Many law offices shy away from going paperless because they cannot devote the time or resources to scanning and cataloging every pleading, petition, contract and brief. Like many law firms, a decision needs to be made about whether to do the document scanning in small increments over a long period of time, or hire a document scanning company to come in and do it for them. However, even if the bulk of the documents are scanned by professionals, law offices must still invest in a reliable scanner to keep up with the constant flow of paperwork.

In many cases, law firms choose to only digitize certain types of documents, such as archived casework, and use paper documents for all original pleadings, signature-related documents and evidence. The most important caveat, particularly for smaller firms, is that the process of going paperless doesn’t prevent lawyers from doing what they do best – practicing law. Only when this type of endeavor is managed properly can a small office begin to compete with larger firms.

Once all the important documents have been scanned, a computerized case management system must be in place to keep everything in order. These programs perform many tasks, including case management, maintaining detailed client accounts, and organizing documents both by client and subject matter. There are several case management software packages on the market, each with varying price points and benefits.

Another valuable addition to any paperless law office is a digital law library. Using a document scanning system like this, it is possible to copy and paste citations and statutes into legal petitions and pleadings.

Technorati Tags: Document Scanning, document scanning new york, emr scanning, medical chart scanning, Medical Records Scanning

The electronic scanning of paper documents has been available for awhile, but only recently have document scanning companies begun to offer a full range of document imaging services to fully automate the electronic management of scanned documents. These systems can manage a full range of paper documents, photos and prints.

In its earliest form, electronic document storage was managed with only a limited number of file types. These document imaging solutions were designed to capture, store and index image files. Electronic Document Management (EDM) systems evolved to where they could manage any type of format, as long as it could be stored on a network. Applications were then developed that encompassed electronic documents, auditing capabilities, and tools for collaboration.

Today’s EDM and document imaging service options are designed to include higher storage volume, metadata, versioning, data security, as well as much more sophisticated retrieval capabilities.

Some of the Document Imaging Solutions being offered today include:

o Metadata: For each document, metadata is used to catalog and properly identify the document storage information for later retrieval. Extracted text from the scanned document can also be used a metadata component.

o Integration: Many document imaging services are offering new ways to integrate document management into other applications, which allows the user to open the scanned document, make changes, and save it back to the repository, all without leaving an application.

o Capture: Optical character recognition software (OCR) is used to convert digital images into readable, editable text.

o Indexing: By tracking electronic documents’ metadata or word description, indexing allows users to retrieve stored documents by entering a few words pertaining to their contents.

Electronic document storage and retrieval can be a highly sophisticated method of information management, allowing businesses to operate virtually anywhere, with more reliable data availability and security.

Technorati Tags: Digital Document Imaging, Document Scanning, Document Storage, Medical Records Scanning, Online Document Storage

With the medical industry facing so many challenges from insurance providers and government agencies, it is becoming more important than ever for physicians, hospitals and other medical providers to implement medical records scanning and healthcare document scanning.

It is not only our computerized world and our insatiable need for instant information that will drive providers to begin scanning medical records. It is also a public health issue.

When we consider how important it is for patients’ medical data to be readily available in the event of an emergency, it is amazing how long it has taken for medical records scanning to become commonplace. Today’s document scanning services offer OCR scanning as well, enabling providers to make changes to permanent medical records quite easily, and upload that information into their database.

Just think of how easy it would be to access important medical records if every provider were required to begin medical records scanning. Here are just a few ways that healthcare document scanning would improve the safety and reliability of healthcare in this country.

o A database of medical records would allow pharmacists to see what other medications a patient is taking before filling a prescription, thereby preventing possible overdoses or incompatible medications.

o Medical records scanning would allow a primary doctor to access your chart from any computer, which would give patients access to the right kind of care in an emergency.

o Healthcare document scanning would let insurance companies have immediate access to information on any conditions a patient has had, without the need for lengthy medical forms to be completed via mail.

Now that the US government is considering a national public health insurance program, the need for healthcare document scanning has never been greater. Not only will it cut costs by eliminating time-consuming paperwork, it would allow patients a safer, more reliable, source of medical information in the event of an emergency.

Technorati Tags: Document Scanning, Document Storage, Medical Records Scanning

Technorati Tags: Document Imaging Solutions, Document Scanning, Electronic Document Imaging, Medical Records Scanning

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.

Technorati Tags: Digital Document Imaging, Document Imaging, Document Scanning, Document Scanning Company, Document Storage, Medical Records Scanning, Online Document Storage