Articles

As technology continues to evolve, you’re constantly researching the best products to improve your hospital’s business practices and patient care.  Sometimes re-evaluating an existing process is sufficient, while other times you’re charged with implementing a new solution.  Either way, reviewing your options is always the first step.  Bar codes are frequently used in the healthcare industry for identifying document types despite some of their drawbacks.  If your hospital is using or considering bar codes for document management in the health information management (HIM) department, consider the pros, cons, and alternative solutions.

Most bar code vendors will tell you the pros of implementing bar codes, including:

• Reducing errors for improved accuracy and patient safety
• Connecting dispersed information
• A quick, automated document identification process and movement of information for indexing

However, few vendors will highlight some of the disadvantages of bar codes, such as:

• The need for costly forms redesign (as much as $100,000 or more)
• Staff time consumed by the redesign process and implementation
• Time spent prepping documents for scanning by applying a bar code to each document
• Time spent on quality control checks as bar codes do not always read successfully
• Inability to bar code all document types

Even fewer vendors will inform you of alternative options like:

• Continuing in a paper-based environment for the short term
• The ability to scan and classify medical records using technology to recognize documents rather than bar codes

So, do your research, know your options, and choose the best solution for your hospital.

To learn more about the benefits of scanning without bar codes using Solarity technology, click here.