Chang Gung Hospital System and Cathay Hospital System have officially adopted SelfieSign.
ThinkCloud has unveiled its initiative to implement SelfieSign in all branch hospitals of the Chang Gung Hospital system. Cathay Hospital system's partnership with SelfieSign establishes it as the preferred choice for electronic medical consent in Taiwan, with over half of the country's total bed count occupied by medical centers and healthcare institutions utilizing the platform.
Patented SVS audio-visual electronic signature technology safeguarding online rights and interests
ThinkCloud's SelfieSign, inspired by tennis players signing cameras after matches, has been developed for nearly six years to help alleviate healthcare workers' overtime. Its stable and reliable evidence capability, coupled with the convenience of electronic signing, has garnered widespread recognition in the medical field for ensuring the undeniable authenticity of each signature.
At the core of SelfieSign is the patented .SVS file format, combining the "document layer," "signature layer," and "image layer" on the document. It incorporates verifiable information such as timestamps and GPS coordinates and employs random digitalization using blockchain technology to prevent signature theft or forgery risks.
After signing, the signatures are encrypted using algorithms like AES and PKI to ensure security. The .SVS signature file format is currently the only format in Taiwan that complies with the EU eIDAS regulation's XAdES format standard for technical documents. Moreover, it adheres to the requirements of the local Electronic Signatures Act (“ESA”), guaranteeing its utmost security and safety in accordance with the local law.
The Ministry of Digital Affairs recently issued a ruling on “qualified electronic signatures with the following internationally common algorithms and cybersecurity technical standards” (Ref. No.: Chan-Jing-Zi No. 1114000229) illustrating the algorithms and international technical standards that comply with the Electronic Signatures Act. Future electronic signatures will require the use of these algorithms or technical standards to ensure their legal effect, resolving the past issue of defining the legality of electronic signatures.
More than half of the medical centers across Taiwan opt for SelfieSign for electronic signing, making it the preferred choice for digitizing consent forms in the country
Currently, over half of the medical centers in Taiwan have chosen SelfieSign as their electronic signature solution. These includes prestigious medical institutions such as Taichung Veterans General Hospital, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Hualien Tzu Chi Hospital system, China Medical University Hospital system, Changhua Christian Hospital system, Wan Fang Hospital, Mackay Memorial Hospital, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital system, and Shuang Ho Hospital. All of these medical centers are important partners of ThinkCloud.
SelfieSign is widely used in the medical field to digitize consent forms, serving as a crucial basis for communication and obligations between healthcare providers and patients. It also functions as a prominent solution to minimize paper consumption in healthcare facilities.
A recent dispute regarding consent forms at a medical center in Central Taiwan was effectively resolved thanks to SelfieSign's synchronized video-recorded signatures mechanism. This incident has emphasized the heightened significance placed on ensuring the undeniable authenticity of signatures across all hospitals. The long-term storage of these paper documents has become a burdensome challenge, occupying valuable space and entailing substantial costs in terms of human resources and materials for healthcare institutions.
Futher Reading：SelfieSign's Video Signature Technology Resolves Concerns of Non-Repudiation in Electronic Signatures
According to a report submitted by China Medical University Hospital to the Ministry of Health and Welfare in 2017, adopting SelfieSign for the digitalization of medical consents can save over 30 million TWD annually in personnel, management, and space costs. Since the implementation of SelfieSign, the saved paper stack's height is equivalent to 329 Taipei 101 skyscrapers, and the area of forest space saved is larger than 14.4 Daan Forest Parks.
The significant increase in greenhouse gas emissions is a primary cause of rapid global warming. The healthcare system's average emissions account for 4.4% globally and 4.6% in Taiwan, surpassing the overall transportation system.
While ESG and SDGs may have seemed distant to medical units in the past, hospitals now must recognize themselves as major "carbon emitters" as well and actively take measures to address such issues accordingly.
The Ministry of Health and Welfare has developed operational guidelines, including benchmark observation, energy-saving training, assistance in implementing ISO 50001 energy management systems, ISO 14064-1 greenhouse gas inventories, and other training programs to comprehensively drive hospitals at all levels to take action. Digitizing medical consents is the initial step hospitals take to embrace the ESG trend and make a significant stride forward.
ThinkCloud is pleased to announce that it has recently received further recognition from the medical community, as it has been officially adopted by the "Chang Gung Hospital Group", one of the largest comprehensive hospitals in the Far East. SelfieSign's audiovisual electronic signature will be implemented in all hospitals across Taiwan, with preparations for system integration and training to be completed within the year. Soon, the public will experience the convenience brought by SelfieSign in hospitals all across Taiwan.
In addition, "the Cathay Hospital system" has also chosen to adopt SelfieSign's audiovisual electronic signature. With the inclusion of these two hospital systems, over 60% of the medical centers nationwide will be using SelfieSign. With the participation of the Chang Gung Hospital and Cathay Hospital systems, more than half of the hospital beds in the country now utilize SelfieSign's audiovisual electronic signature technology, replacing traditional paper medical consent forms.
The digitalization of medical consents using SelfieSign enables cost savings in personnel, management, and space. In case of disputes, it provides compelling evidence to ensure that the facts are accurately represented and rights are protected. This has made SelfieSign the first choice in the medical field when seeking solutions for the digitalization of medical consents.
In the global trend of intelligent healthcare, electronic signatures have become a core component. Not only are they intuitive to use, but they also possess the unique and most powerful attribute of "non-repudiation". SelfieSign, with its advanced electronic signature technology, has become the preferred choice for medical institutions aiming to achieve a paperless environment throughout thier entire operation.
In the future, ThinkCloud hopes to continue serving businesses from various industries, providing the safest, most user-friendly, and cost-effective SelfieSign #AudiovisualElectronicSignatureService . Joining the paperless and sustainable #ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) movement, we aim to help Taiwan achieve its goal of net-zero emissions.
This article was published in the Commercial Times. Click on this link to read more.