Better document management efforts in health care coming for 2019
Many health care providers in recent years have placed a big focus upon getting a better handle on their document management efforts. With electronic health records becoming the standard years ago, organizations of all types within the sector have tried to continually improve workflows, management and security of these critical documents, to varying degrees of success. That trend is likely to continue in 2019.
The need for greater security is especially apparent as more devices come into use throughout medical offices and other such facilities, according to Health Data Management. Some estimates show that there could be hundreds of thousands of attacks targeting web-enabled devices in the internet of things over the course of 2019, up from about 50,000 in 2017.
These threats highlight both the need for greater awareness around the issue, as well as creation of policy governing the use of such devices by employees and other stakeholders.
Other trends
Meanwhile, the use of the cloud for document storage is only projected to keep growing over the course of the year ahead, as care providers continue to find the value in siloing off EHRs and other files, the report said. This may help them get a better handle on not only their ongoing costs for keeping records, but also reduce the amount of physical space needed to devote to such information, allowing for more efficiency.
Investment on the rise
Indeed, the single biggest driver of document management system adoption among health care providers from 2018 to 2025 is expected to be the ability to reduce paperwork and save employees time in dealing with these files, according to Market Research Reports. While there may still be lingering concerns about the cost of properly implementing new systems and conforming to HIPPA standards for protecting information, most in the industry realize the critical importance of getting EHR management right.
With that in mind, the decision-makers at medical care providers large and small would be wise to investigate their options and arrive at a solution that works well for all involved based on budgetary concerns and unique organizational needs.
