03. Image From Scan

Introduction

SOAPware Scanning allows you to initiate an image scan from within SOAPware, and to have the resulting image imported directly into the current Document as a new Document Item.

Paper Connection
In a paper chart, you would need to either copy the original document or scan it and print a copy, then insert the copy into the patient's chart, possibly stapled or paper clipped to associated documents.

4.x Differences

The scanning interface in SOAPware is similar to the interface in SOAPware 4.x. In SOAPware 4.x, though, scanned images could only be created and stored as a type of Report, so that the connections between scanned images and SOAPNotes were often tenuous. In SOAPware, it is possible to create a scanned image without leaving your current Document, and to insert it directly into that document. This allows you store an image in a Document with other items that it is associated with, thus maintaining the relationship between them.

Security
You must have the correct security permissions to scan items into a chart.

Functionality
With an unsigned Document open in SOAPware, click Documents, New Image from Scan. This will launch the scanning software for your default scanner. Follow the manufacturer's directions to scan as you normally would. After the scan is completed, the new scanned image will appear in the current Document as a new Image Document Item. See the Image Document Item reference for details on how to use Images.

Although the storage capacity of SOAPware is limited only by hard disk capacity (for all practical purposes), it is still a good idea to carefully consider the resolution and color depth at which items are scanned. Higher resolutions and more colors will result in larger images, while lower resolutions and fewer colors will result in smaller images. These changes come at the cost of image quality, though. Generally, the choice is a trade-off between quality and size.

Below are some examples of document types and recommended settings. These are only recommendations, and it is your responsibility to determine what settings best meet your needs.

These recommendations will not apply to OCR scanning. See the OCR documentation for details and recommendations.