4 essential strategies to deal with paper after switching to EHR

Why This Topic Matters

Paper intake can reduce the efficiency of an EHR if offices do not have a clear process for converting, organizing, and sharing information. The article helps readers understand the main operational approaches used to reduce paper handling and support EHR adoption.

Article Sections

1. Practice management overview

   Introduces the ongoing paper workflow challenges that can remain after EHR adoption. Frames the article around operational approaches used by medical practices and related organizations.

2. Four strategies to deal with paper-based health entities after adopting EHR

   Presents the article’s main organizing topic and the broad categories of response used to manage paper documents from outside sources. Covers scanning, organization, manual review, and electronic communication.

3. Scan everything

   Describes the use of scanning for incoming paper documents and the staffing needed to support the process. Focuses on converting paper into electronic images for recordkeeping.

4. Smart filing makes scanned data more useful

   Explains how scanned documents can be organized within the EHR environment to support retrieval. Discusses record structure and document categorization at a high level.

5. Have doctors flag important data to manually enter into EHR

   Covers the workflow of reviewing scanned information and identifying items that should be entered into the EHR. Mentions quality reporting and provider review as part of the process.

6. Invest in secure email and ask your business associates to follow suit

   Describes the use of secure electronic communication to reduce paper handling between practices and outside organizations. Addresses coordination with referral sources and other partners.