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showing 1 - 15 of 22 post(s)
By: / on: 05-16-2012
Even the most information-heavy companies, such as law firms, newspapers and universities are doing it - and they have reason to complain about the workload - but paperless offices seem to be cropping up in every imaginable industry. Once the heavy lifting of document scanning is finished and important documents are properly archived, paperless offices begin reaping the benefits of a life without filing cabinets.
“It’s amazing how much time we used to spend shuffling paper on our desks,” says an associate at a major Los Angeles law firm that recently took the paperless plunge. “Now we are able to securely store important briefs, contracts and court documents so they can be accessed at any computer.” Secure online storage and advances in cloud computing have made the shift away from paper more palatable to traditional law firms, who now find it much easier to move a case through the proper channels. What started out as a way to digitize paper documents and move away from bulging file folders has become a safe way to keep prying eyes away from sensitive documents. According to many satisfied attorneys at large firms, a paperless office gives them the ultimate “excuse” to work from home.
When a small medical practice or retail establishment starts the process of digitizing documents, they may not realize how all-encompassing the task can be. While it isn’t necessary to scan every piece of paper in the office, advancements in document scanning management software have made it easier to imagine. The best example of this can be found in the medical community, where small to mid-size practices are now using electronic medical records to record EKG tests, x-rays and blood test results in digital charts. Instead of writing in a manila folder and filing a patient’s chart behind the front desk, physicians are now walking around with laptops and iPads that hold everything from the patient’s test results to their prescriptions.
The benefits of a paperless office are boundless, and technology has made it possible to manage an office from any computer, but it all starts with professional document scanning.
By: / on: 04-04-2012
The legal industry is constantly challenged with maintaining vast amounts of paper records and files. The amount of paperwork that is attributed to each case can be mind-boggling. Computer technology is changing and improving the way that many professions conduct their businesses, and the legal industry is no exception. To keep up with the pace of a technologically driven era, many law firms are hiring document scanning companies to manage and organize their documents electronically, so that they may be more competitive and functional in an increasingly digital world.
Document scanning companies can offer a variety of services that make transitioning from a paper office to a digital one, both easy and affordable. Accuracy, accessibility and security are always a prime concern for law firms. A professional document scanning company can implement an electronic record keeping system that can provide all of these desired business features, at a reasonable cost.
Law firms that have transitioned to electronic documents (ED) insist that the new system has helped to reduce business expenses, eliminate storage problems, improve efficiency, and significantly enhance collaboration amongst associates. Creating an electronic records network can benefit firms that are operating out of several different offices or operating in a larger building with several different floors.
Gathering the necessary information to prepare for a single case was a task that previously took days and required a team of law associates to sort through boxes of paper files. Electronic files through document scanning are retrieved in a much more time-efficient manner than paper records, which saves time and money. Digital records are categorized and found in a single electronic database catalogue, so that all authorized legal associates are able to access any needed documents, at any time, without worrying about misplaced files or having to rely on photocopies or expensive courier services.
By: / on: 03-21-2012
Document scanning is the process of electronically scanning paper documents to convert them into digital files. Digital files are then saved and stored on a computer or a on a compact disc. Converting office documents to electronic files is becoming more desirable for many businesses, including the health care industry, because of the many benefits that it offers. Document scanning helps businesses manage their increasing paper problems.
No Need to Purchase Expensive Equipment
Many business owners agree that electronic files enhance a company in regard to organization and efficiency. However, many of them are under the false impression that it is more cost-effective for them to purchase inexpensive scanning equipment and have their employees perform the document scanning duties. While initially, this may seem like the most affordable option, research has shown that it is actually more expensive in the long-term. Inexpensive desktop scanners, the type of scanners that are usually purchased by businesses, are only capable of scanning limited amounts of documents per day. A company that needs to process a large volume of documents would need to purchase a high-end document scanner, which would cost in the area of twenty-thousand dollars.
