Document Scanning Blog

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.

While still in the early phases of implementation, healthcare reform is making waves throughout the medical community. Instead of being some distant, futuristic concept, many predicted advances in information technology will now come to pass. Patients, doctors, hospital staff and insurance providers will soon share in a learning process about electronic medical records (EMR scanning), an eagerly awaited IT development. Thanks to advances in document scanning technology, secure web-based technology and mobile Internet access, it will soon be possible to access information about healthcare based on an individual’s unique health history. Imagine shopping for health insurance, finding out about eligibility, and measuring the quality of service using “smart access” that is based on your own electronic health information. Because medical data will soon be recorded much like a personal credit report, it will be possible to learn about health plan access in a way that is designed specifically for your needs. EHRs are often comprised of digital records that got their start as paper charts, x-ray films and blood tests from various healthcare providers, but were integrated into one cohesive record for an individual. While this may seem a bit invasive for patients, remember, it is also designed to make healthcare providers accountable. For example, how could one gather honest statistics about the quality of care available through a particular hospital or doctor if it were not being monitored using real patient data? Rather than only the patient being judged by insurance providers based on health records, the insurance companies and providers will also be judged by the patients. Medical document scanning, EHRs, data mining and statistical analysis will make it possible for patients to review quality-measure reporting before deciding on a specialist or surgeon. In addition to accessible online records, healthcare reform experts the future release of a “smart card” to manage a patient’s health records and insurance. This would cut back on repetitive paperwork and the human error associated with transcribing paperwork.

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.