Dentistry continues to lead the way in adopting new technologies that improve patient care. These advancements deliver better outcomes and create a smoother, more positive experience for patients, both during and outside of appointments.
As a result, many practices are turning to dental records scanning to streamline patient record management, making it a valuable tool for modern dental offices.
Managing records electronically enhances the quality of care you provide and ensures that patient information stays accurate, accessible, and secure—benefiting both you and your patients.
In this guide, we’ll explain why secure dental records scanning is an important step for the future of your practice and provide additional context to help you make informed decisions about digitizing your patients’ records.
The Challenges of Digitizing Dental Records
Ensuring that dental records are accurate and up to date is critical for providing effective patient care. They’re packed with important information about a patient’s dental and medical history, the treatments they’ve received, and the outcomes of those treatments.
Most records managed by dental practices contain personally identifiable information (PII) and protected health information (PHI), which must be stored securely and handled properly to comply with privacy laws and regulations, including HIPAA.
Meeting these requirements can make digitizing dental records more complex. This is why more practices are turning to professional scanning services that meet strict compliance standards and protect patient privacy throughout the process.
At SecureScan, our 21 years of dental records scanning experience mean you won’t have to face these challenges alone. We take on the burden of responsibility for our clients, managing the entire scanning process to ensure compliance and security. Our expertise allows you to focus on providing the best possible care to your patients, knowing that their records are in safe hands.
The Importance of Security In Dental Records Scanning
When it comes to digitizing patient charts, maintaining the confidentiality and privacy of your records should always be a top priority. There is no room for mistakes when handling medical records, which is why it’s crucial to hire a fully-vetted, HIPAA-certified scanning provider for this process.
Medical records scanning companies like SecureScan utilize the latest technologies, secure protocols, and enhanced security measures to protect your practice and your patients throughout the process.
All of our employees, regardless of their role, must pass mandatory background checks and drug tests as a condition of employment. Technicians who directly interact with your records receive HIPAA compliance training and are subject to surprise audits to ensure records are handled in accordance with HIPAA regulations and best practices.
All dental records scanning takes place in a keycard-secured facility under 24/7 surveillance, ensuring access to your records is limited to authorized personnel only. Every interaction with your records is meticulously recorded to maintain a secure chain of custody throughout the scanning process.
We also offer secure data storage and backup solutions, reducing the risk of unauthorized access to patient records and preventing the loss of information due to natural disasters or equipment failure.
The Dental Records Scanning Process
Dental records scanning converts physical dental records into digital files, making them easier to access, manage, and share. Here’s a basic 7 step overview of the process:
Step 1: Preparation
The first step is gathering, organizing, and prepping all paper documents for scanning. This includes grouping similar documents, either by type or department, and identifying index-able fields that will be used to categorize and search through your digital system. Staples and paperclips are removed, and anything else that could interfere with the scanning process is resolved before documents pass through the scanning equipment.
Step 2: Scanning
In this stage, the prepared dental records are processed using high-speed scanners that convert them into digital images. These scanners can handle a wide range of records, including standard paper documents, X-rays, and other dental imaging. For certain types of records, specialized equipment may be utilized to ensure accurate digitization.
Step 3: Quality Check
After scanning, the resulting images are manually reviewed to ensure all documents were scanned correctly and that all necessary information is visible and clear. Any records that did not scan correctly are re-scanned.
Step 4: Indexing
The digital images created during the scanning process are then indexed for easy retrieval. This usually involves assigning certain metadata to each file, such as the patient’s name, date of the records, or type of record (such as X-ray, treatment plan, etc.).
Step 5: OCR
The contents of your records can be converted into a searchable digital text using Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software. This allows you to search the text within the digital files, further easing the process of finding specific information.
Step 6: Integration
Once the files are digitized, they are integrated into the dental office’s Electronic Health Record (EHR) or Dental Practice Management Software. This allows the office staff and dentists to access the files quickly when needed.
Step 7: Secure Storage and Backup
The final step is to store the digital files, usually in a cloud-based document management system or on a secured local server. It’s also common at this stage to set up automated backups to ensure that there is always a secure copy of the most updated records.
The Benefits of Dental Records Scanning
Transitioning from paper to digital records through dental records scanning has significant implications for both your practice and for patient care. Here’s just a few ways how it can make a positive difference for you:
Ease of Access
Digital records can be accessed near-instantaneously with just a few clicks of a mouse, facilitating quick decision-making and efficient oral care. This helps ensure that patient information is available when its needed, improving the responsiveness of care.
Better Collaboration
Digital records make it easier for dentists, hygienists, and other healthcare providers to collaborate on patient care. Information can be shared instantly and securely, improving communication and ensuring treatment plans stay aligned.
This flexibility also makes it easier for patients to switch providers when needed. Records can be transferred electronically, reducing paperwork and ensuring new providers have immediate access to the details they need to continue care.
Save Space
Eliminating physical files frees up office space that can be used for patient care or other purposes. The reduction in physical storage needs also leads to a more organized and efficient practice, allowing you to better utilize the space available to you.
Data Security
Digital records can be encrypted and secured, greatly reducing the risk of data breaches or loss compared to physical files. Enhanced security measures ensure that sensitive patient data remains confidential and keeps your practices record keeping processes compliant with data protection regulations.
Better Tracking of Patient History
Digital systems make it easy to track a patient’s dental history, including treatments, procedures, and progress. This allows for more personalized care and better long-term health management. Comprehensive and easily accessible records enable providers to make informed decisions based on a patient’s complete dental history.
Efficiency
Electronic records can streamline administrative tasks like scheduling appointments, sending reminders, billing, and more, allowing staff to focus more on patient care. The automation of routine tasks increases overall practice efficiency and reduces the administrative burden on staff. Plus, no more time is wasted searching through filing cabinets and paper piles!
Patient Engagement
Many digital systems allow patients to access their own records, book appointments, and communicate with their dentist online. By empowering patients with access to their own information, they become more involved in their care and can make more informed decisions about their health.
Disaster Recovery
Natural disasters are rare, but can have devastating effects when they do occur. Paper records are extremely susceptible to water and fire damage, making it risky to rely completely on physical files.
Digital records on the other hand make disaster recovery planning easy. Patient files are stored remotely in the cloud across multiple data centers simultaneously. This redundancy means that the risk of a natural disaster compromising your record-keeping system is virtually eliminated.
By transitioning to digital records, you can safeguard your records against unforeseen catastrophes and maintain uninterrupted access to patient data.
Moving Towards a Digital Future With Dental Records Scanning
Transitioning to a digital system might seem daunting, but the benefits of dental records scanning far outweigh the initial effort. It’s a smart investment for any dental practice that wants to streamline its operations, enhance patient care, and prioritize data security.
If you’re ready to take the next step in modernizing your patient records system, SecureScan can help. We have over 21 years of medical records scanning experience, providing secure and affordable scanning services to dental practices, hospitals, therapists, and medical practices of all shapes and sizes. Get a free scanning quote or contact us for more information about our services.
