Document Scanning Blog

As the paperless office becomes the new “normal”, many small businesses now find themselves grappling with the manipulation of scanned content. For example, when a law firm or medical office converts to a digital platform for record-keeping, there is usually a need to access a scanned document and updated it at some point. This isn’t always necessary with medical charts, because EMRs convert charts into online forms, but there are many other scanned documents that will require some editing down the road. One of the best solutions for the conversion of image files, or PDFs, into text-rich searchable documents is to use document scanning. It can be done in many languages, and allows law firms, archive facilities and museums to search, catalog, and manipulate the content of image files. Many offices use HTML programming language in OCR scanning because it allows for quick access and simple editing. In addition to converting these scanned documents into searchable text, OCR scanning can also structure the data for conversion to Excel. Of course, the success of any Excel conversion through OCR will depend greatly upon the readability and structure of the existing pages. Document scanning that has already have tabulated data (using delimited tabs and spaces) usually generate the best result, while sheets with non-standard columns may need to be manually adjusted. There are other ways to make the conversion from image file to Excel, such as Zonal Software, Adobe Acrobat, and Visual Basic, but these can be time consuming and more expensive than document scanning. A great way to determine which solution is best for your needs is to ask for a test or sample.

As a way to cut down on paper and improve efficiencies, many medical offices have gone through the lengthy process of document scanning and indexing every paper medical chart. While the “paperless office” represents a major step forward in improving patient care, it is only the beginning of an industry-wide transformation. With the recent healthcare reform legislation comes a new emphasis on Healthcare Information Technology (HIT), which is expected to redefine the way information is stored, evaluated and transmitted throughout the medical community. Instead of using electronic medical records (EMRs), healthcare providers will be transitioning to electronic health records (EHRs). EHRs will take the quantitative data from a standard digital health record and make it accessible to a broad range of public and private entities. Many fear that this could compromise patient privacy. Until recently, the use of electronic medical records (EMRs) by medical offices wasn’t seen as a threat to patient privacy. This is because an EMR is generally used by only one organization, as a replacement for a paper chart. While the record exists on a computer, it is no less secure than paper medical charts, and some would argue that it is even more secure. Professional document scanning companies and document scanning software have made it possible for healthcare facilities to access digital charts with ease. However, an EHR is an aggregate electronic health record that is gathered cumulatively and available across multiple platforms. Here, HIPAA rules will be a major consideration in ensuring privacy and security of patient information. Individual medical offices need not be concerned about how the industry wide adoption of EHR systems will impact their individual records. Each practitioner will only be responsible for their own EMRs. This will require four types of security measures are taken: physical security of computers, user security for the patient database, system security to prevent a hard drive crash and network security to prevent hackers. As long as each of these four areas is addressed, the risk of compromising patient data is very minimal. Most professional document scanning companies work with many medical practitioners and will make sure patient data is indexed and stored securely.

With so many document scanning programs now on the market, it may seem relatively simple to “go paperless” in a traditional paper office. But if your office happens to be a law firm or healthcare facility, then document scanning and indexing will be a major undertaking. As more companies start to use document scanning software on their own; they are finding it to be a huge drain on resources and complicated set-up for untrained office staff. Here are three reasons why you should consider a professional document scanning service instead: Less Expensive. Practically every law firm or medical practice will approach the “paperless” project by purchasing a document scanner. However these machines can generally scan only scan 1,000 pages per day. Purchasing a high volume scanner will be a lot more expensive, and the people in charge of the project must be paid to pull staples, archive documents, index the scanned documents and run the scanner. A professional document scanning company will base their price on a lower price-per-page which means the total price will be based on the number of converted documents instead of the hours spent on the project. Faster turnaround. Since document scanning is relatively new, it is difficult for companies to gauge the amount of time it should take employees to finish the operation. Instead of letting the project drag on forever, a document scanning service will responsibly deliver results in a pre-determined timeframe. Since they are not paid by the hour, the job will be completed as quickly as possible and it will be done right. Better Quality. Outsourced document scanning means that a team of experienced professionals will personally manage the project. They will ensure that the image quality and accuracy of data are given the utmost attention. Businesses should think twice before investing a lot of time, resources and energy in a document scanning project. A team of professionals will make the job a lot more cost-effective and quick.

