In 2010, the Blue Button was launched in the United States at the initiative of President Barack Obama. The Blue Button is an application every American can use to download all of the data from their medical file.
In Europe, the Netherlands wish to set up an equivalent of that system.
Using the Blue Button to get healthier
The Blue Button can be used by American citizens to download and access their health data. As soon as health data is downloaded, it can be printed and/or saved on personal computer or on a personal Cloud. The file can also be imported into other tools of personal health management.
The application was initially meant for war veterans and became democratised. It is estimated that today, around 100 millions of American citizens use the Blue Button and access their health data through it.
Therefore, the Blue Button is a mean for patients to manage their health better. It can:
- Control their health information;
- Share data with a doctor, a carer, or any person patients trust with such information;
- When the blue button is installed, a series of health applications and services can be used to analyse health data.
Video: HealthVault & The Blue Button Initiative
A “Blue Button†smartphone application
A “Blue button†smartphone application is also available. In case of an accident and/or an hospital stay, doctors and emergency services can get a quick access to the health data of a patient (chronic disease, allergies, medical treatment…) from their smartphone if they downloaded the application.
Published by the Editorial Staff on