Stimulating Document Scanning in the Healthcare Sector

The ARRA (American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009) includes provisions that will offer substantial economic incentives to healthcare providers who implement Electronic Health Records (EHR) systems. This is designed to accelerate the adoption of electronic medical records, with the ultimate goal of improving healthcare in the United States. Resellers who pursue these opportunities will have the potential to grow their business signicantly. The bill, known as H.R.1, even has its own web site, www.recovery.gov, but there are two specific elements that should be of interest to Canon solution providers.

Division A Title XIII, known as the HITECH Act, includes $2 Billion in funding for the promotion and testing of Healthcare Information Technology. This includes grants and loans to healthcare providers to adopt, implement, and effectively use certified EHR technology.

Division B Title IV establishes incentives, in the form of Medicare and Medicaid reimbursements, for healthcare professionals and hospitals to be meaningful users of EHR systems. The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) estimates that gross outlays for this program will be in the neighborhood of $35 Billion over a five year period. Healthcare providers may be able to avail themselves of $18,000 to $44,000 individually in reimbursements for use of EHR systems. The sooner healthcare providers implement these systems, the more funds may be available to them. As the program rolls out, early adopters may realize the maximum benet. Late adopters may see their benets reduced over time, and as it is currently defined, if they do not get on the EHR bandwagon by 2015, not only will benefits diminish or be eliminated, but penalties may be applied.

Resellers need to identify qualified EHR technology software solutions to couple with Canon scanners. Canon is committed to establishing relationships with leading healthcare solutions vendors and building partnerships to facilitate this. One can begin by researching statewide or regional coordinating bodies that will establish the Healthcare Information Exchange (HIE) foundation in your geographic area. As a starting point, you can find more information about this by visiting SLHIE.org. Resellers, most importantly, need to identify the names of persons responsible for coordinating these initiatives in their own region.

With a new approach to the development of business in the healthcare sector, Canon resellers are in a position to deploy these solutions locally to help further this national initiative. By establishing the Canon imageFORMULA scanner brand as a major player in the healthcare arena, Canon resellers will be better equipped to create valuable opportunities in the industry.