5 Benefits Of Digitally Signing Healthcare Documents

Updated on July 25, 2021

The advancements in technology have affected all aspects of human life. For instance, it has changed how people interact with and share information. Modern technologies, especially those associated with the internet, have resulted in numerous business operations going online. An important part of business operations that have completely adopted online methods is the exchange of documents.  

Unlike in the olden days, where people could only send documents through post or fax machines, businesses such as healthcare facilities can now share documents digitally. However, for documents to be legally accepted, they must contain the signature of the people involved in the transactions. That’s where digitally signing documents comes in.  

This article discusses some benefits of signing healthcare documents online. But before that, you first need to understand what digital signing is. Read on for more information: 

What Is Digital Document Signing?  

Digital document signing is commonly referred to as inserting an electronic signature or eSignature. It’s a digital indication of a person’s intent to approve or agree with the content of a document. 

Nowadays, most people prioritize convenience over any other factor. As much as possible, people try to avoid lengthy procedures that keep them waiting just to append their signatures to their documents. That’s why they prefer signing their documents online. With this technology, you can now sign your documents online using your smartphone. All you need to do is install the relevant app and work with a reputable electronic signature service provider.  

What Are The Benefits Of Digitally Signing Healthcare Documents?  

While the healthcare sector isn’t well-known as the most digitized field, most of its operations have gone digital. This means that you can now use online tools to book your appointment, exchange medical documents, consult your doctor, and get a prescription.  

With that said, here are some benefits of signing healthcare documents online: 

  1. Improves Patient Satisfaction 

Electronically signing documents takes less time because patients don’t need to take time to print out their documents just to add their signatures. They can send them directly to their doctors. After receiving the documents, the doctor takes the minimum time possible to sign and return them to the patient. This allows patients to get faster medical services, thus improving their experience and satisfaction. 

  1. Enhanced Security 

When sending a document online, you’ll have more certainty that it’ll get to its intended recipient.  This is possible because the documents are usually encrypted before transmission. Also, only the intended person can access them through their own protected accounts.  This helps ensure that your medical documents and information are safe. On the other hand, physical papers can be tampered with or lost before reaching the intended recipient.  

  1. Paperless Workflow 

When healthcare facilities integrate electronic signature solutions into their operations, they eliminate the need to use paper. Instead of printing documents, you just sign them online. 

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Also, if you want to keep digital documents, you can store them online. This helps you save on space that would’ve been used to store files. The saved space can be used for other facility operations. If possible, you can even decide to move to a smaller location, which can help save on rental costs.  

  1. Improves The Accuracy Of The Documents 

One of the best ways to help improve the accuracy of a document is the use of eSignature software. With these tools, you can enable mandatory fields. This way, you don’t have to worry about anyone missing to provide some critical information that the document requires. Ultimately, this will help you save time because when the documents are accurately filled, you don’t have to send them back for review.  

  1. Helps Save The Environment 

The healthcare sector can help conserve the environment by adopting digital document sharing and signing. This way, there won’t be any need to use paper to print documents, which requires cutting down trees and using water to process the raw materials. Sharing healthcare documents online ensures the demand for paper is reduced; hence millions of trees and liters of water can be saved. Doing so will help conserve the environment.  

Takeaway 

To remain relevant and competitive in the medical world, you must do away with offline transactions. This will help you save a lot of time and money. It’ll also allow you to have more time to concentrate on delivering quality healthcare services. To achieve that, you need to consider shifting from physical documentation to online documentation, including digital document signing. The benefits of capitalizing on this technology include greater patient satisfaction, safety, and accuracy.