What are the pros and cons of each of these file types?
Which do you prefer and why ?
Tell us a little bit about your document management software. Using document storage as part of a commerical EMR or stand-a-lone file system?
PDF - TIFF - JPG - etc
FPdoctor: What are the pros and cons of each of these file types? PDF - TIFF - JPG - etc
What are the pros and cons of each of these file types? PDF - TIFF - JPG - etc
PDF is really the future. Older software (Fax programs, older EMRs, OCR software) is often based on .tiff and that can work well. I think of TIFF as a more "editable, manipulatable" format, although great PDF editing software is now available. A new EMR is unlikely to choose TIFF over PDF for their default format. JPG can work but wouldn't be a great choice for storing all your documents. JPG is not a good document management format, it's a format for digital pictures.
Synapse has document management built into the core of the system. The INBOX system and ultra important document metadata shows it's a next generation filing system. A document management system WITHOUT *easily addable* metadata is a shame. No EMR comes close to synapse's speed of pulling up old documents based on metadata.
For instance, versus scanning a list looking for the patient's last mammogram, I type "mamm" and enter and all the results with that phrase in it appear INSTANTLY (no database queries!, ala AJAX-like speed). It also might pick up the word mammogram in a letter from the Cancer Center.
One of the many reasons why Synapse is far superior to Amazing Charts and most other EMRs is the Next Generation Document Management system.
Jason, that sounds really awesome. Is there anybody selling technology like that in a standalone format? If not, Graham needs to think about selling a standalone document management system. I get the impression that this is a weak point in a lot of EMRs.
Brian Cotner, M.D. - Family Practitioner First Amazing Charts Users' Conference Branson, Missouri - June 20-22, 2008
I use PDF at 300 DPI.
The built-in MediNotes document manager (I do not use the expensive add-on.) can be set to do this and it works great.
I also scan other non-medical record documents into Adobe.
When credentialing time comes around all of my licenses, liability insurance facesheets, etc. are in one place as PDF's.
The big "con" for me is that Acrobat is way overpriced.
I have tried the cheapy substitutes, though, (like the ones that come with inexpensive scanners and Nuance products) and they just don't work well. For example, they take too long to scan - much longer than Adobe, and the interfaces are quirky.