Using automation to make records 'meaningful'In light of providers' concerns with financial incentives tied to meaningful use of health IT, document management systems can help organizations achieve better use of their electronic medical records and decrease reliance on paper. Nobody is entirely done with paper, noted Steve VanWagenen, KLAS research director. But the ability to scan in existing paper records and use digital versions of all documents throughout a healthcare facility is the biggest benefit to implementing document management. These solutions still come in two primary forms – enterprise and best of breed – but with demand for remote access and full integration, some providers are selecting a combination of the two. |
 Document Management tools are helping healthcare providers move closer to a paper-free system and improving clinical and financial outcomes. |
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3 TRENDS TO WATCH
Steve VanWagenen of KLAS says the following trends are affecting the document management market:
1.EMR INTEGRATION: "With all the discussion of meaningful use, there’s a trend towards better integration with the EMR,” said VanWagenen. Trying to create one legal electronic medical record is a big process, and document management can help across multiple departments in an organization. 2.ENTERPRISE-WIDE: Document management should transcend departmental barriers, as the systems can improve processes in registrations, financial and legal areas and human resources in addition to clinical records. The use of COLD feeds (computer output to laser disc) instead of scanned paper documents from various departments can also help reduce paper reliance. “The trend is to get as paperless as possible,” VanWagenen said. 3.VENDOR PARTNERSHIPS: The top-performing vendors in the document management space are best-of-breed solutions, not enterprise systems. Big enterprise vendors such as Epic, who partnered with Hyland Software's OnBase for document management, have indicated they'd rather demonstrate interoperability than develop their own inclusive system. |
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VENDOR SHOWCASE |
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Cabinet NG |
Canon |
Caremedic Systems |
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EBridge Solutions |
Hyland Software |
Innovative Card Scanning |
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Knowledgelake |
Kryptiq |
Medplus |
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MedSynergies, Inc. |
Medversant |
MRO Corp. |
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Siemens Healthcare |
3M Health Information Systems |
Xerox |
User Reviews |
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 "Working with MRO allows our HIM department to leverage our electronic medical record and enhance customer service. The transition has been very smooth and MRO has done an excellent job of helping us manage that process. And MRO’s ability to integrate their workflow with our CarePlus EMR made our decision to make the switch a no-brainer."Karen Schmidt, RHIT, CCS Director, Medical Records Services and Privacy Officer, Henry Ford Health System. |
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 "The CNG-SAFE interface was a major factor in Zangmeister’s decision to go with Cabinet NG. CNG-SAFE electronically mimics paper patient charts and files, avoiding steep learning curves that could adversely impact the facility’s productivity. When (our Value Added Reseller) ADS introduced us to Cabinet NG, we were immediately impressed by CNG-SAFE’s simplicity, flexibility and low cost implementation.”Andrew Cooper, information technology manager, the Zangmeister Center. |
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| "By using (MedPlus ChartMaxx’s) Registration Assistant to gather payer and financial class specific documentation up front, we have seen our denial rate decrease by close to 50 percent." Brenna Duncan, MBA, Rady Children’s Hospital, San Diego, Calif. |
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| “We are extremely satisfied with the solution provided by Innovative Card Scanning, Inc. to our ‘age old’ problem of storing and printing insurance cards and photo ids. The DocketPort 685 along with the ScanSharp software is easy to deploy and easy to train our front desk associates to use. The customer service is first rate and always available for assistance.” David A. Nelson, director of business operations, Seton Medical Management, Inc. |
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| “Our first year using OnBase for document management, we saved $200,000 on supplies alone. Since, we’re saving $145,000 annually. And by eliminating 60 file cabinets of paper, we process checks two to three days faster.” Brian Rahman, manager of patient financial servi Brian Rahman, manager of patient financial services, MeritCare Health System, Fargo, N.D. |
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| “From May 2006 to March 2009, our overall delinquency rate for 14 facilities dropped from 23 percent to 5 percent. Specifically at Johnson City Medical Center, our largest facility, we saw an improvement from 46 percent to 6 percent in that same time frame.” Donna Coomes, corporate director of health information management, Mountain States Health Alliance. |
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| “By implementing DocuShare, St. Peter’s Health Care Services has cut costs and increased employee productivity. We have improved our efficiency in searching for hardcopy manuals and have eliminated the extra costs associated with distributing printed materials to multiple locations. Most importantly, we’re able to devote more time and energy to our patient care.” George Zimmerman, Internet administrator, St. Peter’s Health Care Services. |
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