• VA Radiology Reports
• VA Electrocardiogram (EKG) Reports (list of studies)

My HealtheVet self-entered data now includes two new types of health care information:

• Self Entered Food Journal
• Self Entered Activity Journal
  

In addition, a new tool has been added to the VA Blue Button: the VA Continuity of Care Document (VA CCD). The VA CCD is a feature that contains a summary of the Veteran’s essential health and medical care information in an xml file format. The VA CCD uses recognized standards that support the exchange of information between health care systems and providers for effective continued care of the patient.

This significant upgrade means enhancements for our Veterans who download their health care data from VA’s Electronic Health Record. For our industry partners it means enhancements and improvements for their supporting software’s functionality. Visit our Resources page to learn more and view updated sample files.

One Million Blue Button Users - Veterans Talk to Markle Foundation

In August the one millionth patient used the Blue Button to down data from a Personal Health Record. In addition to users of My HealtheVet and TRICARE Online from the government, private sector partners like UnitedHealth Group, Aetna and Kaiser Permanente are adopting it as well. In recognition of this "one millionth" milestone, the Markle Foundation, one of the catalysts for the early development of the Blue Button, has released a wonderful video highlighting the positive experiences of three Veterans who use the VA Blue Button. Learn more

What does the President think about the Blue Button?

See what President Obama had to say about the Blue Button while speaking to the Disabled American Veterans.

DoD Military Service Information on
My HealtheVet and Blue Button

Key portions of the Department of Defense (DoD) Military Service Information are now available in My HealtheVet. This new feature is available to military retirees and/or Veterans discharged after 1979. To see this they simply need to:

• be a Veteran enrolled at a VA health care facility
• be registered on My HealtheVet
• have an upgraded account (In-Person Authenticated)