Healthcare providers around the world agree
that quality patient care is their top priority, and capturing patient data
digitally is critical to improving patient care. Today, most healthcare
processes are still paper-based. Many healthcare providers are concerned about
the risk of inaccuracy, disruption of workflow, and harm to patient care
quality involved in adopting new and complicated data-capture and password encumbered
tools like in-room computers, laptops or tablet PCs.
Using a digital pen and smart paper forms
makes every sense from the critical perspectives of patient interactions to
reducing the expense of data capture and digital document management. Its day
has in my opinion- arrived. Whether it be in hospitals, medical practices,
SNFs, VNAs or Home Care it just makes sense – economically and operationally.
We all know the drill. Enter any doctor’s
office or emergency room and the first thing you get handed is a clip board. Why
are the paper forms on the clip board not SMART? Using a digital pen the data
can be immediately captured and electronically, instantly stored. The smart
paper documents and forms can even be signed with the signature electronically
captured.
The patient’s room has become a data center
with as much time given over to logging-in and data capture as to discussing
symptoms and giving care advice.
The next advance
in health care technology will be Digital Pens, SmartpaperForms and the smart
clip board. Yes, you understand it correctly. Why? Because it is simple and
efficient to adopt, deploy, and use.
The benefits are too clear for the hospital
or medical practice to avoid the inevitable.
Patient
interactions are enhanced – avoiding distracting laptops, tablets and computers during care or treatment.
Increased
Accuracy and Completeness – All care
giver handwritten notes are accurately captured by high precision digital
capture technology built into the pen itself.
Handwritten
entries and notes can be converted to digital data –
automatically.
You use your existing
paper forms – no expensive programming transitions to
electronic forms.
Minimal
Training and Workflow Interruptions – Because digital
writing uses a the familiar practice of writing with pen and paper, its use requires
little training and is easy to learn
Eliminate document
scanning – documents are auto captured, filed and
stored instantly and can be instantly shared into workflows or with other care
givers.
Signatures can
be captured, diagrams drawn, boxes checked, items initialed when and where necessary – simply by signing or using a digital pen
Digital writing
is the perfect bridge between the paper and digital worlds.
SmartpaperForms
can now be printed on typical office laser
printers using common office grade paper. You retain the use of your ‘tried and
true’ paper forms. SmartpaperForms eliminate the need for expensive pre-printed
forms or multi-form carbon sets.
Why spend on buying
laptops and tablets and managing all the surrounding security concerns when you
can now just print your existing health care and business forms as smart paper forms
and use a secure digital pen? Capture handwritten entries and notes, and
capture the form and the data instantly using digital pen technology.
I forecast that
digital pen and smart paper will become the new kid on the health care block –
fast and soon.
If you would like
to discuss my experiences with digital pen technology in health care simply
call me at 603-580-5497 or e-mail me at mike@chartacloud.com
I’d be happy to share what I have learned.
