Blue Button

[tk3000]

About five years ago I learned about the forthcoming possibility of downloading all my medical records online by means of an online authenticated account via the myhealthvet website. It was an interesting and important feature for me since it would allow one to have instant access to my medical records (notes, exams, etc), and not having to fax forms and waiting sometimes weeks to have paper copy of such records. I even went to a VA Medical Center in order to proceed with the so called in-person authentication (had to travel about 90 miles, and the authentication took about 15 minutes). Five years afterwards, it turns out the online access to Electronic Medical Records (EMR) simply never happened. Now the VA with all pompous of a panacea promotes an amazing new electronic feature, the so called "Blue Button" that supposedly allows the veterans to download and access their records. It turns out that the "Blue Button" is simply a link that allows access to a tiny small pure text content with small pieces of information such as your blood type (the type of information that one should care in ones wallet in a small card). Does the VA really believe that all the veterans suffer from a chronic state of mental dementia and retardation? That so called "Blue Button" is ultimately the most pointless, meaningless, senseless and stupid things I have ever heard of.

tk3000

[boomer2]

I think they are afraid to give us access to our records because we will find to many mistakes they have made. I think we should have complete access thru ebenefits and see absolutely everything in our files. Also, if we have to file a new claim it should be done thru there as well and we should receive an email confirming receipt of the claim.

[Pete53]

I used the blue button and found that the records were merely my pharmacy refills and mostly self entered information I had put up on myhealthevet.

Myhealthevet continues to disappoint me after all the promises. When are we going to be able to see appointments and have email link to our Doctors plus get our labs and test result online?

[Dano50]

Here's the answer I got when I wrote to MyHealtVet. The strangest part of it was they told me it could take 5 to 10 business days and on the 10th business day I got this:

Access to your medical records through this site is on the way. Please

refer to the Coming Soon section of the My HealtheVet website for

detailed information concerning My HealtheVet features that will be

released in the future and timelines for release. In the meantime, you

can always request paper copies of your records through your VA Medical

Center. Please contact the Release of Information office at your

center. A representative will explain what forms or requests are needed

to get a copy of your records to you.

[ranger11bv]

WOW!! Talk about getting swatted away!!