VA Announces Blue Button Prize Competition

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) announced it is offering a $50,000 prize to the first team that builds a personal health record (PHR) using the Blue Button download format, and arranges to install the PHR on the websites of 25,000 physicians across America. Sponsored by the VA Innovation Initiative (VAi2), the Blue Button Prize Competition is open to all U.S. organizations and individuals. The contest started on July 18.

VA first offered Blue Button downloads through its My HealtheVet website in August, 2010; since then nearly 300,000 Veterans have downloaded their PHR data, including upcoming appointments at a VA Medical Center, medications, allergies, health reminders and, in a recent upgrade, their laboratory results.

The Department of Defense also provides Blue Button download capabilities to its TRICARE beneficiaries, and Medicare beneficiaries can download their claims histories using the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services’ Blue Button functions.

Contest rules are available at http://challenge.gov/VAi2/198-blue-button-for-all-americans.