Prior to the start of MedikLabs, my only interaction with  scanners were of the personal desktop kind, since I left all the heavy lifting to the pros at FedEx Kinko’s or their peers.

However, the healthcare industry, as constituted in these United States in the year of our Lord 2009, has NEVER heard of conservation. Resultantly, that entire industry generates a ton of paper. Worst of all, the crazy amount of paper create d is only reduced by a smidgen if an electronic medical records software suite, or EMR, is used!

Due to HIPPA laws, and the rightful requirement for an audit trail in order to secure the integrity of a patient’s record while using an EMR, several non-electronic items of a specific patient’s medical record must be scanned, and inserted into the patient’s electronic chart.

For which you need a high-speed scanner.

Unboxing
The ScanJet 7000 came in a relatively small box befitting its dimensions.

The requisite software, USB cable, power cord, user manuals, and a quick-install manual completed the package.

Really though, could someone send out a memo to other OEMs about the necessity of adding a USB cable in device packaging? Especially since USB cables can be purchased in bulk for about fifty cents or thereabouts!

The HP ScanJet 7000 Scanner 
I have split this review into two parts: a review of the ScanJet 7000 using Windows Vista, and a forthcoming review of the product using Windows 7 RC, which I transitioned all the client systems at MedikLabs to during the review regimen.

I installed the scanner at MedikLabs, and connected it directly to the deskside PC of the scanner operator.

Where I got my first peeve: the install process, for all of the included software, did not have a unified install suite, making it interactive. That I do not like!

That said, the list of software included with the ScanJet 7000 is impressive: HP ScanJet drivers and tools, EMC ISIS/TWAIN drivers, Kofax Virtual ReScan v4.2, I.R.I.S. Readiris Pro 11, and ScanSoft PaperPort 11.

The Review
In this day and age, where conservation is our burden, MedikLabs was designed to be paperless, utilizing a Windows Vista-based EMR (electronic medical records) suite from Day 1.

However, it is easier said than done. Resultantly, enter the high-speed scanner.

This scanner is fast.

In my initial tests, using a combination of text, fully graphic, and mixed documents, I was able to get nearly rated speed.

What makes the ScanJet 7000 more impressive is that same software suite that I panned earlier in this review. Earlier this year, I reviewed another scanner rated at 40 ppm in both black-and-white and color. Well, while the ScanJet 70 is only rated at 35 ppm in color, it makes up for that with incredibly fast post-scan processing.

Indeed, the ScanJet 7000 processes pages so fast that it returns control to the user within seconds even on a relatively slow system. Moving the ScanJet 7000 to my personal desktop unit at MedikLabs, it smoked even further.

For the past several weeks, the ScanJet 7000 has been working extra hard, scanning a backload of documents, x-rays film, and other documents into patient charts.

The ScanJet 7000 worked extremely well, over a range of computer systems, without snags, and mis-feeds.

The clerical staff at MedikLabs are enamored with it, and will be very upset when it has to go back home. In fact, we are looking to acquire one for use at MedikLabs.

Conclusions
I am pleased with this scanner.

It is fast, compact, and priced just right. This compact, sheet-feed scanner is a workhorse.

As a result, we are awarding it the SmallBizWindows Business Ready Superstar Award.

I hope to get a series of these scanners here at MedikLabs in the near future for a scan-off.

Meanwhile, enjoy the ScanJet 7000 while we bring you the Windows 7 review of this product shortly.

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