An electronic signature, or e-signature, is a legal way to get consent or approval on electronic documents or forms. One of the most relied upon definitions of an electronic signature is “an electronic sound, symbol, or process attached to or logically associated with a record adopted by a person with the intent to sign the record.
How does a electronic signature work?
The holder of the document can ask the issuer of the signature to sign or endorse the document. This requires some involvement of the signatory, even if the signature is just the tiniest of modifications. For instance, a signature may say, “Signatures are my property and are confidential.”Instead, the signatory may simply say, “Sign” or “Signature seals.” The legal specification for electronic signatures is often codified in a contract or agreement.Businesses that have signed digital signatures with a code on them may be liable for violation of contract, depending on the law.
What are the benefits of electronic signatures?
The various uses of e-signatures in e-commerce suggest benefits that could outweigh the various disadvantages of using such signatures.
Why do we need a electronic signature?
E-Signature is a requirement in many areas of healthcare such as clinical data management, electronic prescribing, signing physician orders, signed authorization forms, medical billing and insurance claim processing. Electronic signature technology is a very real driver of business, enabling technology upgrades, automating workflows and streamlining the administrative functions of hospitals.
The use of electronic signature also facilitates more effective collaboration across the hospital, improving access to patient information and leading to reduced costs for paper-based document storage and processing. In addition, it may decrease the exposure of sensitive patient information to unsecured Internet networks.These benefits make electronic signatures an effective tool for business professionals.
Signing documents with Adobe Acrobat DC
When you sign documents with Adobe Acrobat DC, you can define a digitally signable signature. When you want to add an electronic signature to a document, you make one to copy the information and enter it at a later time, before you send the document or share it via email. A signature can only be saved and accessed via the Acrobat DC application.
The digital signature adds a digital description to the document. With a signature added, anyone can view the document to make sure the signer has a legitimate identity and they have authorization to enter or access any section of the document.
