Home Forums Card scanner for insurance cards

My front desk staff has been after me to get one of these to speed the check-in process, but I am not sure what to get (or if it worth it at all).
Here is the process and the issue: when a new patient arrives (or an old one who has not been in for some time) they complete a questionnaire (demos and medical info) which is scanned into their chart along with a copy of their card. I assume this is fairly standard...
To scan the card, we use a flatbed MFC to copy the front, then the back, then scan in all 5 pages. We would rather use our Fujitsu scanner for the papers, which is far faster, but by the time you copy both sides of the card, scan that, then switch to the Fujitsu to scan, it is easier (but slower) to just scan it all with the MFC. So a card scanner seems like it would speed the process, but as the saying goes, "the devil is in the details".

From searching the forum, it appears that Dr. Dave has a Scanshell 3000 that he is unhappy about. Bert likes the rather pricy ($899) Scan Shell 800DX.

Anyone using anything else or does everyone tediously copy one side, then the other, then scan?
Am I correct that there is no card scanner that integrates with AC, reading the data and placing it into appropriate demographic fields in the program? It seems like for a few hundred bucks, the card scanner would make it a little quicker to scan the card, but you still have to switch between two scanners (a second one for the paper); and you still have to type in the demos. Is that correct?

What kind of Fujitsu scanner do you have? I've always loved my Scansnap S510... it is able to scan cards and double-sided paper... and comes (at least mine did) with Adobe Standard... and looking at the manual for it now, it also comes with some "CardMinder" software that uses OCR to get data from (business) cards... I haven't looked into using it for the insurance info, not sure if it would read that as easily.... It doesn't integrate with AC, but not sure if any do.

We are using Scan Shell 800N for the last 3 years without any problems. Cost about $200. Only downside is that you have to scan each side of the insurance card separate.

I have a Scansnap at work and one at home, and think they're great. One issue with the Scansnaps is that they don't scan via the standard TWAIN driver, unlike a lot of other scanners. This means you can't use other applications (including AC) to launch and control the scanner; you have to scan with Scansnap and then work with the scanned document.

Michael J.

I have the ScanShell duplex 800dx. $339. It scans both sides with one pass. It hasn't messed up once in 2 years. Office staff LOVE it and it integrates with AC without a hitch. It's a little pricey for a scanner but if it dies, I'm buying another one.

Travis:

What do you mean integrates with AC? Does it automatically upload to the chart? Does it put the information into The demographics section?

Jon

I would recommend using Phreesia seriously. You can eliminate the pages of paper and a scanner. You can eliminate the need for a scanner. . .the patients just type in the info into the phreesia pads. and it gets sent to phreesia.

We use a Docketport 687 which scans both sides of the card. Then each image is placed in imported files. So the front of the card is one file and the back of the card is another. I disagree with the patient typing in the info if that is your only source of info. I think there still needs to be an actual copy of the card for verification.

Thanks for your responses. They have been helpful but I am still trying to sort this out.

Chris and Michael J, our Fujitsu is a 6130. Not a Scansnap machine and will not do cards.

Ketan, have looked at Phreesia and while it has some advantages, it has its own issues. Even if I used it, I would still want to have an image of the card (as Catherine points out).

Catherine, I am trying to identify your model. Is it this one? If so, I assume you use it to store an image of the card. If you want to scan additional papers, you switch to another scanner? How difficult is that?

I would like to hear more from Travis; model numbers and the associated software are complicated on the Scan Shell site so I am not sure what he is using. If it "integrates with AC" as he says, that could be key...

Yes, it looks like that. We use the fujitsu ScanSnap S510 for scanning of all records. They use both scanners all day; both are always connected.

We have a fujitsu 5110 to scan our documents. the feeder can be adjusted to scan/feed cards. but it wont scan books or passports.

As usual scalpel and I agree. I think what you have to do here is just like always first decide what you are looking for. If you are simply looking for something that can scan an insurance card either front or front and back, then the larger Fujitsu scanners can be find.

If, like us, you are looking for a very small footprint the sits between your receptionist and the windown where the patient is and scan both sides in a total of ten seconds or less and give it right back to the patient, then you want a card scanner that is just a card scanner. In my experience the dx is the best made. Maybe you can get a trial or a 30-day money back.

We're looking at getting a scanner for insurance cards also. I believe (correct me if I'm wrong) he means that the ScanShell 800DX is TWAIN capable, which means you can be in the patient chart in AC, place the card on the scanner, and hit import so that the scanned image comes into AC immediately without an intermediate step.

With the Fujitsu scanner, which is not TWAIN-capable, you would have to scan the card to a PDF file (saved somewhere on your harddrive) and then from AC, import that file into the patient record. So I wonder, what is the advantage of the Fujitsu ScapScan? It seems quite popular on this forum.**

**Edit: I just realized the answer. The ScanShell is for A6 size media, so it won't work for scanning letter size papers. Doh.

One problem with Fujitsu is that the TWAIN compatible scanners are rather expensive. Their non-twain ones are not so expensive.

Sorry I wasn't here to clarify. Yes, I meant it's TWAIN compatible and simple. Now, ScanShell does have software (extra $500) so you can scan the driver's license and all of the demographic info is imported in. I've never used it so I have no idea how well it works. I just wanted a simple, small footprint, realizble card scanner for my front receptionist. We scan the insurance card and driver's license and it is quick and painless.

I guess I shouldn't use the word "integrate" so loosely

The receptionist in my office uses a small ID card scanner, the Ambir PS667. This is TWAIN compatible scanner that can scan rigid ID cards, and import the images as JPEG, PDF or TIFF. You do need to flip a double-sided card, but the included software will combine both sides into a single image. It has always worked very reliably, and the list price is $189 from Ambir, but a quick look online turns up prices of $160-170.

This can be added to Bert's dream list of desired AC features. Most scan software programs only add contact information into fields on well known address book software, usually Outlook.

You forget the reason I know nothing of closed or open folder on II is because I scan nothing into AC. So, that doesn't fit my nature. My dream list is the 81 ideas. Plus others.

But, we file it both sides into F.A.P. and it is done after I import it.