For all my IT friends and colleagues in the medical field- “Listen Up”.  There is a contest out there that I think you would be very interested in.  The prizes are worthwhile but knowing that you are helping to shape the health IT future is even more to grin about!.  Here it is…

ONC Launches Contest To Improve Design of Blue Button Tool

The Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT has launched a contest to improve the design of the Blue Button tool to make it more usable and visually appealing, according to a notice published Monday in the Federal Register, Government Health IT reports (Mosquera, Government Health IT, 10/22). 

Background on Blue Button

In 2010, the Department of Veterans Affairs launched a Blue Button tool to help veterans access and exchange their personal health data in a standard, consistent manner.

The project has caught on in the private buy nicotrol inhaler online sector, with insurers — such as Aetna and UnitedHealthcare — launching their own Blue Button tools (iHealthBeat, 10/3).

Contest Details

Contest entries will be judged in four areas:

  • Overall design;
  • Best design for medication section;
  • Best design for problem history section; and
  • Best design for lab summary section (Government Health IT, 10/22).

The notice states that “too often health information is presented in an unwieldy and unintelligible way that makes it hard for patients, their caregivers and their physicians to use.”

Prizes, Deadline

More than $50,000 in prize money is available, including:

  • Three $5,000 awards for the winners of the redesigns of the individual sections; and
  • One $16,000 award for the overall design winner (McKinney, Modern Healthcare, 10/22).

Entries are due by Nov. 30 (Government Health IT, 10/22)

Good Luck!  Let me know if you win.  Even if you don’t, share your ideas here in the comment box below.