4 tips for transitioning from paper to digital forms

The benefits of switching from paper forms to digital forms are fairly self-explanatory: improved data accuracy, enhanced compliance, lower admin costs and streamlined workflows. But those benefits won’t materialise overnight.

If you’re in the healthcare sector and your entire team has been using paper forms for many years, the initial transition to digital can feel overwhelming. But as most (if not all) of the NHS professionals we’ve worked with would agree, it’s well worth it.

In today’s blog, we’ll be breaking down four tips for making the switch from manual forms to digital forms.

1. Set realistic goals

While the transition is designed to be as smooth as possible these days, it’s still a process that requires time and patience. Set realistic goals for the switch. You don’t have to change everything at once, so start with the forms that are used most often, or that cause the most troublesome bottlenecks. This will allow you to see the value of the transition firsthand - plus, you’ll be able to use those forms as a template for your remaining forms.

2. Make sure you understand your current workflows

It’s going to be a lot harder to revamp your workflows if you don’t understand how they currently work. Take your time to map out your workflows from start to finish. It doesn’t have to be some tedious, complex project; it’s simply about getting a clear picture of what happens the moment someone picks up a form, fills it in and submits it to be distributed and filed.

Ask yourself a few questions about each workflow: 

• Who fills in this form?
• What’s the information they need to enter?
• What are the most common errors people tend to make (or fields they tend to miss) when filling it out?

It’ll likely be very helpful to break the workflows down into each individual step, so you know exactly what you’re trying to accomplish by going digital.

3. Simplify your e-forms

The transition shouldn’t just be a case of copy and pasting your paper forms into a digital format. It’s also a good chance to rethink what’s actually written in those forms. For example, if you’ve been using them for many years, there might be fields that no longer serve any purpose. It’s important that the content of the form evolves - not just the format.

4. Provide training for your team

Even the most user-friendly e-forms platform can take some getting used to, especially if your team has been doing everything on paper. Clear training and guidance are essential if you want the transition to work. Ensure your team has your full support, in order to prevent any mixups or confusion later on.

In particular, remember that not all of your team will be tech-savvy. So, just as with any other new digital platform, they might need a little more time to get to grips with the tech. But as long as everyone in the team feels supported, it should only be a matter of time before they wonder how they ever got by for so long with exclusively manual admin.

Conclusion: 4 tips for transitioning from paper to digital forms

Switching from paper to digital forms takes time and patience - but the long-term benefits are undeniable. By setting realistic goals, understanding your current workflows, and providing your team with all the support they might require, you’ll be creating a smoother, more efficient admin process.