Document Scanning Blog

The medical industry has long been at the forefront of emerging technology, as evidenced by recent growth in the use of electronic medical records. By introducing new technology into medical practices and the healthcare industry, healthcare professionals can provide more cost-effective records management while preventing medical errors. In addition to providing more efficiency, this technology can also lead to better healthcare value for patients. What information is included in electronic medical records? When a practice converts to electronic medical records (EMR), there are a few basic types to consider. One technique uses ongoing document scanning of paper-based records and charts, and the other is a completely paperless EMR. Since they are used as a legal record of doctor-patient encounter in a medical setting, the information within an EMR must include the patient’s metadata, notes on their progress, any prescribed medications, test results, and any pertinent medical history. While most hospitals and healthcare providers still use the old paper-based charts, electronic medical records are becoming an essential for the storage, distribution and retrieval of patient information. How will healthcare providers make the transition to fully electronic document storage? The solution is to outsource their medical records scanning and use OCR scanning to create searchable PDF files. These digital files can be stored securely on serve that can only be accessed by properly credentialed personnel. The scanning of medical records offers an easy way to remain compliant with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), which requires hospitals and healthcare providers to maintain detailed medical records for each patient that are secure, portable and accessible. What about patient privacy concerns? Like any other online solution, when confidential patient data is stored on a network there some legitimate concerns about security. This can be easily addressed by securing the network and server from unauthorized use. Ultimately, scanning medical records and storing them on a secure server with limited access can allow providers to ensure more accurate care because doctors can now access more information about their patients’ condition. As healthcare reform measures take effect, more hospitals and providers are expected to take advantage of the increased efficiency and security provided by medical records scanning.

Trends suggest that all 80% of all business applications are now Internet based, so it is more important than ever to implement an online document management strategy in order to remain competitive. But with so many document scanning options and digital image storage companies out there, selecting a vendor can be a bit confusing. An electronic imaging system includes the use of software, hardware, telecommunications, maintenance, supplies, people and training. It also requires that top senior management buy into the project and support the cost involved, as well as new set of policies required to maintain security. With electronic document storage, business systems will now cross departmental lines where they never have before, and change the way many employees do their jobs. For these reasons, businesses need to create a clear plan of action before going “paperless”. This plan should provide the document scanning vendor with a clear set of priorities and specifications, detailing the full scope and expectations for the project. Consider the following factors when choosing a document scanning company: You will want to work with a company who is located near your geographic location, because they may be archiving your paper documents in a physical location nearby. In addition to price, be sure to check on the financial stability and reputation of the company. Don’t be afraid to ask for references. You will want to work with the vendor to develop a timeline for certain stages of your project, including scanning, storage, training, accessibility and archiving. Find out how and when your employees will be trained on how to access the electronic document storage site, and be sure they will be able to implement the necessary security measures to keep confidential documents out of the wrong hands. Finally, you may hear about many do-it-yourself options for document scanning, which may sound tempting, but remember, document imaging projects involve a number of challenges. Outsourcing to an experienced document imaging vendor will have the in-house resources and expertise to make your project a top priority and ensure it is done right.

When faced with the prospect of a paperless office, most business owners have mixed feelings.  They know it’s a huge undertaking to manage the whole document scanning process and convert to electronic document storage, but the overhead savings and easy online access sound great.  Many businesses, such as law firms and medical practices, have entire rooms devoted to paper filing systems.  So who wouldn’t want to translate all that paper into digital records and eliminate the need for so much wasted space?  Save money and make your employees more productive.   When an office worker can access any document right from their computer, it also saves time and makes that worker far more productive.  Electronic document imaging can even be used to send faxes, email documents instead of mailing a copy and provide electronic receipts, all of which cuts down on paper, toner, office equipment and postage.  Just these steps alone can save a business thousands of dollars a year. Document scanning offers a great way to cut down on unnecessary trips to the office.  Since most electronic document storage companies are now web-based, your office documents can now be securely stored online and accessed from any computer.  Salespeople can now stay on the road and cut back on mileage, and office workers can telecommute more often, saving your company time and money. How to convince the boss In summary, while document scanning may seem like an arduous process, the benefits far outweigh the costs.  Effective document management can help your office to: Reduce the costs associated with paper files. Digital document imaging can help your business run more efficiently, using less space. Reduce the cost of postage, distribution and faxing by emailing scanned documents. Improve employee and client access to information through online document sharing.  Multiple copies of a single document can be securely sent to pre-approved users via email or viewed on a web-based document storage site.  Help your company comply with Sarbanes-Oxley and HIPAA laws by maintaining secure control of financial and medical data. Every business can benefit from the improved efficiency of a paperless office, and once your senior management sees the potential cost savings it will be easy to get their approval.  When selecting a document scanning vendor, be sure to provide them with a complete list of specs, or an RFP, so they will know the full scope of work that your project requires and provide you with an accurate quote.

The modernization of personal health records (PHRs) is helping to take a several scattered pieces of medical information and put it into one web-based record. When you think about all the places where an individual’s medical information is currently stored, you will realize how tedious this process can be. Everything from your physician’s scrawled notes on your chart, to immunizations, hospitalization records, lab results and your prescription drug history will eventually be made into one cohesive PHR. Since the advent of medical records scanning and electronic medical records (EMRs), a number of healthcare providers have taken on the challenge of going fully “online” with their medical practices. While this whole transition has prompted privacy concerns from patients, as well as a whole host of new HIPAA regulations, it will ultimately help patients better manage their own health. While patients wait for their providers to catch up with technology by implementing EMR scanning and electronic document storage, they can take on some of the responsibility themselves by creating their own PHRs using software designed for the personal computer. These programs are just as simple as checking your email and the information doesn’t belong to your doctor — it’s all yours. Using these software programs, you can manage your own family’s health history, which can be easily gathered from healthcare providers. Plus, most of these programs offer some cool tools that will show you how some of your medications may interact, or allow you to track weight loss. Ultimately, all providers will be expected to use electronic document imaging to upload your information to a PHR on your behalf, which is expected to improve the flow and quality of data, reduce costs, and benefit your overall health. But for now, you can get started with your own PHR using software provided by your health insurance company. Some programs offer ways to access records that you can send to a new doctor, order prescriptions, and keep track of any new information about your conditions or prescriptions. In addition to software, some web-based programs make tracking your health records quite simple. One such company is PassportMD. They offer a fee-based subscription that will collect your information for you, including test results and prescription drug records. Applications on GoogleHealth and Microsoft’s HealthVault allow you to upload blood pressure and glucose readings directly from a home device to your online record.