The digitisation of everyday life is becoming more and more common as is our reliance on the availab...

1. The Omr Benefit For Healthcare Institutions
The digitisation of everyday life is becoming more and more common as is our reliance on the
availability of accurate and current information. Even in the healthcare industry it has become
essential to convert information on paper to a digital form to increase operations. After all, whether
you run a hospital in Sydney or a small clinic in the Outback, it's still a business. And where business
is concerned, time is money. Spending hours on data capturing can therefore amount to increased
costs. One way to reduce the amount spent is by using Optical Mark Software that accurately
interprets the result on multiple-choice forms quickly and effectively.
Optical Mark Recognition, also known as OMR is a software system that marks the answer section of
"bubble" sheets or multiple-choice forms. It does this by analysing the answer section of scanned-in
documents, after which the results are transferred to a database to be linked to a patient record.
This functionality is especially efficient when it comes to multiple-choice psychometric tests,
psychological tests, general patient assessments, etc.
The Optical Mark Benefit
Completed patient questionnaires are marked and analysed, almost instantly. And, depending on the
OMR package you choose, the data can then be made available to other applications, by allowing
access to the program's database. Not only does this increase operational efficiency, but it will allow
your staff members to focus their attentions on other areas of your practice, clinic, hospital...
business.
The real secret to success of OMR lies in the design of the templates to be used. After the form
template (the questionnaire) has been designed, you'll be able to "tell" the software how to interpret
the results and store them accordingly in the database. This can effectively reduce data entry and
data analysis time by as much as 90%.
Both new and existing patients can be assigned a unique ID, which the software will then use to
associate the scanned form with the correct database record. Alternatively, a simple grid can be
created on a form template (to be printed out and photocopied) that will allow each patient to mark
his or her identity- or social security number, to be recognized by the system once the completed
form is scanned in.
OMR for HR, Marketing Surveys and More
The potential of OMR software for any business is immense. Even in the health care field, businesses
are using the software not only for patient assessments, but also to evaluate potential staff members
(in the case of the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator and similar tests) and to rate the customer service of
current employees. Marketing departments of institutes and hospitals use OMR software to design
marketing questionnaires that will help improve the efficacy of marketing campaigns. In short, when
correctly employed, OMR software not only saves money, but has the potential to help your health
care business thrive financially.
Lynn Moffat is the content manager for FormReturn Optical Mark Recognition Software, an industry
leading OMR software solution for Patient Assessments.. in Health Care.