Imagine that you go to the emergency room because of a fall.  When the doctor comes and examines your knee, he notices the scar from a previous surgery.
“What was the surgery for?” he asks.  You know it had something to do with a ligament, but can’t remember the rest.  When he asks about your medical history, you don’t remember the official diagnosis of your heart problem.  You also don’t remember the name of the new prescription you are taking.  It’s too late to call the other doctors’ offices, and the emergency room can’t do much without the information.
Similar situations like this have happened to many seniors.  But now Medicare is doing something about it.
According to aplaceformom.com, Medicare Blue Button is a computer program that allows patients to download all of their medical records onto their computer or even their smart phone.  When a senior goes to a new doctor or the emergency room, he can simply show the doctor his phone and the doctor will have all of the information needed for treatment.
This system is in line with the new federal idea of putting healthcare in the hands of the patients.  The idea is that if patients are more responsible for their records, fewer errors will happen.
Within the next year, Medicare Blue Button should be available to any senior who cares to use it.  And hopefully it will help more seniors feel in charge of their care and ready should an emergency arise.