Nurses, Blue Button are Highlighted During National Health IT Week

...At the HHS summit, federal officials also announced that the Blue Button Program, launched by the Veterans Health Administration, is now going mainstream. It has extended its reach beyond the VA and is now supported by healthcare providers and health plans, with availability already extended to millions of Americans.

The Obama Administration announced the Blue Button capability in August 2010. It was developed by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, the Department of Veterans Affairs, the Department of Defense and the Markle Foundation. With the click of a blue button, users of the program can share a simple version of their healthcare information with trusted parties.

Current sponsors of Blue Button include Kaiser Permanente, McKesson, Microsoft Healthvault, Aetna and United Health Group. "I'm proud of Blue Button Initiative," said CMS Administrator Donald Berwick. "It is an iconic wonderful idea. The Blue Button isn't just valuable, it's magic. It's the open sesame button that will open the door to a whole new level of care."