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Avoid Medical Records Mistakes

Follow these steps for VA Health Summary, VA Blue Button Reports, and Labs and Tests

Couple using My HealtheVet website

Depending on which My HealtheVet feature you use, you could be shortchanging yourself without realizing it. Here are some ways to help you avoid common mistakes when using your VA Health Summary, VA Blue Button report, and Labs and Tests.

If you've registered but not upgraded your My HealtheVet account, that should be your next step. Upgrading to a Premium account gives you access to more of your medical records online, and many more tools and features.

Check Updates Button

Remember: Throughout My HealtheVet's tools, you will encounter the 'Check Updates' button. Use this to make sure you are looking at your most recent data.

VA Health Summary or VA Blue Button Reports

When it comes to viewing your most recent VA health care information, VA Health Summary is a great tool to use. Remember to select 'Check Updates' at the top of the page if you are waiting for your current summary to become available. Once your information update is complete, you can view, print, and download portions of your VA health record in a single report, including:

  • Allergies

  • Outpatient encounter notes

  • Immunizations

  • Lab results

  • Medications

  • Problems/conditions

  • Surgical and clinical procedure notes

  • Vital signs

  • Emergency contact information

  • And more

Keep in mind that some information in the summary has a limited time frame or a number of reports. The VA Health Summary is a very useful and concise report to share with a doctor outside of VA, for example. Check out "What's in the VA Health Summary" for more details. If you need to look further back into your VA health records, VA Blue Button reports can help.

With a VA Blue Button report, you can view a customized report for a specific time frame and select the types of information you want from a long checklist of items. View your VA Notes, VA Radiology Reports, or VA Laboratory Results based on the date range you choose.

When selecting a custom date range for your VA Blue Button report using the calendar option, be sure to choose not just a month and year, but also the specific date. If no full and specific date is selected, it will not accept your request.

selecting a custom date range

Finding your lab results

The easiest route to view, print, and download your VA Chemistry/Hematology test results is the Labs and Tests link right on My HealtheVet's Home Page. When choosing your desired lab test results, focus on looking for the date the test was done, rather than the specimen type. (Note that there may be more than one lab test completed on the same date).

Finding your lab results

No matter how you view them, remember that most lab test results become available 36 hours after a member of your health care team has verified them.

With both VA Health Summary and VA Blue Button, you can view your lab test results online. Remember that a VA Health Summary will only include your ten most recent sets of lab tests from the last 24 months. Your VA Blue Button report can give you more VA lab results.

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Updated September 20, 2021