In addition to space savings and speed, Kotsis said the implementation addressed several other goals. The electronic records provide greater security, she said, because OnBase's sign-on capability creates an audit trail. The system is also better to use an operating rooms, where paper records "could come with bacteria on them." And, Kotsis adds, "all the doctors and nurses are happier with it."

Because Odense, as a university affiliated hospital, also has a significant research arm, it also benefits by providing researchers with round-the-clock access to data. Before the system was implemented, secretaries were paid to work after hours to pull files for research projects. Today, questionnaires, surveys and other data are stored in OnBase and are readily available for research.

Finally, any hospital-employed physician can review his patients' charts regardless of their location. As a regional facility, Odense includes many local clinics and physician offices on its intranet, and OnBase is available throughout the network.

"In the past, the record might be at a different location when the patient arrived, requiring another appointment," Kotsis said, then added. "I think other hospitals will be following us."