Graham Etherington from Kodak Alaris Ltd discusses how to speed up digital transformation from paper-based healthcare systems to digital excellence
The UK healthcare landscape is experiencing a digital revolution that promises to reshape patient care delivery and operational efficiency. With the government investing up to £10 billion in NHS technology and digital transformation, NHS trusts face unprecedented opportunities to modernise operations while meeting ambitious regulatory targets.
Achieving digital transformation requires more than implementing new technology – it demands a comprehensive approach to digitising the vast amounts of paper-based information that still flows through healthcare systems daily.
The hidden challenge: Document processing bottlenecks
Despite significant progress in digital adoption, NHS trusts continue to grapple with paper-based workflows that create operational inefficiencies. Physical documents create bottlenecks that slow down care delivery and strain resources.
Healthcare workers spend valuable time manually handling and retrieving paper documents – time that could be redirected toward patient care. NHS trusts must ensure captured information integrates seamlessly with electronic patient record (EPR) systems while maintaining strict security standards.
Transforming document workflows for better patient care
Leading healthcare providers worldwide address these challenges through intelligent document processing solutions that transform paper-based workflows into streamlined digital operations. Kodak Alaris is trusted by hundreds of healthcare providers globally to optimise patient onboarding and streamline records management workflows.
Modern document capture solutions handle a diverse range of document types, from standard paperwork to specialised forms. By digitising documents immediately upon receipt, healthcare staff eliminate manual filing systems and ensure critical information is instantly accessible. Advanced software automatically extracts key data and delivers it directly into EPR systems, eliminating the need for manual data entry and reducing the likelihood of human error.
Addressing critical operational areas
Patient admissions and onboarding
Traditional paper-based admission processes create delays and prevent access to critical patient data. Modern document processing enables staff to digitise paperwork instantly, with automated data extraction feeding information directly into patient management systems. This improves patient experience and ensures healthcare providers have immediate access to complete patient information.
Financial processing
Healthcare organisations process enormous volumes of financial documentation, from pay slips to invoices and payment records. Manual handling of these documents creates resource-intensive workflows that are prone to errors and delays. Automated document processing transforms these operations by capturing financial documents from multiple sources, validating critical data, and delivering information directly to payment management systems.
The result is improved cash flow, reduced administrative costs, and enhanced compliance with financial regulations – all critical factors in maintaining operational sustainability while delivering quality patient care.
Medical records management
Comprehensive medical records management remains one of the most challenging aspects of healthcare digitisation. Patient records arrive from multiple sources in various formats, require strict confidentiality protections, and must be immediately accessible to authorised care providers. Advanced document processing solutions address these challenges by providing secure capture capabilities, automated metadata extraction, and seamless integration with EPR platforms.
This comprehensive approach ensures that complete patient histories are available to support clinical decision- making while maintaining the security and audit trails required for regulatory compliance.
Back-office operations
NHS trusts rely on efficient back-office operations to support front-line care delivery. From HR documentation to mailroom operations and administrative workflows, these support functions generate substantial document volumes that require secure, efficient processing.
High-volume document processing capabilities enable organisations to handle these requirements efficiently while maintaining strict security standards. Features such as volatile memory processing, encryption, and secure boot processes ensure that sensitive information remains protected throughout the document lifecycle.
Security and compliance at the forefront
Healthcare document processing demands the highest levels of security and compliance. Modern solutions address these requirements through multiple layers of protection, including data encryption, secure transmission protocols, and comprehensive audit trails. Every technology purchase must protect information security and confidentiality, especially in healthcare environments.
Kodak Alaris is globally recognised for exceptional attention to security features in every document scanner. They process data directly on the device, ensuring that data is erased upon transfer or shutdown, and they use encryption to secure the network data path from the device to healthcare systems.
These security measures ensure that NHS trusts can embrace digital transformation while maintaining full compliance with data protection regulations and patient confidentiality requirements.
Looking ahead: Strategic transformation success
For NHS decision-makers, the message for the future is to keep momentum and focus on value. Every digital initiative should ultimately be judged by how it improves patient care, enhances staff efficiency, or saves resources. Successful digital transformation requires strategic partnerships with experienced providers who understand the unique challenges of healthcare environments and can deliver solutions that integrate seamlessly with existing systems.
NHS trusts that embrace comprehensive document processing transformation position themselves to meet regulatory targets while improving operational efficiency and patient care quality. By eliminating paper-based bottlenecks, these organisations free up valuable staff time, reduce operational costs, and create the foundation for continued innovation in healthcare delivery.
The government plans to introduce multi-year budgets and require NHS organisations to reserve at least 3% of their annual spend for one-time investments in service transformation, helping to translate innovations into practice more rapidly and creating new opportunities for healthcare providers to invest in comprehensive digital transformation initiatives.
The path forward
The healthcare sector’s digital transformation journey requires more than technology implementation – it demands a fundamental rethinking of how information flows through a trust. By addressing document processing challenges with intelligent, secure, and integrated solutions, healthcare providers can accelerate their digital maturity while improving the experiences of both patients and staff.
NHS trusts that act decisively to address these foundational document processing challenges will be better positioned to leverage emerging technologies, meet regulatory requirements, and deliver the efficient, high-quality care that patients deserve. The investment in comprehensive document transformation today creates the digital foundation necessary for tomorrow’s healthcare innovations.
Success in this transformation requires partnerships with providers who combine in-depth knowledge of the healthcare sector with proven technology solutions. With the right approach and support, healthcare organisations can overcome current barriers and unlock the full potential of digital transformation, creating more efficient operations and better patient outcomes for years to come.
If you’re ready to embrace digital transformation, contact Kodak Alaris today: www.kodakalaris.com
This work is licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International.
