When President Obama launched the Blue Button initiative for veterans in 2010, the idea was to make a consumer engagement tool that empowers the patients by enabling them to access and download their online medical records. Today, the use of and the awareness about this initiative has skyrocketed and it has become an important part of a good Electronic Health Record. Data acquired by the Blue Button initiative can be shared among caregivers and other trusted individuals. It is available in both human-readable and machine-readable formats to allow wider utilization.

On January 16, 2013, the Office of the National Coordinator (ONC) for Health IT announced a Blue Button+ plan for developers, which facilitates information exchange using structured data. Since then, the ONC has been active in making this an essential tool for patient engagement. Meaningful Use Stage 2 also stipulates physicians to engage patients and allow them to view, download and transmit care information – exactly what Blue Button suggests.

With this technology, patients can access allergy, encounters, family, immunization and medication information. Additional information will soon become available to patients and care givers across the continuum of care.

Recently, ONC revealed big plans for Blue Button.

“Providers who engage patients create an environment in which patients feel a partnership,” said Ellen Makar, senior program analyst at ONC. “These providers are assisting patients in accessing their own data, and making them feel that they can own their treatment options and share in decision-making.”

Experts believe this initiative has started a true transformation. In fact, health IT vendors have started to offer mobile products to allow health information downloads. Also available in abundance are  mobile health applications and tools such as digital pedometers, glucose monitors, and sleep sensors. Consumers are becoming an indispensable part of the equation for better health and care.

More than 450 organizations have pledged to make personal health information available to Americans through their providers, health plans, labs and pharmacies, by building tools that will make care delivery information available and actionable.

This initiative requires a concentrated effort by the physicians to educate their patients on how technology can improve and save lives. Patients need the benefits of IT explained to them, along with  how they can benefit from patient portals.

Patients of the future will be more empowered and will take control of their care. The Blue Button is surely going to be a big part of this revolution.