Making the Transition Faster Saves Time and Money
In addition to purchasing the scanner, document scanning is a time-consuming task. It is more cost effective to outsource this type of work to a professional document scanning company for a flat fee, than to have employees perform waste their working hours scanning documents, in addition to their other everyday responsibilities. Professional document scanning companies typically charge a low per image price, and do not charge you for the amount of time needed to complete the job.
Guarantee of a Job Well Done
Hiring a reputable document scanning company reassures you that a team of professionals is handling the workload and it will be done efficiently and accurately. When you outsource your document scanning needs, you can be confident that the job is being done well, without sacrificing quality. The scanned images are of high-resolution and if you should be dissatisfied for any reason, or require any adjustments; your vendor is there to assist you with all of your needs.
By: / on: 03-05-2012
In an effort to upgrade the present health care system, the Obama Administration has proposed an economic stimulus bill that is funded by a 1.2 billion dollar grant to help the United States implement a nationwide electronic medical records (EMR) health program. These grants will financially assist physicians with the expense of making this transition from paper records to electronic records smoother. Proponents of the bill declare that the implementation of an electronic medical record system will upgrade the current system, creating more efficiency, and saving costs in the long-term. In terms of saving money, some experts have estimated that once fully implemented, an electronic medical records program can save the U.S. health industry in the area of eighty billion dollars annually.
In addition to saving money, another goal of this bill is to reduce errors in patient care and reduce time that is wasted gathering patient data and records. When physicians and health care workers were questioned about their faith in the program, they agreed that an document scanning system would be a valuable time-saving strategy. Patients typically visit several different doctors and having access to all of a patient’s medical history available instantaneously, would eliminate the time that is presently wasted gathering personal medical data from various offices. However, many of them questioned how much human errors would decrease; due largely to the fact that there is always a possibility that information could be put into the system incorrectly.
Implementing a document scanning system in the United States has also raised concerns about the privacy of individuals. The stimulus bill does have provisions that are geared to protect patient privacy. However, defining privacy is going to be a challenge. If electronic medical data is shared through a public database, it could be available to all medical professionals without any limitations. Some privacy advocate groups support a system that allows patients to control what information a particular physician can see. They argue that it is not necessary for a dermatologist to know if a woman has had an abortion. However, the majority of health workers agree that in an emergency room situation, it is important for doctors to have a full history of the patient, so that the best treatment can be provided.
By: / on: 02-21-2012
It is hard to deny that electronic medical records (EMR) can offer hospitals and other health providing facilities a better way to provide patients with health care. Concise, organized medical records can only improve the process of any type of medical treatment being provided. Hospitals and medical treatment facilities are in the process of converting their paper charts to electronic medical records (EMR). While EMR scanning can be a time consuming practice and the initial investment may appear to be costly, advocates of EMR propose that the system will eventually result in greater cost savings and produce a more efficient health care system.
Most health care workers know that there are many hassles in dealing with paper charts. Hand-written charts are often difficult to read and paper files can be cumbersome and hard to manage with any degree of efficiency. Also, paper charts are not a cost-effective method, because they require a great deal of available storage space. Electronic medical records that are stored in computer data bases reduce storage costs and repetitive office supply costs. In addition to consuming a great deal of office space, paper files, which are typically handled by various people, are not the most sanitary record keeping system and sanitary concerns should always be a concern in any health care environment. Furthermore, it is not uncommon for paper files to be misplaced because they are constantly being transferred from person to person.
Probably the most advantageous aspect of EMR scanning is that health care teams have greater access to medical records, which gives them a greater ability to coordinate patient care. Doctors within the same institution, or at various locations, can easily share patient information. This convenience saves valuable time because it eliminates the need for phone calls, emails, and faxes between physicians and staff. EMR technology is safer for patients and reduces physician liability because it can avoid unnecessary duplication testing and prevent any medication conflicts.
