Using Docman to become a paper light surgery

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Llynfi Surgery in Maesteg, Wales, is a busy surgery with 9,500 patients. In order to offer the highest level of service the practices' operating processes have to be efficient.

Before using Docman, documents were manually passed around the practice, which was a very time consuming process. Through implementing Docman, these documents are now electronically workflowed to doctors for review, comment and action in a secure environment.

A paper light surgery

Llynfi Surgery has four scanners; the first is in reception so when a patient arrives at the practice the Receptionist has the opportunity to scan documents and attach them to the patient record immediately and workflow them without leaving the reception desk.


“Before using Docman my desk was covered with paper and it was time consuming finding certain documents. By using Docman I can now easily locate all documents instantly”


GPTwo scanners are located within the Administrator’s office. All incoming clinical documents are scanned on a daily basis and at this point the ‘paper trail’ ends and the documents are managed electronically. The fourth scanner is with the Practice Manager, Paul Canham, who scans in all non-clinical documents such as bank statements and information from the LHB, ensuring there is a complete electronic record of all documents coming into the practice.

Docman

PCTI’s Docman enables the practice to manage its paper and electronic documents in a secure environment with controlled access from the clinical system. Documents are tagged with key information such as type of letter, hospital, speciality and consultant and can have various levels of security applied to them. They can then be workflowed around the practice to individuals or groups for review, comment and action.

Non patient documents

Paul highlights “Before using Docman my desk was covered with paper and it was time consuming finding certain documents. By using Docman I can now easily locate all documents instantly, for example if I am on the phone and the conversation references a document, I can easily locate this and discuss it rather than going away to retrieve the hard copy.”

The practice now manages a wide range of non clinical documents with Docman. Electronic ‘filing cabinets’ are easily set up enabling storage, workflow and viewing of information such as:

  • Hospital news services
  • LHB letters
  • Audits
  • Management meeting minutes
  • Nurse info
  • Training
  • Bills
  • Bank statements
  • Financial

Various levels of security can be applied to any document within Docman ensuring that only relevant people have access to the information. An entire ‘filing cabinet’, a ‘drawer’ within the filing cabinet, a ‘folder’ within the drawer and the documents in the folders can all be restricted.

Patient documents

Clinical documents filed using Docman are immediately viewable from the clinical system and can be workflowed around the practice for review, comment and action. Every document has its own audit trail or “document history”.

Paul highlights an example of the benefits of Docman “one example of time saved is when finding documents; if a patient calls up we can now access the documents instantly rather than arranging a call back or for the patient to wait for our staff to go and find the document. This makes us more efficient and provides the patient with information instantly.”

Improved practice processes

“Not all letters need to be seen and actioned by a doctor. Docman allows us to direct documents to the people that need to see them, thereby freeing up time and resources to improve patient care.

Workflow enables our doctors to easily review and assign actions to documents resulting in less of the GPs time being taken up with administration tasks.”

PCTI Software integrates seamlessly with our practices current processes and our staff find it easy to use, which has created efficiencies and enabled us to focus resources elsewhere.”