Modern technological developments have shown a tremendous focus on optimization and efficiency. The healthcare industry is no exception to this and, surprisingly, especially in the area of administration. It’s currently estimated that the United States could save $175 billion in healthcare costs by halving administrative costs. The main contributor to this? Healthcare administration software. Below are some ways this vital piece of a healthcare practice contributes to several benefits.
Laying The Groundwork
Before listing the benefits of paperless record systems, it is worth noting that experts are already noticing a trend in modern healthcare toward adopting such systems. According to the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology, 85.9 percent of office-based physicians have adopted an electronics health record system. Some medical practitioners do have reasonable aversions to paperless record systems. However, when comparing the downsides to the benefits, digital health record systems seem to provide a net positive impact.
Security Advantages
One highly notable benefit of paperless records is that it decreases the risk of exposing sensitive patient data, which in turn could avoid severe liabilities. A leak of sensitive patient information could result in a medical institution losing a vast amount of credibility and even certifications, but on top of this, affected patients could take highly-damaging legal action. A robust healthcare administration system dramatically reduces this risk, as this type of system is typically structured to comply with strict HIPAA regulations. Information should be stored in a well-encrypted database supported by the most advanced and powerful technologies available at any moment.
Other Benefits
There are countless other benefits of paperless records. For example, accessing documents becomes as easy as clicking a few times rather than the drawn-out process of dealing with a filing cabinet. This helps medical staff save time, which they can reinvest into treating patients.
Another benefit of a digital filing system is that it’s more cost-efficient than paper files. Paper can be expensive, especially with the high volume of information that medical centers deal with. In fact, an average office worker uses 10,000 sheets of paper every year. This expenditure gets severely cut down by going digital. Not only are paper-based systems expensive, but paper documents also run the risk of being damaged by liquids or tears or even accidents like fire or flooding.
Paperless systems offer a long list of additional advantages, which include increased efficiency, greater accuracy, and contributions to the environment. Therefore, it’s fair to conclude that digital filing systems are immensely more reliable than the traditional paper systems that were so prevalent in healthcare facilities during the 20th century and beyond.