H1N1 flu vaccine forms processing service launched by Quality Associates

www.qualityassociatesinc.comSep 1 2009

Quality Associates, Inc. (QAI) www.qualityassociatesinc.com, an established provider of services and solutions for large-scale document management, imaging, and archiving, announced the launch of its H1N1 Flu Vaccine Forms Processing Service, a comprehensive approach to help states, cities, counties, and providers in the private sector successfully and accurately capture and record essential demographic and health data from medical consent forms – a critical step in the administration of the H1N1 vaccine to millions nationwide beginning this fall.

As part of the two-step inoculation process, each patient is required to fill out a printed medical consent form before each shot is given. More than 100 million vaccinations are expected to become available this fall, which is creating a serious and urgent need for states, municipalities and the private sector to immediately develop a clear strategy to effectively capture vital personal and healthcare-related information. Once information is collected, it must be converted into a useable electronic format for insurance, reporting, and statistical needs. Without a digital capture methodology in place, municipalities and private healthcare providers risk losing funds due to lost or inaccurate recipient insurance information. Additionally, government agencies such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention could lose important data regarding vaccine distribution and efficacy.

QAI’s H1N1 Flu Vaccine Forms Processing Service involves several steps that ensure information is captured and recorded accurately:

• Step 1 - Consultation: QAI works closely with vaccine administrators to understand the scope of each project, and then helps guide the entire process.
• Step 2 – Forms Design: Using experience gained by processing millions of healthcare forms collected during the administration of the yearly flu vaccine, QAI designs user-friendly forms that collect information as completely and accurately as possible.
• Step 3 – Forms Processing: QAI uses state-of-the-art high-volume scanners, intelligent data recognition software, and technology to capture information on each form. Quality assurance steps ensure the accuracy of all captured data. Additionally, QAI’s controlled, on-shore processing protects sensitive patient information.
• Step 4 – Data Integration: QAI submits all original documentation and captured data back to the client. Data can be provided in one of several formats to ensure compatibility with the provider’s own systems.

Scott Swidersky, director, Information Systems, Quality Associates, Inc., said, “At this moment, every state, local government, and private firm involved in the H1N1 vaccine administration is facing numerous, complex logistical and technical hurdles that must be resolved quickly. In a matter of weeks, the H1N1 vaccine will become available and administration will begin. From a data capture standpoint, QAI is in the unique position of having the vast experience required to successfully pull information from millions of hard-copy documents. We have processed millions of forms used in the administration of yearly flu programs, and are ready to lend our expertise to help in the nationwide H1N1 vaccine administration effort.”