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Exceed EMR/EHR Regulations and Save Time and Money with Document Management
August 05, 2011
Meeting existing EMR/EHR (Electronic Medical Records/Electronic Health Records) mandates presents two challenges: how to implement a system that meets all of the requirements while being time- and cost-efficient, and how to integrate existing paper records into the new system.
Solving those challenges requires a two-pronged strategy that converts existing paper documents into scanned images and electronically captures new information going forward. In both cases, the resulting data needs to integrate with the EMR/EHR system.
To achieve both parts of this critical mission, consider the following:
- A document scanning system that digitizes existing medical files and automatically integrates them with an EMR/EHR system, indexes information and images (such as X-rays) for easy retrieval, and stores scanned documents in a secure, HIPAA-compliant document repository (either on a network server or in the cloud).
- Web-forms that electronically capture information and automatically flow data into department systems, such as billing software. Digitized images of the web-forms are securely stored in a web repository for retrieval, distribution and sharing if necessary.
Pairing document management with an EMR/EHR system offers an elegant, efficient solution that will:
- Meet current and upcoming legislative requirements, including HIPAA,
- Integrate existing paper-based medical files, forms and new electronic records,
- Save time, space and money, and
- "Future-proof" medical recordkeeping for practices, hospitals and other medical facilities.
Integrating Paper with Electronic Records
An outsourced document scanning expert can quickly and easily convert paper-based medical files to scanned images stored in an electronic document management system that can integrate with an existing EMR system, making both historic and new records instantly available. These documents can include patient forms, lab results, images (such as X-rays and other scans), test results, and other information associated with a patient or a practice. With just a click of a mouse, a healthcare provider can view all medical files related to a patient directly through the EMR system.
Benefits of Document Management
With an integrated document management system, patient records, notes made by healthcare practitioners, and other information are immediately accessible, never lost or misfiled, and securely stored in a HIPAA-compliant environment. And a document management system saves time, money and space:
- Office efficiency is greatly enhanced.
- Physicians can access historical and current patient files instantly and easily from within the EMR system.
- Staff members and physicians can retrieve information in seconds, with no time wasted looking for documents.
- Web-forms can integrate with billing and other systems for automatic data capture and workflow automation.
- E-forms and web-forms capture patient information in a fraction of the time needed for paper forms.
- Collection of duplicate forms for procedures and other medical activities is unnecessary.
- Patient satisfaction increases due to decreased paperwork and paperwork delays.
- Records from new physicians can be merged into an existing system without disrupting services or refilling patient charts.
- Mistakes from rekeying information are eliminated.
- Information is remotely available any time using any computer with a web browser: documents and information are never lost, misfiled, borrowed or in another office or facility.
- Filing space is drastically reduced.
- Decreased paper use reduces waste and helps the environment.
Document management can be done through an online document repository (a virtual e-filing cabinet) that requires no capital expenditure, or an in-house document management system that runs on your internal server. What sort of ROI can a document management system generate? By improving staff efficiency and freeing physicians to see more patients, a document management system can quickly pay for itself. Two examples of practices that are doing exactly that are at http://www.frevvo.com/frevvo/web/static/snapshots/healthcare/aig_med_history and http://www.digitechsystems.com/ecm/casestudy/AIG.htm.
Safe, Secure, Meets Regulations
A document management system can meet all HIPAA regulations, with information made available only to those who have a legal reason for accessing it. Remote backups ensure that information is always accessible and never lost due to fire, flood or any other issue. Similarly, personnel in new or relocated offices have instant access to all files and records, with no delays due to a central repository of patient critical information.
Information can be automatically saved for as long as necessary and electronically accessed for use when needed.
Mitch Taube
