Regulatory Compliance

imaging storage privacy

"Digital imaging is the critical capture component that gives an organization the ability to capture the highest volume of information," said Pamela Doyle, director in Fujitsu's Imaging Products Group. "The highest quality of scanners combined with powerful [enterprise content management] software enables organizations to cut costs, accelerate their business processes, protect their data and manage their content more efficiently so they can demonstrate they are in regulatory compliance."

The need for regulatory compliance is having a significant impact on vertical markets. Health-care organizations are being greatly affected by the provisions of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, which regulates how patients' medical records are managed and communicated electronically. Financial institutions, meanwhile, must adhere to both the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act, which aims to protect consumers' personal financial information held by financial institutions; and the USA Patriot Act, an anti-terrorism bill that expands the government's authority over surveillance methods.

"Digital imaging technology can help organizations manage business content in a more secure and attainable manner, so they can be more forthcoming when called upon," Doyle said.

To comply with legislation, it is becoming imperative that these industries implement document-capture and document-control systems.

"There are many flavors and varieties of these systems, including electronic document management systems and enterprise content management. Both of these require front-end systems to capture document images and content, and VARs can provide the wherewithal to integrate hardware and software from vendors to the exact requirements of individual clients," said Gary Loew, president of Champion Workflow Systems, a Pine Brook, N.J.-based systems integrator specializing in digital imaging.