CoSign Digital Signatures Successfully Deployed at Mid-Plains Center for Behavioral Healthcare

San Francisco, California February 22, 2008

ARX (Algorithmic Research), a leading provider of digital signatures (standard electronic signatures) and information assurance solutions, has implemented the CoSign® digital signature solution at the Mid-Plains Center for Behavioral Healthcare Services, Inc., a comprehensive behavioral healthcare service agency in central Nebraska.

In accordance with HIPAA regulations, Mid-Plains Center had been transitioning its paper-based medical records workflow process to an electronic one. A gap in their transition was the continued need to print documentation for signing purposes. In addition, many of their records are created off-site by mobile therapists working in remote settings. Previous to CoSign's deployment, the therapists were required to sign their documentation by hand and either mail the paperwork to the central office or hand deliver it themselves. The initial workflow design was both time-consuming and counterproductive. To make their procedure more efficient and eliminate the cost of paper-based documents, Mid-Plains Center decided to implement a digital signature solution that supports Microsoft® Word and Adobe® PDF, and can be used in a Terminal Server architecture (no local software on the PCs).

Since CoSign's implementation at Mid-Plains Center, the organization's medical professionals have been utilizing digital signatures to sign all patient documentation both on-site and off, in accordance with HIPAA regulations. CoSign allows the mobile therapists to digitally sign documentation remotely, so it can be routed and archived electronically, avoiding the postage and travel expenses associated with their previous process. As a result of CoSign's implementation, Mid-Plains Center has significantly expedited their workflow, and they are saving thousands of dollars monthly in travel and paper-related costs.

"Mid-Plains provides continued proof that you don’t have to be a giant organization to use CoSign," stated Rodd Schlerf, Healthcare Practice Manager at ARX. "The system at Mid-Plains was installed in a few hours and requires almost no ongoing system administration support; it just works."

"Our use of CoSign's digital signature solution has made our entire electronic medical records process more manageable and fluid. Documents are immediately accessible for our medical professionals when they need them," explained Scott Dugan, CEO of Mid-Plains Center for Behavioral Healthcare Services, Inc. "Our decision to use CoSign has saved time, money, and enhanced our abilities to serve our community."

Mid-Plains Center for Behavioral Healthcare Services, Inc. is a non-profit corporation located in Central Nebraska.  Their mission is to direct and maintain a comprehensive and progressive behavioral healthcare service agency that is networked to community partnerships, in an effort to provide lifespan mental health services to individuals and families. For more information, please visit http://www.midplainscenter.org.