Medical offices were some of the first businesses to embrace the concept of document scanning; primarily because of how much paperwork is involved in patient care. The need for archived charts and the advent of HIPAA privacy laws have made going “paperless” a lot more complex for medical offices than any other type of business. Initially, the ideal form of document scanning resulted in an electronic medical record (EMR), which basically transferred information from a paper chart into a digital record. Patients with extensive medical histories and multiple doctors started purchasing their own EMR software to manage prescriptions, drug interactions and test results from a home computer. While there is still a use for EMRs in smaller practices, they will ultimately be replaced by the electronic health record (EHR). According to Accenture, almost 60 percent of U.S. physicians in small practices intend to purchase an EMR / EHR system within the next two years. The biggest reason for this change is recent legislation, which includes federal penalties for non-adoption. The recently passed health care reform legislation will provide more funding for medical institutions to integrate their patient records into EHRs. Many people still confuse EMRs and EHRs, but they are not the same. An EMR is designed to be used by one institution or medical office to manage patient charts and other patient-related documents. EHRs are an extension of this record that is accessible, on a limited basis, by multiple institutions, specialists, insurance companies and patients. Hiring a professional document scanning company is the best way to transfer patient information into EMRs and EHRs. The documents will be professionally scanned and indexed into a patient EMR database, where the electronic charts can then be managed and manipulated further by medical office staff. Because this process can be lengthy and expensive, using a document scanning company is highly recommended.

Technology is constantly changing or being reinvented, making old methods of electronic document storage obsolete. That’s why choosing a document scanning company can be a complex task. You know you need to realize the tangible benefits of document scanning, like improved productivity and efficiency, but with so many choices available it can be tough to decide which path to take. Some document scanning companies offer imaging only, without offering solutions for storage, retrieval and security. Today, more and more document scanning companies are starting to offer OCR scanning, online document storage, medical records scanning and full-service document management. All these choices can make it difficult to choose a document scanning vendor, which is why it is important to choose one who meets the following criteria. * Document storage is quickly becoming the main reason to start working with a document scanning company. Now that so many secure, web-based options are available, many medical and law practices are making the switch to online document storage. * When it is important to be able to edit and extract text from scanned documents at a later date, be sure the company you choose offers OCR scanning. It is particularly helpful for law offices, archive specialists and medical practices. * More than ever, security needs to be a major consideration. This especially true if your documents are confidential or proprietary. * If your business will be dependent upon an outside server to view documents online, be sure they can provide 24/7 customer service and a reliable amount of “uptime”. * Another consideration is the physical storage of scanned documents. Choose a vendor who can transport and store your files in a temperature controlled storage facility. This may require the selection of a vendor whose facility is located within driving distance from your offices.

