The patient medical chart is the key document in healthcare. It communicates the specific information that doctors need. The immediate availability of such a record can make health care more efficient. Finding charts in the office or recalling charts from the Record Storage Company can be time consuming. Sometimes charts get lost too.

Save Time and Money by Scanning Medical Records.

There are all kinds of studies that state how much it costs to create, store, find a document. For example, one study suggests 13% of all files are lost and we spend over a quarter of time searching for those files. Another study suggests it takes 18 minutes on average to locate a file. In some instances, this equates to over $10,000 per year. Money is also saved in reducing the need for so much office space delegated to medical chart storage.

Restrict Access to Only Those Authorized.

A major accounting firm suggests that documents that are handled daily are done so with little regard to privacy regulations. For example, patient records could be left on a desk or counter and other places where the general public would have immediate access. Electronic Medical Records systems have restrictions built into them so that only the authorized are able to see patient records. One way unauthorized people get access to medical records is when the records are no longer useful and are thrown into the trash instead of shredded.

Reduce Time Looking for Charts.

This is one of the most obvious benefits. Patient records are available on the desktop - computer. Don't need to get up and go to the file room. Don't need to look for misfiled charts. Don't need to look for checked out charts. Even is the medical record is being examined by another authorized party, it can still be simultaneously available to all other authorized medical and office employees.

Good for the Environment.

According to some estimates, if the United States reduced it's paper consumption by 10%, that would be the equivalent of taking a quarter of a million cars off the road. The creation and recycling of paper consumes not only environmentally friendly trees, but fuel to cut and move the trees, power the plant to make them into paper, more fuel to ship the paper to offices. Fuel usage continues as the documents are shredded and taken to the recycler, and then onto the paper mill again.

Protection From Natural Disasters.

The loss of patient medical records caused by hurricane Katrina, ended up costing taxpayers and insurance companies billions of dollars. Since the charts were destroyed, a great number of medical tests had to be redone at a great expense to patients, doctors and finally tax payers and insurance payers. Other disasters can be harmful, such as an office fire. Fire destroys documents, but so does the water often used to put out the fire.