Scanning Insurance Cards

by Bob Glorioso, MD

June 2005

 

Overview

Patient Records 8.1 now supports importing and displaying images of insurance cards through the Patient Screen.  There is no longer a need to Plink the images.  Multiple card images can be saved if the patient has more than one insurer or if the patient’s insurance changes.  The MedicScan scanner/software allows rapid scanning of cards.

 

Requirements

MedicScan ($349, Scanshell scanner and MedicScan software)  http://www.medicscan.com/MedicScan.aspx.  This is the better option since it scans both sides of the card into one file and only requires inserting the card into the scanner, flipping it and re-inserting it, then importing through Practice Partner.  MedicScan Pro and MedicScan OCR are more expensive and do not improve the workflow.

 

Or

 

Scanshell 800N ($199 scanner only) http://www.medicscan.com/800N.aspx

plus Fujitsu Scandall 21 (free software download).  http://www.fcpa.com/support/scanners/drivers_downloads.html

Each side of the card is scanned as a separate file and requires 3 clicks to start each scan.  Each file is imported separately through Practice Partner, which is more time-consuming.

 

 

MedicScan Scanner Hardware Setup

1. Connect the Scanner to a USB Port
2. When Windows detects new hardware, put the CD in the drive.  When prompted to select a driver, select the CDROM device.
3. After the driver is installed, install your scanner software (MedicScan or Scandall 21).

 

 

MedicScan Software Setup

1. Install from the CD
2. You will need to enter the license key (on sticker on the box).  It is case-sensitive.
3. Run the program
4. Click the Open Configuration icon (bottom right).  Settings are as follows:
5. Automation tab
   1. Data Source:  Scanner
   2. Paper Autodetection checked
   3. Auto Save
   4. Scan Scheme:  Two sided Document
   5. Save immediately after scan checked
   6. Click File naming and type

                                                               i.      Under Driver’s Licenses tab, leave default settings

                                                             ii.      Change path to C:\   (This is the default path for Practice Partner to import the file.  This saves a lot of time navigating.  These files are deleted at import)

                                                            iii.      Click OK

6. Image tab
   1. Driver’s License size:  ID card (landscape)
   2. Color Scheme:  256 shades of gray
   3. Resolution 100 or 150 dpi*
   4. JPEG quality:  50
   5. Click the Calibrate button, and feed in the black and white calibration card face down when prompted
   6. When all settings are completed, click OK

 

Scanning cards with MedicScan

1. Run MedicScan
2. Insert card face down and against Right edge.  Card will feed automatically.
3. Turn card over and repeat.
4. In Patient Records, click Patient button and find patient.
5. Click Images
6. Click New and type in a name like “PPO Blue 2005”
7. Select the file you just scanned.  It will show up in the preview window.
   1. If the file is not seen, browse to it (location is C:\)
   2. Your image should always be the last (or only) one listed
8. Make sure to check “Delete original file after load”, then click OK (if you forget this, a copy of the scan will stay on the local C:\).
9. To view the card, highlight the name and click view.
10. Use the controls to enlarge the image if needed.

 

 

Scandall 21 Setup

1. Download Scandall 21 from the web:  http://www.fcpa.com/support/scanners/drivers_downloads.html 

      (near bottom of web page)

2. Save file and Run the installation
3. Run ScandAll 21
4. Follow the instructions to calibrate the scanner from a TWAIN source (see the Quick Installation Guide on the MedicScan CD).
5. Click Scan, to File
6. Pick a local destination directory (your scanning files will be there only until Practice Partner imports them)
7. Set File type to JFIF/Jpeg
8. Click Acquire
9. Set color mode to greyscale* and resolution to 150dpi*
10. Select Size:  2.2” X 3.5” (Business card) or manually adjust the size after scanning the first card (if you manually adjust size, you will need to scan another card to save the changes)
11. Insert a card face down and against Right edge.  Feeder will grab card.
12. Click Scan
13. When done, click OK
14. Scandall 21 will now keep these settings for all future scans

 

Scanning cards with Scandall 21

1. Run ScandAll 21 (leave it running in the background all day)
2. Click Scan, to File (or Scan to File icon)
3. Select a destination directory it not already done (Desktop)
4. Click Acquire
5. Insert card face down and against Right edge.  Feeder will grab card.
6. Click Scan
7. When done, repeat steps 2-5 with card turned over
8. In Patient Records, click Patient button and find patient.
9. Click Images
10. Click New and type in a name like “PPO Blue 2005”
11. Select the file you just scanned.  It will show up in the preview window.
12. If the file is not seen, browse to it
13. Your images should always be the last (or only) 2 listed
14. Make sure to check “Delete original file after load”, then click OK (if you forget this, a copy of the scan will stay on the local PC).
15. Repeat 9-11 selecting the back of the card.  Name it “PPO Blue 2005 back”
16. To view the card, highlight the name and click view.

 

 

 

*How settings affect quality and file size

 

Practice Partner only supports jpeg, bmp and gif files in the Patient screen images.  Jpegs give good quality at a fairly small size.  Bmps are too large, and most scanner software won’t scan to gifs.  Here are results of scanning a plastic PPO Blue card to jpeg using ScandAll 21 with various settings:

 

Resolution (dpi)	Color depth	File size (KB)	Quality	Source
75	Grey	5.9	Poor	Front of card
75	Black	9.16	Poor	Front of card
75	Color	8.84	Poor	Front of card
100	Grey	8.92	Fair	Front of card
100	Black	13.3	Fair	Front of card
100	Color	13.9	Fair	Front of card
150	Grey	18.7	Good	Front of card
150	Black	24.9	Fair	Front of card
150	Color	26.7	Good	Front of card
150	Grey	28.3	Good	Back
150	Black	39.0	Good	Back
150	Color	37.4	Good	Back

 

Poor:  Some key names/numbers not legible

Fair:  All key names/numbers legible, some writing difficult to read

Good:  All key names/numbers and all writing legible

 

Scanning the same card using MedicScan Software:

 

Resolution (dpi)	Color depth	File size (KB)	Quality	Source
100	Grey	32	Fair/Good	Front/back
150	Grey	64	Good	Front/back

 

Quality of images and how large a file size that you will tolerate is an individual decision.  Both 100 and 150 dpi greyscale are reasonable choices.  The total storage requirement of scanning cards is small with either choice:

 

Software	Resolution (dpi)	Color depth	File size (KB)	5000 cards
Scandall 21	100	Grey	20	100MB
Scandall 21	150	Grey	47	235MB
MedicScan	100	Grey	32	160MB
MedicScan	150	Grey	64	320MB