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  •   over 12 years ago

Question on rules and goals

What does it mean to be "installed on" a LHP site?  Does a hosted solution that is simply linked to from the LHP site qualify?  If not, is it really expected that a new innovation really get built and deployed to 25,000 LHPs in 3 months?  Getting anywhere near that immediately discounts any new vendor that doesn't already have a large install base that can be simply "upgraded" with the application.
If the solution can be hosted, how does that relate to the requirement to provide source code to the VA.  Specifically, if I were to implement the blue button function as an add on to an existing service it is not reasonable to expect source code to be released.
Finally, have to agree with comments on some of the other discussion points that it does not make sense to me that a more common interchange format like XML is not exportable.  Much easier for me to add value to the application if i can parse the data programmatically and render it in a way that makes sense based on the use desired by the patient or LHP.

  • 6 comments

  •   •   over 12 years ago

    The point is that it is simple to read for the patient without any special software. Simple ASCII file. XML does not provide this purpose. And yes, I do take it to mean that the app or web interface is installed on a physcian's web site which allows the physicians patients to download in the simple format. That's how I interpreted the rules.

  • Manager   •   over 12 years ago

    Thanks for the excellent questions.
    A hosted solution qualifies as a submission as long as it is made freely available on the LCP’s website. We do think that a new innovation could be built and installed during the contest time frame, but we’d be perfectly happy if an innovator modified an existing PHR to make it Blue Button-enabled, too.
    For your next question, I think you’re referring to this rule:
    A link to a website from which VA can download the application, in source or object code at the option of the participant.  By submitting an entry in this competition, participant expressly authorizes VA, its employees and agents to download, install and use the application for purposes of determining whether the submitted application meets the requirements of this competition .
    What we’re really asking for is the ability for us to try it out, too. We at VA must be able to download the application and install it to make sure it qualifies for the competition.  
    Your final question is about the interoperability of the ASCII format. With Blue Button, our goal is to give Veterans, and all patients, better access to their health information. ASCII is readable by both people and computers without any special software. At a minimum, VA requires that eligible submissions make data available in ASCII and PDF formats. But if an innovator would like to add an XML schema to that list, we also encourage that, too.

  •   •   over 12 years ago

    1. What I want to know is if I setup a webserver and then have the web application accessible to all LCP's and get 25000 LCP's to put a link on their website to my website with the Blue Button Application, does that count?  There would be no requirement for theLCP's to have to download anything, it would just run from my webserver.  All the code behind would be available if this counted. 
    2.  How do I get approval to use the VA Blue Button logo?
     

  • Manager   •   over 12 years ago

    Ryan:
     Thanks for two excellent questions. 
     To get approval to use the Blue Button (sm) name, logo and slogan “Download My Data,” just go to www.va.gov/bluebutton/apps/License, read the license terms, fill out the application, then email it to us.    We’ll send your license to the email address you give us in the application.   There is no cost for the license.
     The answer to your first question isn’t an unqualified “yes,” but instead a “yes-if.”   If you set up a web server with a Blue Button-enabled PHR, and if you then arrange with physicians to link their patients from the physician’s web site to your server where they can use that Blue Button PHR, and if the patient sees the PHR as sponsored by their physician – in other words, the fact that it’s on your server is transparent to the patient – then yes, that would count. Of course, the app on your server would need to meet all of the contest requirements including privacy and security protections.
     Trust this answers your questions.  If we missed the mark, let us know.

  •   •   over 12 years ago

    Hi James,
    I have couple of question based on your response -

    1. Is the expectation to get a patient connect via a physician web site to Blue Button PHR on www.myhealth.va.gov website only?
    2. Can the contestant create an application downloadable or host on their web server which will ask key information (user, pwd , etc..) to the patient connecting via a physician web site (link to contestant webserver) which will allow them to download the PHR in ASCII or text format? If yes, then is there a web service/interface published that can be used by the contestant to provide a shortcut for patient to get his Blue Button PHR right after login to the application?

    Thanks
    Niraj

  • Manager   •   over 12 years ago

    Niraj:

    Thanks for the questions. Here’s our answers.

    Q: Is the expectation to get a patient connect via a physician web site to Blue Button PHR on www.myhealth.va.gov website only?

    A: In a word, “no.” We’re looking for PHRs on the websites of physicians across America which serve all the physician’s patients – including Veterans. These PHRs will be independent of the VA My HealtheVet PHR.

    Q. Can the contestant create an application downloadable or host on their web server which will ask key information (user, pwd , etc..) to the patient connecting via a physician web site (link to contestant webserver) which will allow them to download the PHR in ASCII or text format?

    A: As we understand your question, you’re asking whether a hosted solution qualifies as a submission as long as it is made freely available on the LCP’s website. To this question, the answer is “yes.”

    Q. If yes, then is there a web service/interface published that can be used by the contestant to provide a shortcut for patient to get his Blue Button PHR right after login to the application?

    A. VA does not publish a web service/interface which would allow an external application to, effectively, “log on” to My HealtheVet on behalf of a Veteran and obtain a Veteran’s data. Of course, we welcome this feature in your application for LCP’s to use, so long as Veteran privacy is protected.

    We trust these answers are helpful. Good luck with preparation of your application and entry.

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