Electronic health record (EHR) adoption has reached spectacular levels in the years since 2017. Still, there are medical offices and clinics that maintain paper-based records without realizing how these are creating problems.
Readily available medical document scanning services offer the first step towards effective digitization. But why should your medical office or clinic go through the process? Several important benefits result from committing to thorough digitization. In today’s publication, we’ll examine a couple of the biggest ones.
Eliminating Slowdowns and Errors
Research has shown time and time again that paper-based medical records contribute to slowdowns and errors when it comes to processing patient information.
A manual written process is time-consuming and also highly dependent on the alertness and focus of the professional responsible for information input.
Once the record is created, the data will have to be retrieved and examined upon future patient visits to offer the best possible care.
In some of the studies quoted above, medical professionals find it impossible on occasions to retrieve their paper-based records and in other instances, these seemed to contain faulty information.
After the selection of medical document scanning services, a centralized digital database will be created. Since it offers standardization, the system simplifies data entry and reduces the risk of issues and discrepancies. In addition, the retrieval of needed files becomes an effortless task since the platform indexes all information and assigns specific attributes for effortless retrieval later on.
The First Step Towards Better Information Security
Medical document scanning services offer the first step towards better information security.
Medical records contain a ton of sensitive data and as such, they’re a lucrative target.
In 2019, over 41 million patient records were breached in the US. The biggest data breach of the year on its own contributed to 25 million patient records being exposed. Hackers often target database vulnerabilities but paper-based records have proven to be a much higher risk.
In March 2018, a Mercy Love County Hospital and Clinic in Marietta saw one of its former employees convicted for stealing medical records. According to data filed with authorities, the information of 13,000 patients was compromised. The perpetrator engaged in identity theft, opening up credit instruments in the name of patients and amassing 240,000 dollars.
The very curious case of St. Francis Hospital medical record mismanagement is another excellent example.
When the right digital document management system gets selected, the security of medical records increases exponentially. These can be encrypted and password-protected. Different permission levels can be set for staff members, making sure only a small group has access to the most sensitive information.
For the best possible outcome, it’s important to choose reputable medical document scanning services providers. Companies like Scan N More, for example, offer HIPAA compliant solutions to help you rest assured your records are handled in the best possible way.
Disaster Recovery
What happens in the event of paper record loss? Recovery will often be impossible, costing medical facilities significant amounts.
Digitized records are much easier to recover in the event of disaster-related loss.
Cloud-based document management systems can be set up to carry out automatic backups at regular intervals of time. These backups will be available even if the main files get lost, misplaced or damaged in the work process.
Being fully prepared for disaster recovery when you have a paper-based medical archive is impossible. This is one of the big reasons why even small medical offices have undertaken the steps needed to implement nearly complete digitization.
Effortless Extension of Your Services for Improved Patient Satisfaction
Medical document scanning services make it possible for you to put together a database that’s accessible from any location.
There will always be emergencies and follow-up communication with patients. When you move records to a cloud-based platform, you can partake in such communication from any location and at any time.
It would be incredibly easy to pull up a patient file at home or on the go. Based on the information you see there, you can come up with a personalized follow-up approach that will be communicated to the patient immediately.
Medical Document Scanning Services Initiate Your Digital Transformation
You don’t have to think too hard about getting started with a digital transformation. It’s cost-efficient, it’s secure and it can boost productivity at your medical office.
Many medical professionals rely on a hybrid approach that involves both paper and a digital database. The hybrid approach makes it easy to test out more innovative opportunities before fully committing to going paperless.
Even if you want to maintain the paper-based records, scanned copies provide you with a second archive that can increase security and improve data retention. Starting with this step is easier than ever before due to the wide range of solutions available. A medical document scanning project will be quick to complete, after which you’ll get to experience and assess the advantages on your own.