Rimage Simplifies Release of Information
“It is less expensive, easier and faster to distribute medical records on CDs than paper records.”
Customer
Memorial Hermann Healthcare System
Challenge
Satisfy meaningful use requirements
Support litigation requests
Solution
Rimage Professional 5400N
Memorial Hermann is the largest not-for-profit healthcare system in Texas, serving the greater Houston community through 11 hospitals, a vast network of affiliated physicians and numerous specialty programs and services. The system includes adult and pediatric Level I trauma centers, three heart & vascular institutes, a neuroscience institute, diagnostic labs, imaging and surgery centers, a sports medicine institute and a network of sports medicine and rehabilitation centers.
“It is less expensive, easier and faster to distribute medical records on CDs than paper records.”
Director of Release of Information, Memorial Hermann
The Challenge
The Memorial Hermann Release of Information Department frequently receives requests to release patient data electronically. The information, which may include medical records, billing reports or medical images, fulfills patient requests and often supports patients who are in litigation. As legal offices move toward paperless systems, attorneys increasingly demanded records be released in an easy-to-use electronic format.
Before Memorial Hermann discovered the Rimage 5400N, the release department’s method for distributing patient data was outdated and tedious. The Director of Release of Information at Memorial Hermann succinctly describes the process, “Lots of paper and individual CD burners.” When requests came through the department, employees had to address them one-by-one, manually recording the data, encrypting the information and then labeling each disc. This labor-intensive process could not be scaled for additional volume,” she said.
The organization needed an automated solution that would not only heed the requests across the Memorial Hermann organization, but also provide an audit trail, ensuring patient information is released and distributed securely.
The Solution
Rimage Professional series provided the ideal solution, and Memorial Hermann did not have to go very far to find it. “Our Radiology unit was already successfully using Rimage systems,” she explains. “We needed a system that would meet current demand and not outgrow its capabilities in five years.” The Rimage 5400N allows Memorial Hermann to automatically produce discs and release patient data more securely and efficiently than ever before.
The 5400N is a compact, all-in-one disc publishing solution designed specifically for office settings. It has the capability to plug into existing networks so that the staff can record and print discs as easily as sending jobs to the office printer. The system also offers Rimage’s leading thermal retransfer printing technology.
The Rimage solution:
- Releases patient information to disc (CD, DVD and
- Blu-ray™ Disc)
- Satisfies meaningful use requirements
- Can be used for RAC audits
- Secures information with Rimage software encryption standards
- Self extracts encrypted files for easy retrieval
The Results
Increased Productivity
Memorial Hermann purchased two Rimage 5400N systems earlier this year, and since their incorporation, the information release process has been dramatically enhanced. “Productivity has increased, and the employee work experience has greatly improved,” the Director explained. Rimage’s efficient training services resulted in quick uptime and a minimal learning curve. Once the 5400N systems were up and running, Rimage’s intuitive software interface allowed the staff to carry on with daily tasks without undue interruption. “With the two Rimage systems, we currently produce about 500 discs a month, and we have the ability to grow far beyond this amount,” she said.
The Rimage system fits right into the release department’s existing workflow. Plus, the system’s hands-free operation gives time directly back to the employees. With just a click of a button, staff can focus on critical tasks while the system automatically produces multiple disc jobs. Bulky paper files, complicated manual processes and unnecessary costs have virtually disappeared. Even mailing practices have improved. Furthermore, because all data is compressed in a compact space, each disc created with the Rimage system is inherently ready for shelf archive. Large and cumbersome storage requirements are eliminated, and high quality disc labeling enables fast data retrieval.
Effective Data Encryption
With Rimage’s user-friendly software, the Director and her staff can secure patient information and maintain each individual’s privacy. Using the built-in password protection component, a standard functionality included in Rimage’s software suite, the Release of Information Department can record and encrypt digital data directly from the end-user workstation, guaranteeing that patient information is released safely and securely on every disc.
Thanks to Rimage’s robust and reliable system, Memorial Hermann not only found the solution they needed, but they have furthered their mission of embracing the latest technology to better serve their community.
“In searching for products, I found that competitor brands did not match up to our department’s requirements.”
Director of Release of Information, Memorial Hermann