Imaging technology vendor Lexmark International introduced at HIMSS17 a new imaging system that connects Lexmark multifunction printers to EDCO Health Information Solutions’ Solarity platform, which is used for scanning and indexing for medical records. The new Solarity Connector enables hospitals to use a Lexmark multifunction printer at the point of care to capture clinical information into the Solarity workflow, which, Lexmark contended, can help facilities reach HIMSS Analytics Stage 7.

Stage 7 is the top level on the HIMSS Analytics Electronic Medical Record Adoption Model, otherwise known as EMRAM.

The new connector takes the complexity out of the information capture process by enabling providers to easily scan a stack of documents on a Lexmark multifunction printer without specifying patient or document types, the vendor said. The images can be previewed on the multifunction printer touchscreen and then automatically indexed by the Solarity software.

In a hospital environment, the Lexmark multifunction printer can be a workflow kiosk for clinical operations, enabling hospitals to consolidate devices and create more workspace for clinicians, Lexmark said. To be validated as a HIMSS Analytics Stage 7 hospital, clinically relevant documents must be available in the electronic medical record within 24 hours of creation. Capturing documents at the point of care using the Solarity Connector on a Lexmark multifunction printer enables healthcare facilities to meet this requirement, Lexmark said.

“As hospitals continue their digital transformation and focus on becoming HIMSS Stage 7 compliant, a key component – the ability to quickly capture all medical record content – continues to be a challenge for many providers,” said Brock Saladin, Lexmark senior vice president and chief revenue officer. Lexmark’s partnership with EDCO Health Information Solutions can help hospitals advance technology goals and optimize patient care, Saladin added.