In his State of the Union address, President Obama pointed to a particular example that reflects the power of public-private collaboration:
“Veterans can now download their electronic medical records with a click of the mouse.” Watch Video
It is heartening to see this example communicated from the nation’s highest stage into the homes of millions of Americans.
It’s a simple idea—downloading your medical records—that has led to innovations in both the public and private sector.
Fifty organizations joined together in support of a set of privacy and security policies to help people download their information safely. This is the best kind of collaboration—the kind that turns ideas into reality and aspirations into achievements.
Thanks to the US Department of Veterans Affairs, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, and TRICARE—each of which have implemented blue buttons for downloads from their beneficiary portals—we have leadership by example. We recognize their commitment and courage to innovate in the service of millions of veterans, beneficiaries, and servicemen and women and their families.
And thanks to innovators in the technology community, we get a glimpse into understanding the many new and innovative applications that can be created to help people manage their health when their own information is available to them.
Let’s think of the President’s recognition not as a culmination point, but as a beginning. There is much more to do to put the power of information at the fingertips of many more millions of Americans.
