Just like everything else, the technology surrounding the fax machine has changed drastically over the years. The days of the analog fax are seemingly numbered as companies increasingly adopt the technology available in the enterprise fax over IP (Internet Protocol). 

According to this OpenText Fax Solutions blog, this new trend allows companies to move electronic files securely between locations in a more efficient manner, as well as to digitalize documents and files that have traditionally only been available on paper. 

It is a win-win situation for everyone as fax technology becomes more reliable and companies reduce the amount of paper they use, as well as the costs associated with the standalone fax.

More than one third of the 288 healthcare professionals who were surveyed by OpenText and Healthcare IT for a new survey, “Digital Document Delivery and Management: Achieving Compliance, Security and Improved Patient Care.” stated that they had already digitized most of their practice. When the enterprise fax over IP was adopted into their environments, they began taking paper documents and putting them online for future use as well as reducing the amount of filing space needed. This means more efficiency in their medical practice which in turn means greater patient care and customer service.

As 56 percent of those surveyed already use an electronic medical record (EMR) program, it only makes sense to incorporate that into the entire office practice. Medical practices rely a great deal on faxed documents when it comes to patient records. By having an enterprise fax over IP solution available, they are guaranteeing the receipt of those faxes, which helps in creating the “paper trail” needed for legal purposes.

Security is another reason healthcare companies are increasingly leveraging the enterprise fax over IP platform. Most medical records are confidential and with a traditional analogue fax that spits out the paper document automatically on the other end, senders cannot guarantee the security of that faxed document. With a digital fax machine in place, you can send the document to the exact person who needs to receive it, via the desktop. 

No printed version need be created if the file can remain on the network. Security and search ability tend to be the two top reasons for the implementation of enterprise fax over IP. These two benefits, along with the added efficiency, are why most medical offices are making the switch. Once you digitize your fax capability, this communication channel is easily integrated with the current EMR system to provide one centralized location for all documents. Given the rate of adoption of the all-IP environment, the next natural move for those who rely heavily on fax technology is the integration of the enterprise fax over IP.

Edited by Juliana Kenny