Maintain original paper records for at least 30 days after they are scanned. During this time, randomly review the scanned charts to make sure they all scanned appropriately. Here are some best practices to consider when scanning charts:
Visual inspection of each scanned document image ensuring the entire document has been scanned, the image is clear and usable, and is of good quality overall.
Comparison between scanned records and the original paper documents confirming accuracy.
Validation of the number of original paper documents is compared to the number of scanned records to make certain every document was scanned. Check for two-sided pages and that any blank pages are noted as “Intentionally left blank.”
If a good, clear scan is not obtainable, the record should be noted as such being the “best possible scan.”
Quality controls in the manner of a periodic audit by the IT department or practice manager is done when scanning projects are underway to check for critical errors such as documents that are incomplete, illegible, missing pages or missing patient identifiers; or documents being scanned to the wrong chart.