Major backlogs in processing patient data during the Covid-19 pandemic have called attention to a technology that continues to persist in various industries, including healthcare: the fax machine. In Austin, Texas, last June, the reporting and tracing of new Covid-19 cases became a challenge, in part due to an unanticipated issue with fax machines. As cases soared, the machines had to process a vast number of test results, leading to what Janet Pichette, the chief epidemiologist for Austin Public Health, described as “madness.”
While many may see fax machines as an odd choice in a world filled with instant messaging and cloud computing, they continue to find use in sectors such as healthcare, financial services, and real estate. In some cases, they have stubbornly clung on as a way of sharing paper health records, test results, and documents.
The inefficiency in sharing data during the pandemic has led to discussions about finally abandoning the use of fax machines, with efforts underway in places like the Netherlands and Japan. Monica Schagen, a policy advisor with the Netherlands’ Ministry of Health, candidly admits, “It’s really ridiculous that we actually still have fax machines, to be honest.”
Others have remained loyal to the machine but have updated it for modern use, allowing faxes to be sent and received electronically. Kathryn Brohman, an associate professor at Queen’s University in Kingston, Canada, refers to society’s complacency, highlighting the sentiment of “If it’s not broken, why fix it?” However, during the pandemic, she points out, “it broke in Covid.”
Unlike computer software, the fax machine is seen as extremely secure and difficult to hack, making it a convenient choice for some, including legal processes. Jonathan Coopersmith, a professor at Texas A&M University, suggests that the real question to ask is not about getting rid of these machines but understanding why people are still using them.
In Austin, the challenges with faxes led to a change in the system, so faxes are now received electronically. However, Pichette isn’t convinced that the pandemic will result in the end of the fax machine, noting, “I see that it will continue to have somewhat of a role just because old habits are hard to break.”
Whether an integral part of a workflow or simply a backup when other means fail, fax machines continue to find a place in today’s world. Their future, it seems, is still being written, one transmission at a time.