By: / on: 01-30-2012
New health laws passed by the United States government are requiring that all paper medical records eventually be fully converted into electronic medical records (EMR). While most people support the conversion to emergency medical records, some medical professionals are proposing that is would be beneficial to link each person to a Universal Patient Identifier (UPI) number. The U.S. is investing billions of dollars in this endeavor and some health providers are advocates, while others strongly disagree with the new UPI system.
Health professionals agree that medical record scanning facilitate the process of sharing patient information amongst doctors. Those who support the use of a UPI, say that population growth has created mass confusion in identifying patients with multiple names and other similar personal data. They fear that without a UPI system there could be many cases of mistaken identity and that would pose a great danger to patient health care. In addition, they insist that A UPI would serve a better purpose than a social security number, since it is not connected to other personal information, especially financial information, and therefore it provides patients with more privacy and security. Advocates believe that a UPI system enhances the EMR scanning system because it is the safest and most efficient way to link medical patients to their personal medical data.
By contrast, privacy rights activist groups strongly disagree with the theory that UPI’s are the smartest way to connect people with their health records. They declare that patient medical information is currently being gathered and sold without patient consent for commercial gain purposes, and that a UPI system would intensify this already defunct system. They propose that patients would begin to purposely omit pertinent health information, in an effort to protect their privacy, and this would result in a vast deterioration of health care.
By: / on: 01-04-2012
According to the amount of legal cases that the American Bar Association claims are being filed each year, it is no surprise that the legal profession is up to its knees in paperwork. Most law firms are discovering that it is a struggle to keep up with the pace of this current litigation explosion and are scurrying just to keep up with their daily work-related responsibilities. Manually searching through file cabinets or boxes, to prepare for a deposition is not time efficient, and in the legal profession, time is money.
Office rental space can cost in the vicinity of one-hundred dollars or higher per square foot. Smaller firms inevitably run out of space. Larger law firms might be located in a more spacious environment, however with larger client bases, storage issues are still problematic. One alternative that law firms have used in the past is to store their overflow of legal files at offsite storage facilities. One mid-size firm estimated that they spent as much as $350,000 annually for document storage alone. The problem with this type of storage solution system is that the costs are always rising and it does not provide any long-term solutions.
Document imaging or document scanning can save a company or firm substantial amount of money in overhead, staffing, management, and retrieval costs. Storing records electronically, not only maximizes the speed and efficiency as to the way a business operates, it also can help firms to:
· easily search for client files from your desk
· reduce the time and costs of making photocopies
· reduce or eliminate the amount of documents that are misplaced
· eliminate the need for off-site storage facilities
· easily share documents with other staff members
By hiring a document scanning company, law firms can effortlessly convert all of their documents to PDF files. Electronic filing technology is a great resource that enables any legal corporation to create, work with, and maintain all the necessary documents needed to conduct their legal business affairs. Saving time and cutting costs will essentially benefit business, and the efficiency that it creates in your workplace cannot be underestimated.
By: / on: 12-16-2011
Today, more and more high school seniors are choosing to attend college in search of better paying jobs in a struggling economic environment and college application rates are at an all time high. For this reason, higher-education establishments are finding themselves in a situation where they are dealing with the challenges of storing massive amounts of paper documentation every academic year.
While increasing space and finances are important issues, another important factor is the preserving of school records. Commonly, many school establishments use basements to store their records. Based on random survey responses and insurance claims, research has shown that materials that are stored in a basement are frequently at risk of suffering from weather related damages, such as flooding. Furthermore, the historic buildings, that are so commonly prevalent on many college campuses, were not constructed in proper accordance to make them suitable buildings for bulky and overweight record storage.
