The State of PDFs and Digital Documentation in Healthcare

The healthcare industry has seen unusual advances in Digital Technology over few years. however inspite of many efforts to fully digitize the healthcare landscape, paper and other means of legacy documentation continues in many organizations.

New survey results from HIMSS recommend that, while the opportunity to support digital documentation is more effectively great, adoption falls behind in the age of digital healthcare. While most respondents said they incorporate some PDFs and digital documents in their workflows, only 7-9% reported being entirely digital in 2020.

“We wanted to have a finer understanding of the healthcare end-users of PDF solutions, and we wanted to understand the factors that drive adoption,” said Stephen Wellman, vice president of content strategy at HIMSS, about the survey. Wellman, a 20-year veteran in the digital marketplace, reported that, while respondents agreed that PDF editors were essential and beneficial to their organizations, issues such as ease of use and cost were key barriers to adoption. “There is an opportunity for PDF editors to be easier to use across the organization,” he said.