Go Green with Document Management

Digital Prescription for Medical Office Efficiency

Introduction

Despite Federal Government incentives that have been offered since 2011 to healthcare organizations who go paperless, nearly half of all physicians in America still rely on paper records for most patient care.   While payments in the Medicare/Medicaid EHR Incentive Programs will continue through 2016, those medical offices that did not begin to participate in the program by the end of 2014 have lost the opportunity to receive government payments to help off-set the cost of their conversion to Electronic Medical Records (EMR).

The Dilemma of Old Paper Charts and a New EMR

What should you do with all of your paper charts when you convert to an EMR?  Should the charts be scanned and migrated into the EMR, or should you “start fresh?”   

While there is certainly something to be said for a fresh start with a new EMR, it might be wise to consider all of the data that resides in the paper charts.  At the very least, some of the data from the charts must be migrated into the EMR, and, equally important, all of the data in the charts must be retained for legal purposes and be protected for patients’ privacy.