Electronic medical records are drastically improving how healthcare organizations store, access, and share medical information. Hospitals and clinics want to utilize the best EMR systems have to offer to improve patient care. Paper medical charts and information needs to be uploaded through medical records scanning, so all data is accessible through the EMR.
You want to trust a reputable company with customer loyalty, brand recognition, business longevity, and prosperity for your scanning projects. It is smart to outsource medical documents to industry experts like River City Data, who can ensure security during the scanning process.
Contact River City Data for a free estimate on secure medical document scanning. River City Data offers trusted medical records scanning for healthcare organizations to save you time and effort.
Why Do I Need to Digitize Medical Records?
Electronic medical records give health care professionals instant access to patient information. Instant access is especially helpful in emergencies when the staff does not have time to look through paper charts. Doctors and nurses can immediately view allergies and medications of patients using a tablet or mobile computer.
Digitizing medical records also allows practitioners to keep the focus where it matters the most: on the patients. Paper charts tend to be more time consuming on the professional staff and for administrative support. Digitizing medical records allows for better use of time and resources for all healthcare organizations.
Most health care organizations have moved to an electronic program for health records. The concern now is what to do with old patient records that are still paper-based. Many medical organizations do not have time, staff, or programming for medical records scanning.
What are the Benefits of Scanning Medical Records?
Many healthcare organizations are aware of the benefits of scanning paper medical records. Record scanning can reduce costs, keep patient medical data secure, reduce clinical risk, and improve patient care.
Digitizing medical records eliminates the need to search for paper files manually. Professionals spend time treating patients instead of searching for files.
Medical records are also protected from loss and damage when digitized. The papers are backed into a cloud system where they are immune to devastations such as flood, fire, and other natural disasters.
When done correctly, medical records scanning is a fair process with a good return on the investment. There are two options for healthcare organizations to consider scanning needs and document management: in-house or outsourcing.
When is In-house Medical Records Scanning a Good Option?
If a medical facility needs medical records scanning, it likely has several active and historic patient charts to upload. Scanning all these records is a massive task for the staff, but possible.
If your organization chooses in-house scanning, you will need to invest in a scanner that serves the purpose. Many standard office-based scanners cannot handle the high volume of medical documents that will need to be uploaded. Also, consider administrative staff assisting in digitizing medical records will need access to computers and technology in-house.
If you have the right equipment, you will also need the staff to scan and index patient information. The team will need to be trained on using the equipment and must meet the deadlines required by professional staff, so the organization continues to run smoothly. In busy environments, this can be a hassle and difficult to achieve.
Your facility will also need the space to accommodate the staff and equipment for the project. It can be for a few days or maybe a few months, depending on the number of paper charts. Accommodation can be an obstacle for smaller organizations that are already short on space for staff.
Additionally, staff will need to understand manual indexing, which is how records are searched and retrieved. Indexing requirements can be complicated, and this slows the scanning process. Ultimately may overwhelm the staff.
Many organizations opt to outsource to a professional document and management company for their medical records scanning needs because of these factors. It can be the best option for cost, time, and effort.
How is Outsourcing Medical Records Scanning Useful?
Scanning patient records is a time-consuming task. There is also a risk for human error if staff are untrained or unsure how to use the document scanning programs. Due to the busy and stressful environment of many health care settings, it can be difficult and unrealistic to upload scanned medical records.
Outsourcing eliminates the risk of human error and saves time. Document scanning companies are experts in medical record scanning. It is what they do every day, so there is less risk.
Healthcare organizations have become overwhelmed with the sheer volume of medical records that need to be digitized, which has increased significantly over the last decade. Volume can make the medical records scanning process difficult and overwhelming. Outsourcing to a company relieves you of this burden.
Outsourced scanning is an excellent option for both small and large healthcare organizations. It is fast and can be more affordable than in-house medical records scanning. It is essential to choose a company that understands the healthcare sector. An experienced company will be familiar with the regulations and compliance needs of organizations.
What Do I Need to Look for in a Document Scanning Company?
The company should have the knowledge, experience, and skills to undertake the scanning of medical records. Experience ensures documents will meet regulatory requirements.
The company must have the ability to undertake large-scale scanning projects with ease. This ability will reduce the risk of error and disruption in the organization’s day-to-day operations.
Each business has its budget and plan for allocating resources. The company chosen does depend on business cost and resources. It is important to remember that it will likely be an essential and resourceful allocation of funds for the company in the long-run.
Trust River City Data for Your Medical Records Scanning Needs
The team at River City Data has the experience and knowledge you are looking for in a scanning company. Our team is certified in HIPAA protocol. We are familiar with the rules and regulations of the healthcare industry.
We value privacy and make it a top priority. We provide unparalleled, quality medical record document scanning and indexing.
Contact us today for a free estimate. We customize to your needs and can meet the challenges or deadlines needed by healthcare organizations. Our clients appreciate our world-class experience, along with our small-town values. RiverCity Data hopes to help your facility get digitized so you can excel in the healthcare industry.
