The healthcare and pharmaceutical industries have unique requirements and challenges regarding the documents they create. First, they are highly regulated, so all documents must conform to the laws governing what documents should say, how they say it, when distributed. Second, managing sensitive personal information requires tact and care to ensure that information is not shared with unauthorized individuals. Finally, documents contain information about an individual’s health, so document errors could cause illness or injury if patients act on incorrect information. Document generation, management, and processing in the healthcare industry require careful consideration because of the unique requirements and challenges inherent in the sector. Some factors to consider include:
- Regulatory Compliance: Healthcare documents must comply with several regulations, such as HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act) in the United States, GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation) in the European Union, and other regional regulations. These regulations govern the privacy, security, and confidentiality of patient information. Document generation systems must ensure that all documents meet these regulatory standards.
- Data Security: Given the sensitive nature of healthcare data, document generation, and processing systems treat data security as the highest priority. Security includes encryption when data is at rest and in transit, restricting unauthorized access to sensitive information, and regular security audits to identify and address vulnerabilities.
- Accuracy and Reliability: Errors in healthcare documents can have serious consequences, up to and including patient harm. Document generation systems may have built-in validation mechanisms, including automated data validation checks and verification processes, to confirm the accuracy of information.
- Version Control and Audit Trails: Healthcare documents often undergo multiple revisions and updates. Document generation systems may maintain version control to track changes and make sure that organizations always use a document’s most current and accurate version.
- Integration with Electronic Health Records: Document generation systems seamlessly integrate with EHR systems to facilitate document creation based on patient data stored in electronic records. DocOrigin can work with legacy data sources to streamline the document generation process and reduce the risk of errors associated with manual data entry.
- Templates and Standardization: Standardized templates for standard healthcare documents (e.g., discharge summaries and prescription labels) can improve efficiency and enforce consistency across healthcare facilities. Document generation systems support customizable templates that are easily adapted to meet the specific needs of different healthcare providers and specialties. The DocOrigin template library manages boilerplate text, templates reflecting each state’s healthcare idiosyncrasies.
- Training and User Education: Healthcare professionals using document generation systems need training to implement the document management application effectively and securely. Subject matter includes data privacy best practices, proper handling of sensitive information, and adherence to regulatory requirements. Eclipse Software offers their clients comprehensive training, support, and implementation assistance.
- Reaction Time: If the COVID-19 pandemic taught us anything, it is that healthcare practitioners and the document management applications that support them must be adaptable at a moment’s notice. Healthcare documents must include newly released government-mandated language in days rather than weeks during an epidemic or health emergency. Non-programmers are most likely the staff members given this responsibility. This plays directly to the strengths of the DocOrigin solution.
State of Mind: The Customer Experience
Why do healthcare documents have to be bulletproof? Why must they be updated frequently, easy to read, and simple to navigate? A document that reflects an individual’s health, even a bill, is far different from a utility invoice or credit card statement. People take their health seriously. Inaccurate or outdated health information causes anxiety, stress, and fear. Accuracy in health-related documents goes beyond including the correct charge for an office visit. It impacts the customer experience and peace of mind. The DocOrigin platform supports a favorable customer (patient) experience and peace of mind.
DocOrigin from Eclipse Software
DocOrigin makes it simple for non-programmers to design, redesign, and test document formats to accomplish cost-reduction goals. This feature is essential for producing healthcare-related documents where errors are unacceptable. In healthcare and pharma, time to mail is critical for servicing clients and complying with government regulations.
DocOrigin is an intuitive application for creating and generating dynamic business documents, forms, and labels. With the Business Communications Center (BCC) option, included with DocOrigin, individual departments have the tools to produce compliant, understandable, and timely documents. DocOrigin runs on multiple platforms, including Windows, Linux, AIX, and IBMi.