Scan My Medical Records

There is no doubt that medical practices are transitioning to EMR in record numbers.  They are eager to access funding to do so, where available and are hopeful about capitalizing on the benefits of running a paperless office with efficient document management.  Easy filing and retrieval of your medical records digitally will help you reduce costs and increase staff productivity.  Yet despite these innovations, there remains resistance to the transition to EMR, often due to myths surrounding the transition.  Let’s try to dispel some of the myths surrounding the conversion process…

Myth #1 -I Will Need Digital IT Staff

Your EMR company will provide both training as well as ongoing tech support for their product.  Work with your EMR vendor to set milestones and get guarantees on Service Level Agreements and quality so that there are no surprises.  Also, don’t forget about the backfile of paper which will require a ton of resources if attempted in-house.  RSRS can handle your conversion needs, large and small, from pulling staples and preparing your documents to indexing them and building a fully searchable archive. We can also show you how to combine that with our workflow processing and even basic document management software.

Myth #2 -It Will Be Less Secure

A properly held electronic record is actually more secure.  Your medical data will be password-protected and secure from disaster with redundant back-ups.  Patient records can only be accessed by individuals with authorization and a business need to do so.

Myth #3 -I Will Need More Staff

When planned properly, there is no need for additional staff.  You will actually be able to improve patient service levels because more staff can be devoted to patient care than handling paper records.  Both administrator and physician alike will save time by taking advantage of instant retrievals and no more misfiling.  With RSRSs’ Day-Forward scanning service,  new incoming paper (mail, fax, etc.) can be outsourced for quicker indexing and uploading directly into your EMR system.

Myth #4 -It Takes Too Long To Achieve ROI

The EMR is generally thought of as an administrative tool, not directly involved in patient care and without payback.  However, nothing can be further from the truth.  Despite the initial investment, the costs can be recovered within months  through increased efficiencies.   Consider also that the amount of available space in your office will increase dramatically allowing for better utilization (another Exam room?), while your paper utilization will decrease.   There are both direct and indirect savings!

Myth #5 -There Will Be Staff Resistance

Okay,  this isn’t exactly a myth – this is reality!  The biggest barrier to any new implementation may be the resistance to change by both the staff and physicians. There’s nothing quite as comforting as status quo.  Getting staff buy-in from the start, allowing them input into the change process, and communicating reasons for the business drivers will often bring them on board more proactively from the start.   If anything, there should be more concern about eventual patient  resistance to continuing with a practice that is not moving forward with increased efficiencies being adopted elsewhere.  Technically literate administrative staff will also be reluctant to join any paper-based practice. For more information on managing resistance to change during the EMR transition,  please click here.

For more information about taking the plunge into EMR, backfile scanning, day-forward scanning and general conversion, take a look at our website or call us for more information at 1-888-563-3732.  RSRS has been helping physicians, clinics,  and hospitals with their medical scanning needs for 15 years – We are physician-managed and fully compliant with the rules and guidelines as set forth by provincial Colleges of Physicians and Surgeons as well as by the Provincial Medical Associations.