Medical document scanning, sharing can help treat substance abuse

Many health care providers are now moving toward electronic health records, and part and parcel with that transition is the use of medical records scanning. Making sure all records are up to date and accessible electronically will go a long way toward helping all involved, and new data from the federal government suggests that this may be particularly true when it comes to treating patients with potential addictions.

The ability of care providers to quickly and easily share information related specifically to substance abuse can help people avoid issues of addiction by making those at every level of the care process aware of potential hazards, according to a new report from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the Surgeon General. Specifically, this can be helpful when it comes to dealing with chronic substance abuse.

Making the move
Fortunately, more than 4 in 5 primary care physicians – who may be most intimately aware of a patient's ongoing health issues, but not necessarily those associated with substance abuse – now use electronic health records, and the use of basic functions for this technology is likewise widespread, the report said. As medical records scanning becomes more common, so too will better care for those who need to avoid triggers associated with addiction, such as certain types of prescription drug use.

"Strong health IT systems improve the organization and usability of clinical data, thereby helping patients, health care professionals, and health system leaders coordinate care, promote shared decision- making, and engage in quality improvement efforts," the authors of the report wrote.

Having a plan
However, as use of EHRs picks up for all types of care providers – and some have more work to do than others – it's also vital that employees at all levels know how to access, use, and update pertinent information on an ongoing basis, according to CIO Magazine. Having clear processes in place for how EHRs are handled will help to avoid any potential missteps in handling patient data. While this can sometimes be a time-consuming process – at least initially – the fact is that proper implementation saves time in the long run.

For all these reasons, executives at health care providers must carefully consider the benefits of using high speed scanners get the ball rolling on document digitization if they haven't already. By doing so, those organizations will be able to both provide better care and better manage data on an ongoing basis.