It is impossible to imagine in the current times the administration of a health institution without the use of technological resources. There are many advantages and benefits in all links of the chain and the reduction of paper use is one of them. In addition to facilitating the lives of health professionals, by reducing rework and streamlining a series of processes, the system provides benefits to patients, especially in terms of safety, improvement in the doctor-patient relationship and diagnostic accuracy.

But even with strong arguments for the implementation of a paperless hospital, it is necessary that managers bear in mind that the costs go beyond the reduction in purchases of stationery supplies. It means providing access to information to any agent involved in the hospital chain, especially to the doctors. This entire process requires an infrastructure that exceeds the purchase of paper and the like.

In addition to the costs incurred with new equipment and programs, it is necessary to include the costs of converting paper records into digital files. In practice, planning is important, but there are decisions about how and when to make the change, how much paper will be converted, how to handle the paper that continues to come from suppliers and customers, how to convince the staff and train them to use the new systems and how to keep the institution in regular operation during this change. These determinations will guide the project.

Finally, it is important for the managers to bear in mind that this is, above all, a change of culture. The institution will start having fully digital processes and more storage space, with more safety and accessibility of those involved. But everything has its price. In this case, the change needs keep the employees involved and encouraged. Being paperless requires know-how to operate the systems that store the medical records and patient information. For this, all employees involved in the process should undergo a periodic training on the technological systems and new practices that the project needs.

The Electronic Patient Record (EPR) ensured a paperless operation at Hospital Unimed Recife III, in addition to benefits for the clinical, administrative and financial and management areas. All appointments are registered in the electronic patient record, digitally signed with digital certificates, allowing the standardization of processes, integration of areas and better monitoring of the performance indicators of the institution.