eMudhra's Digital Security Blog: Insights and Innovations

e Signatures in Healthcare: Use Cases, Regulations, and Key Benefits

Written by eMudhra Editorial | Feb 10, 2023 4:40:00 AM

Electronic signatures are the new norm in the healthcare industry. With administrative costs skyrocketing, and the constantly growing requirement for a better healthcare system, it is imperative to find a simple, efficient, fast, and cost-effective solution to reduce the burden of paperwork for healthcare providers, while at the same time eliminating any possible errors in the process. What’s more, as healthcare organizations face increasing compliance obligations, personnel who continue to use conventional paperwork fail to give healthcare professionals the support they need and patients the convenience they expect.

An inclusive electronic signature and workflow management platform is the solution to this surge in demand for fast and efficient document execution. Adopting such solutions can help healthcare organizations to elevate patient satisfaction, sustain long-term growth and lessen the burden of paperwork. With electronic signatures integrated into the healthcare workflows, the process of admittance is sped up, which in turn allows the patient to receive treatment faster and their kin to take care of the formalities & strategic tasks like consultations.

Let us look at the key values and use cases of eSignatures in the healthcare industry

Use Cases of eSignature in the Healthcare Industry

Healthcare workers and doctors are heavily reliant on comprehensive and accurate medical records for every patient to deliver effective diagnosis and healthcare treatment. Therefore, digitizing the conventional paper-intensive processes, adhering to regulations, retaining control, and audit tracking have all emerged as crucial business objectives.

The following are some of the use cases in the healthcare industry:

  1. Client Documentation: One of the major hurdles that healthcare provider face is, error-free and speedy documentation of patient information. Signing consent forms, ABN forms (Advance Beneficiary Notice), privacy notices, and new patient forms are some of the important tasks that can be accomplished efficiently with an electronic signing solution. Incorporating such solutions ensures faster process approval and in turn, increased revenue generation.
  2. Approving Medical Bills: Signing purchase and distribution invoices through digital signature is known to reduce the turn-around time for the industry protocols. This use case is especially useful when working in coordination with insurance companies.
  3. Streamline EHR: Electronic Health Record (EHR) maintenance is one of the key processes in the healthcare industry. A synchronized and streamlined EHR ensures safe and efficient data storage and retrieval. The scope of the e-signature platform far exceeds conventional signing. You can efficiently administer document management and execution, thus allowing healthcare providers can streamline EHR according to regulatory compliance. While digitizing PHI (Personal Health Information), it becomes critical to follow the globally accepted HIPAA guidelines in safely handling and storing PHI. It is very important for healthcare providers to consider only the esignature platforms that comply with HIPAA guidelines
  4. Release Of Information: Release of Information (ROI) is the process of providing access to Protected Health Information (PHI) to an individual or entity authorized to receive or review it. ROI process must be executed in compliance with the HIPPA and 21 CFR 11 guidelines (Code of Federal Regulations).  CFR 11 guidelines establish United States Food and Drug Administration regulations on electronic records and electronic signatures. Healthcare professionals dealing with ROI must ensure the integrity and confidentiality of the information while coordinating the flow of data. As e-signature solutions are highly secure and time-efficient and provide non-repudiation of data, It assists HIM (Health Information Management) workers by lowering the cost and cycle time of delivering necessary information as well as minimizing the danger of illegal access to these electronically executed documents. 
  5. Clinical Trial Forms: Signing a consent form and other legal documents is one of the most important steps in approving the clinical trial of new drugs. With the e-signature solution, healthcare professionals can now automate signing all clinical trial forms including, investigational new drug application forms, statement of the investigator form, financial interests and arrangements forms, and informed consent, among many others as e-signature are legally valid.

Key Values of eSignature in the Healthcare Industry

Following are the major key values of e-Signatures in the healthcare industry:

  • Reduced cost of document storage and retrieval
  • Effective document management and execution
  • Global compliance
  • Reduced TAT, increased revenue

eMudhra emSigner: An All-In-One Platform for eSignature Solutions for Healthcare

Needless to say, esignautre is transforming the administrative workflow of the healthcare industry for good, with a gravitas towards embracing the digital, incorporating and automating digital document execution is the way to go!  With emSigner, eMudhra’s e-signature and workflow management platform, kick-start your digital transformation journey today. It is one of a kind innovative paperless office solution that facilitates electronic or digital signing, use-case-specific complex workflow management, and document management services along with archival and audit capabilities.

Drive your digital transformation journey with emSigner Now!

Also Read:

  1. Paperless Hospital, the next step forward in Healthcare
  2. Reduce Patient Onboarding Time by Upto 80% using emSigner
  3. e-Prescriptions and e-Records, using emSigner