"EDS CASE STUDY: Affordable Bridge System

Brings Hospital Imaging on Demand"

When Bonnie Greek, RHIT, learned of a new microfilm scanning solution, she was quick to buy. In fact, Inova Alexandria (VA) Hospital was the second hospital in the nation to install the EDS, a system that combines computer-assisted retrieval with optical imaging. This landmark imaging solution was developed by EDCO – The Document People®, Springfield, MO.

Greek, the long-time medical records supervisor at Inova Alexandria, has been an EDCO customer for nearly 20 years, and she has participated in the development of other innovations. "They have continually improved their products, which is what I would expect from EDCO."

A stunning increase in productivity resulted from their adoption of the space-saving EDS. So far, Greek has five years of records in the EDS, a system that she said virtually eliminates the possibility of human errors. "EDCO uses our computerized MPI to create the film index, which assures us the records will carry the correct name, avoiding confusion over registration variations." In contrast, her department is still working on the inter-filing and quality assurance for microfiche jackets from 1993 and 1994.

"With the EDS, we sit at a computer instead of a reader printer, type in a name, medical record or account number and select an event," said Greek. "The computer index tells us which roll to insert, then it automatically finds the right blip, scans the record into digital images and displays them on the computer screen." These full screen images are easier to read on the 21-inch imaging monitor. Distribution options include printing for hand delivery or faxing directly from the EDS, using a feature that automatically adds a confidentiality cover sheet.

A browse feature, that functions like flipping through pages in a magazine, enables them to quickly find and print specific pages requested by a physician. Or, when they need an entire record, the batch printing function lets them move on to other tasks while the EDS scans and prints automatically. "It’s a much faster process," Greek said.

Alexandria Hospital joined the Inova Health System five years ago, joining three other hospitals. This busy facility, licensed for 339 beds, operates 24-hour emergency care, radiology, surgical services, lab, sleep center, cancer center, physical medicine, cardiac rehab, birthing center and a full array of inpatient services. They keep three years in hard copy, and because a high percentage of patients return for care, physicians frequently request archived records.

Flexibility for the changing future was a primary selling point for the EDS, Greek said. Inova Alexandria’s current computer system is different from the other hospitals in the system. For now, Inova Alexandria’s medical records system operates independently, but that’s bound to change. Greek says the system’s ultimate goal is the lifetime patient record in computerized format. But that’s a slow transition that will require the long-term commitment of energy, finances, planning and technical resources.

Meanwhile, the EDS has provided an affordable way to immediately bring imaging benefits to their department. And when the Inova system reaches its ultimate goal of a computer-based patient record, the EDS will continue to bridge filmed documents into the computer-based record.

EDCO provides an operating manual and thorough training. Ongoing technical support is just a phone call away. "I call them for anything and they always return my call within an hour," Greek said. "They listen to our problems and concerns and suggest solutions. I never had any difficulty following their instructions or explanations. They don’t talk down to us, but are patient and respectful."

And their purges always go smoothly. "I like that EDCO handles everything, from A to Z," she said. "They even shifted our files. They also understand that we have critical time constraints to get the patient information out.

"I value our ongoing relationship with EDCO," Greek said. "They’ve helped us, and we’ve helped them develop better products. Even though lots of people contact me, it’s hard to imagine starting over with another vendor."

Interviews were conducted by Margaret Castrey, a free-lance writer and consultant.

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		"EDS CASE STUDY: Affordable Bridge System Brings Hospital Imaging on Demand" When Bonnie Greek, RHIT, learned of a new microfilm scanning solution, she was quick to buy. In fact, Inova Alexandria (VA) Hospital was the second hospital in the nation to install the EDS, a system that combines computer-assisted retrieval with optical imaging. This landmark imaging solution was developed by EDCO – The Document People®, Springfield, MO. Greek, the long-time medical records supervisor at Inova Alexandria, has been an EDCO customer for nearly 20 years, and she has participated in the development of other innovations. "They have continually improved their products, which is what I would expect from EDCO." A stunning increase in productivity resulted from their adoption of the space-saving EDS. So far, Greek has five years of records in the EDS, a system that she said virtually eliminates the possibility of human errors. "EDCO uses our computerized MPI to create the film index, which assures us the records will carry the correct name, avoiding confusion over registration variations." In contrast, her department is still working on the inter-filing and quality assurance for microfiche jackets from 1993 and 1994. "With the EDS, we sit at a computer instead of a reader printer, type in a name, medical record or account number and select an event," said Greek. "The computer index tells us which roll to insert, then it automatically finds the right blip, scans the record into digital images and displays them on the computer screen." These full screen images are easier to read on the 21-inch imaging monitor. Distribution options include printing for hand delivery or faxing directly from the EDS, using a feature that automatically adds a confidentiality cover sheet. A browse feature, that functions like flipping through pages in a magazine, enables them to quickly find and print specific pages requested by a physician. Or, when they need an entire record, the batch printing function lets them move on to other tasks while the EDS scans and prints automatically. "It’s a much faster process," Greek said. Alexandria Hospital joined the Inova Health System five years ago, joining three other hospitals. This busy facility, licensed for 339 beds, operates 24-hour emergency care, radiology, surgical services, lab, sleep center, cancer center, physical medicine, cardiac rehab, birthing center and a full array of inpatient services. They keep three years in hard copy, and because a high percentage of patients return for care, physicians frequently request archived records. Flexibility for the changing future was a primary selling point for the EDS, Greek said. Inova Alexandria’s current computer system is different from the other hospitals in the system. For now, Inova Alexandria’s medical records system operates independently, but that’s bound to change. Greek says the system’s ultimate goal is the lifetime patient record in computerized format. But that’s a slow transition that will require the long-term commitment of energy, finances, planning and technical resources. Meanwhile, the EDS has provided an affordable way to immediately bring imaging benefits to their department. And when the Inova system reaches its ultimate goal of a computer-based patient record, the EDS will continue to bridge filmed documents into the computer-based record. EDCO provides an operating manual and thorough training. Ongoing technical support is just a phone call away. "I call them for anything and they always return my call within an hour," Greek said. "They listen to our problems and concerns and suggest solutions. I never had any difficulty following their instructions or explanations. They don’t talk down to us, but are patient and respectful." And their purges always go smoothly. "I like that EDCO handles everything, from A to Z," she said. "They even shifted our files. They also understand that we have critical time constraints to get the patient information out. "I value our ongoing relationship with EDCO," Greek said. "They’ve helped us, and we’ve helped them develop better products. Even though lots of people contact me, it’s hard to imagine starting over with another vendor." Interviews were conducted by Margaret Castrey, a free-lance writer and consultant. Back to Case Studies main page Contact EDCO at 1-800-999-3456 or email us at info@edcogroupinc.com © EDCO-The Document People® 2006