Health and Human Services: Serving People More Efficiently with Document Scanning

Written by: Scott Francis

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Federal agencies like the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services are chartered with providing all kinds of medical, public health and social services for the people in this country.

There are similar agencies on the state and county levels as well that deliver a wide array of services in areas such as health care, pandemic support, child welfare and development, disabilities, veterans’ affairs, and much more.

One of the commonalities for all these agencies is that there is large volume of case management paperwork generated for each person served. Thankfully, document scanning solutions can help case managers:

• Speed up processing of all documentation
• Ensure personal information stays secure
• Capture and organize data accurately
• Keep critical data close at hand
• Share information and intelligence effortlessly

For instance, when people submit applications for assistance, they typically fill out and sign multi-page paper applications and submit those with other physical pieces of documentation for identification including social security cards, driver’s licenses, birth certificates and passports. For case managers who have hundreds of people to serve daily, document scanning solutions securely reduce the time it takes to record and manage all the paperwork while decreasing the opportunity for errors, misfiling and processing delays.

Case in point: Scanning saves time for a local house authority

The King County House Authority (KCHA) in the greater Seattle area has provided assistance to thousands of households for more than 75 years. Most of the documentation that passes through this agency is paper-based, which resulted in stacks of documents on desks, over-filled filing cabinets, and overflow wherever there was space. Document retrieval and sharing of information was difficult since papers were easily misplaced, which wasted valuable employee time. Security of personal information on client forms was minimal at best.

With a goal to serve more people more efficiently, KCHA decided to fundamentally change how it did business, starting with an upgrade from multifunction printers (MFPs) to what the agency felt were a market standard for digitization purposes: Fujitsu scanners and specifically, fi-7160 scanners, along with PaperStream IP software that radically cleans up images.

Now, thanks to the Fujitsu scanners, the agency can process cases faster and more efficiently. Scan stations with an fi-7160 scanner, PC and monitor are placed in strategic areas around KCHA offices and heavy users have a scanner at their personal desk.

One of the biggest gains with the new scanners has been the ability to simultaneously access information, as now one division can talk to property managers while another can communicate with residents with access to the same key information.

Within the first 24 months of this program, the agency scanned and secured 2.5 million documents into its system, which helped the staff catch up on the entire backlog of documents. KCHA staff are now ready to take on the intake of over 400,000 new forms per year with greater ease.

Which scanner is right for your organization?

Depending on your particular agency, you may want to use the fi-7160 like KCHA did, or you may be interested in the fi-7300NX, a network capable scanner, which is also commonly used by federal and state agencies. Here are a few highlights of each.

The fi-7160 is a fast, high volume scanner that is powerful despite its compact size. With speed, reliability and accuracy, it can scan 60 ppm, with up to 9,000 sheets a day. Organizations of all types and sizes choose the fi -7160 for its speed, reliability, and accuracy. This scanner is small enough to fit on any desk, yet powerful enough to handle any kind of case management task. It’s the class-leading standard for small teams and workgroups. This scanner comes with the PaperStream IP and PaperStream Capture for advanced imaging process functions.

The fi-7300NX has similar capabilities, but comes in a cloud-based network version that can be placed anywhere in a department, unthethered, and shared. It can function as a PC-less scan station with Wi-Fi and ethernet capabilities—eliminating the PC and monitor altogether. The fi-7300NX includes authentication methods for data security so approved workers can quickly scan any appropriate documentation to speed up handling and minimize interruptions. This scanner also features a simple touch screen with customized job buttons, so even the least experienced employees can use it. The fi-7300NX can scan up to 60 ppm, giving valuable time back to employees.

To learn more about any of these scanners, contact the Fujitsu Sales team at (888) 425-8228 or email [email protected].

Scott Francis is the technology evangelist for Fujitsu Computer Products of America. With over thirty years of experience in the enterprise content management industry, he frequently provides thought leadership on document scanning use cases and best practices in addition to the overall benefits of digital transformation solutions.