Document Scanning Blog

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.

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.