How Do You Electronically Capture A Signature From Someone Who Has Difficulty Writing?

 

Try to imagine you have a developmental disability and as a part of that disability you can’t totally control your hand movements. Now try to sign your name in a small space on a document. It’s not an easy task. So, how can those who are truly impacted by this type of disability sign legal documents when required? And, if you work for a DD-related or healthcare organization that requires signatures from persons with a disability on things like Medicaid applications, you know it can be very difficult to obtain and capture those signatures. There is also the time it takes to travel for individuals to provide it or staff obtain it, as well as the inconvenience to the individuals needing to sign, making the need for a remote signature solution all the more important.

Now You Can Finally Overcome These Signing Issues

By utilizing e-signature programs designed with security and authentication in mind, you can more easily capture a signature from someone who has difficulty signing.

Before Now, Signing A Legal Document Was Difficult For Some Disabled Persons

The signing process can be difficult, even inconvenient for many and involve a lot of time and effort to complete. Some can sign with the help of another person guiding their hand to the appropriate place on the document, while others have much more difficulty. And, many people are impacted by this issue. In fact, according to the Americans With Disabilities Act, 27% of adults in the U.S. have a disability that inhibits their daily function. This percentage will only go up as the population gets older overall.

How Does An e-Signature Work?

You’ll have your own online account where you verify via email the signature is authentic (note – this means you must have an email account to use the program). When a signature is needed, you easily click to sign in the highlighted space and your signature appears. Should it be needed, there are timestamps and audit logs for authentication and security.

This is much more convenient for individuals, families, and those working with them. Individuals and families no longer must scan, fax, or mail documents. Staff for County Boards of Developmental Disabilities are more efficient and able to more quickly complete tasks as remote signatures mean they no longer must drive to places in order to have individuals sign. Most importantly, disabled individuals don’t have to struggle with completing information and signatures nor do they have the inconvenience of traveling to provide their signature. This provides the peace of mind needed to know their information and signatures are complete and being sent to the appropriate party.

Here’s an example of an e-signature document from an e-signature program, eSign, by Edoc:

How Can You Be Sure Your e-Signature Is Legally Binding?

It’s important to choose an e-signature solution that lets you authenticate a signature. An electronic signature has the same validity as a signature affixed by hand, in most cases, if you can show the signer has intent to sign, as defined by the law; if there is an audit trail accessible for the document and signatures; if the signature is electronically associated with the document; and if there is a tamper-proof record, among other variables.

Are e-Signatures Secure?

An increasing number of Medicaid providers must use electronic documentation and signatures to support their claims and to record the care, services, and supplies that have been provided. Caregivers of developmentally disabled individuals must acquire their signature and ensure the highest level of security to comply with HIPAA.

For eSign, it’s all about compliance and security… “eSign by Edoc was born out of Edoc’s medical services division, where we have a background in HIPAA and HITECH compliance,” explains Kim Sykes, Chief Digital Officer of Edoc, which offers eSign. “Following best practices in data security is a high priority for us. We partner with the DD Community, healthcare organizations, and even schools to help electronically capture signatures securely.”

Is eSign Easy To Use?

eSign was designed to be intuitive and easy enough for anyone to use. All someone needs is an email address to use eSign easily, and on any device.

Can DD Organizations Sign Up For eSign?

eSign partners with the DD community throughout Ohio. They find that with less time spent mailing forms to locations for signature collection their staff can focus on other duties.

“eSign has been a fantastic addition to our agency. It has allowed our staff to reduce their document signature wait time and improve our overall agency efficiency. The eSign platform has been easy to use for the individuals that we serve and allowed them to have instant access to the important documents that we share with them. Partnering with the eSign team has been incredibly easy; their project team and developers have been able to design solutions for every need that we’ve had.”

Logan Stringer, IT Manager
Warren County Board of Developmental Disabilities

To date, eSign has captured over 2 million signatures, which shows you how popular e-signatures and remote signing have become. This is especially so in the DD Community.

What About Pricing For e-Signature Capturing Services?

There are various levels and plans you can choose from. The best way to decide what you need is to speak with an IT provider like GO Concepts or a representative of an e-signature company.

Where Can I Get More Information On eSign For The Developmentally Disabled?

Visit https://edocesign.com or watch this quick video… https://youtu.be/q7_5AaUdiZI

Did you find this information helpful? Visit our Blog to learn more about e-signing documents:

• What You Need To Know About Creating Legally Binding Digital Signatures
• Electronic Signature Solutions (Questions & Answers)