A surprising and somewhat dismaying fact is that even in 2009, an alarming number of hospitals and private medical practices are mired in antiquated and often (sometimes tragically) dangerous methods of medical record storage: methods that for all intents and purposes are indistinguishable from the medical document storage practices of eighteenth century physicians. Ironically, many of these same medical practices regularly utilize cutting edge diagnostic and treatment technologies that didn’t even exist last year but somehow that same forward thinking approach to quality healthcare is absent when it comes to tracking their patients’ medical records. Why? It is difficult to say. Perhaps some healthcare providers are unaware of the new technologies involved in medical records scanning even though the “new” technologies have existed for years. Or perhaps they are aware that the digital document imaging industry exists but they are unaware of the fact that it is a substantially more secure way to store and maintain medical records. (Some healthcare providers are even under the false impression that paper records are superior to online document storage with regard to physical damage caused by fire, flood, theft, spills, misplacement, and privacy. The truth, however, is quite the opposite). Other medical practices are concerned about the cost of digitized document storage. But the fact is that the costs involved with paper storage far surpass those of digital storage and document scanning. Perhaps the biggest cost savings involved in making the switch to digitized medical record keeping is directly connected to the time wasted searching for and maintaining paper records in contrast to the simple click of a mouse needed to retrieve digitized records. Another rationale for some medical practices’ reliance upon paper records is quite similar to the explanation given by the last generation of bookkeepers that wouldn’t (or couldn’t) make the transition from paper balance sheets to computerized accounting programs: they were locked into their old ways of doing things. And now they are retired or otherwise out of a job. Similarly, some doctors are creatures of habit afraid of making the change to digital document imaging just because it is new. But as those same doctors ought to know, indeed change can be difficult but alas, it can be good for you too. Contacting a reliable and helpful document scanning company such as scantronix will aide healthcare professionals in taking the first step toward efficiency and reliability.

Captain Kirk got it right: Space indeed is the final frontier. Now perhaps document storage isn’t quite as glamorous as intergalactic travel, but nevertheless, if you are a business owner or point person in charge of your company’s document storage needs, and you are dealing with (to stay a bit too long on the sci-fi metaphor) “space and time” issues of your own, your final frontier may just turn out to be the world wide web. That is, online storage has become an increasingly more popular answer for companies that are concerned with saving time, space, and most importantly, money. The advantages of online document storage to businesses of all sizes are many. But the big three are as follows… One: Accessibility. When your data is scanned and saved online, you literally can have access to it twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, with the simple click of a mouse. And you can do so from anywhere in the world. Two: Safety. One nice feature about the Internet; it doesn’t burn down or get destroyed in a flood. It’s there… permanently. Thus, your data is never going to get lost. Three: Money. When you have your hard data stored either on your own premises or at another storage space, you need to pay for hardware and storing devices. But when you store your data online, the cash you may have spent on the aforementioned budgetary line items can be spent on, well, whatever else you want! Still, there some risks with online document storage, most notably is the fact that if the online company providing you with the service is less than credible, they could go out of business and/or you data could be at risk of being stolen. So if you do decide to store your data online or through electronic document storage, make sure you choose a document scanning company with a solid track record and existing clients you can call for a reference.

We had a thriving family business. We were on a first name basis with most of our customers, our employees were treated like family, and even our suppliers could come and go behind the counter as they pleased. We ran our business on trust and good will. Of course, that was in 1956. We didn’t feel need to take measures to protect our information. And of course, technology such as digital document imaging and OCR scanning services could not have been imagined even. In 2009, however, regrettably, a business simply cannot operate like it did in the glory days without risking the safety and security of your workforce, your clients, and your confidential financial information. To say that business data can contain sensitive information is a huge understatement. Indeed, the document storage maintained by businesses and non-profit organizations of all sizes can have life wrecking consequences if stolen or placed in the wrong hands. This is why it is imperative for any serious entrepreneur to make data security and secure document storage a top priority. Moreover, the need for professional document destruction services as well as secure document storage has grown more and more urgent. Question: Why do I need a document destruction company to dispose of my company’s records when I have a perfectly good paper shredder? Answer: No you don’t. The truth is that paper shredders are to data thieves as car alarms are to car thieves. They are ridiculously ineffective when it comes to stopping or even discouraging a motivated thief who wants what you have. At this day and age we have the technology to cease relying on vulnerable paper documents as high speed scanning of documents is readily available to businesses. Data and identity theft is a multi-billion dollar global enterprise. And it is still growing. If you are running a business, it is your responsibility to keep that growth away from you, your employees, and your clientele. Employing the expertise of a document scanning company may help protect you and your customers from these dangers.