What is eDocs?
Like most businesses, Assisted Living facilities must maintain a
large number of documents in order to manage their
day-to-day
operations. Having a reliable and accessible system for maintaining
these documents is particularly critical in the Health Care
industry. The Document
Control System for Assisted Living communities must ensure that their residents receive the care
they need, while complying with HIPAA mandated privacy requirements.
Considerations for maintaining these documents are described below:
- Paper Based -- Saving documents in paper form is very common, but this method can limit document accessibility. This accessibility issue can be addressed by maintaining duplicate copies, but for documents that change over time (e.g. a Medical History Log) this can be tedious and error prone.
- Local PC Files -- Alternatively, documents can be saved on the hard drive of a local PC, but this too can limit accessibility, and it requires the PC user to manage their own system security and backup plan (a problem if the user is not experienced with these techniques).
- Shared File Server -- For larger organizations, saving document files in a shared File Server can address the accessibility issue for multiple users, but care must be taken to control file access on a per user - per file basis. In addition, navigating complex directory structures can sometimes be confusing.
- On-line file storage -- More recently it has been possible for individuals and small organizations to enjoy of the benefits of saving their documents in the cloud where they can be shared by multiple users at different locations, without the need to purchase any dedicated equipment like a File Server (or the need for someone to maintain the equipment). This capability is available using products like Microsoft's SkyDrive or Google Docs.
- On-line eDoc Files -- This is a new option available at no cost to users of the ePlan System by eTasking. It offers the benefits of on-line storage for your documents, but within a file structure that matches the one already setup by ePlan for your facility. This means that (for example) documents you create can be added and retrieved by simply clicking the Residents name and then either uploading a new document or opening an existing document.
