Document Scanning Blog

The slow but sure transformation in how patient records are stored and gathered has been dramatically sped up, now that the economic stimulus package has promised $19 billion for electronic medical records (EMR).  EMR scanning is a big part of this transformation in healthcare.  Not only will medical chart scanning and EMR scanning /storage improve the infrastructure of communication among healthcare providers, it will also allow physicians to better care for their patients. Today, only 1.5 percent of private hospitals have a comprehensive EMR system in place, with an additional 7.6 percent having at least one unit using fully electronic records.   According to the Obama administration, fully digitizing all medical records into a massive national database will provide medical researchers a wealth of information about which treatments work and which don’t.  EMR scanning, and other forms of medical chart scanning will also allow physicians to send and receive digital medical charts, speed the diagnostic process, and eliminate the need for unnecessary procedures and tests. Some other examples of how electronic medical records and advanced technology has changed the medical industry can be seen at a number of institutions.  At the Oakland Medical Center, doctors and nurses use flat-screen computer tablets - no larger than a sheet of paper - to access a patient’s medical record.  ER staff at their Kaiser Permanente facility can use device to find out about a patient’s medical history, medications, and test results. They can also be used to show a patient their x-ray. At Pittsburgh Medical Center, because they all wear ultrasound ID tags, whenever a hospital staffer enters the room their name and job title pop up on a wall-mounted, flat screen monitor.  All the appropriate medical chart data is also available on the screen, showing nurses the medications to provide, and doctors recent updates on their patients’ condition. While some institutions are still far behind in converting to digital records, EMR scanning and medical record scanning and storage are much more widely accepted today than they were a year ago, and we finally have the funding to make this happen  - quickly.

Scanning documents is only half of the process involved in digital document management, but what do you do once all of your documents are scanned and converted into PDF format? First, you will need a system to file and retrieve your documents.  An electronic file system is fully digital, so you can create all the subfolders you want for organizing your information.  Simply drag and drop the document icons from one folder to another.  Unlike paper files, digital files are also easily searchable.  In fact, basic searches can be done using Windows Explorer or the Mac equivalent.  However, if you need a more advanced search system, consider using Worldox, which provides industrial strength document management. Or, if you are looking for a customized solution, programs such as TimeMatters, GroupWise or Amicus Attorney offer varying degrees of document management specialization. For online document storage, you can start by storing scanned documents on a network drive, either an internal hard disk or a storage appliance.  When deciding which option to use, consider the speed you will require.  Most businesses prefer a fast hard disk drive (7200-10,000 rpm).  Or, if your documents need to be available across a network, consider a fast Ethernet (100 MB per second).  However, using a standard Ethernet and 801.11(b) wireless will not provide sufficient bandwidth for retrieving and storing larger documents. In general, storing the same amount of information as is typically stored in a file drawer will require 500 MB of storage, which is equal to less than a single compact disc, which typically holds 700 MB.  Thus, an entire four drawer filing cabinet will only require 2 GB of space.  A single DVD holds 4.7 GB, or the equivalent of two four-drawer filing cabinets.  Using this as an illustration, it’s easy to see how quickly you will save space by converting to a document scanning / digital storage solution.