Virginia Commonwealth University and Metropolitan Community College are two higher-learning facilities that have made the digital transition and are extremely satisfied with the results. Spokespersons from both schools admitted that they could justify the investment financially and also in regard to daily employee working conditions. By eliminating file cabinet storage, both institutions were able to create new working space for additional employees, which was an additional advantage that they had not previously anticipated. In addition, administrative staff, at both schools recognized that their office space was not as cluttered which made everything more manageable and the employees less frustrated in terms of completing both simple tasks and more complicated tasks.
With space being an issue, combined with the fact that the financial means are often not available in the budget to build newer buildings on the campuses, schools need to explore better solutions that will suit all of their storage needs for years to come. Document scanning gives schools and other establishments the ability to convert their paper document into electronic files, which makes storage and accessibility much more convenient. Document scanning that is outsourced to a reputable company is a cost-effective solution for all your digital record needs.
By: / on: 11-22-2011
The new trend of medical facilities converting their patient personal health records (PHR) to electronic files has been a slow, but steady process. Paper records, such as patient charts are becoming the dinosaurs of record keeping. Anyone that works in the medical field can attest to the fact that paper patient charts are inconvenient in a variety of ways:
· they are easily misplaced or lost
· they are not always easily located when needed
· they are not easily shared in-house and between medical
establishments
· patient care and tests can easily be duplicated for no reason
compromising patient safety
· they are easily damaged
· they can be unsanitary (can be bloodstained, etc)
· hand-written information is often illegible
Whether a medical establishment uses a paper system or a paperless system for managing their record keeping needs, how the staff utilizes that system can be the difference between an effective system and an ineffective one. By outsourcing the electronic medical records (EMR) transition to a trusted, experienced and reputable company who is experienced at handling all of your document scanning needs is the most resourceful way any business can approach this transition and improve quality care.
Implementing an electronic health record document scanning system is more than just a neat and convenient way of conducting business; it is actually safer for both health care workers and patients. For medical workers, records that are not accurate can cause errors in treatment and can lead to unprofessional liability. For instance, when health records are not clear, and cannot be easily shared between health professionals there is a good chance that health tests can be unnecessarily repeated. Repeated tests can pose a variety of health risks for patients, liability for physicians, and it also escalates health care costs and insurance premiums.
By: / on: 11-01-2011
Making the switch to a document scanning system is a commitment that is worth the effort in the practice of law. Digital technology is becoming the norm in most businesses practices, and to resist moving forward can only impair the way your company functions. Paper files are becoming a way of the past and studies have established that using them wastes productive company time and resources. There are many risks associated with paper systems that digital files reduce or eliminate.
It is common knowledge that the legal profession is highly stressful and extremely competitive. The most important reason for a law firm to convert to a digital filing system is because the practice would be more successful in a competitive market. Compared to an office that still relies on paper, an electronic office can access files and client information much more quickly. There is not enough time in the day to search for files that you need immediately. Document scanning allows you to pull of client files within seconds without having an associate readily available to deliver your paperwork. In fact, you don’t even need to be in the office to access the information you need and the days of carrying huge stacks of paperwork home or into a court room would be obsolete. By digitally scanning client files, more than one legal associate can work on a case simultaneously and you will always have access to files whenever you need them.
Another reason electronic digital filing systems are an asset to a legal practice is security. With proper backing-up procedures, electronic records are more secure than paper files. Paper files can easily get misplaced, lost and damaged. Electronic records can provide a law practice with peace of mind knowing that their files are safe from unauthorized access and from unexpected sources of damage.
By: / on: 10-18-2011
In 2009, The Obama Administration suggested launching a healthcare program in the United States that would implement electronic medical records (EMR) over the next several years, which would consequently make the healthcare system run more efficiently while lowering the cost of health care in the country. Implementing electronic medical records would involve start up costs, however once the system is in place, the costs to maintain the system would not be burdensome and would create jobs in the industry.
The American Association for Homes and Services for the Aging, also known as AAHSA, conducted a study to calculate how many nursing homes were currently using an electronic system to monitor their patients and how the EMR system could benefit nursing home staff and patients. They determined that approximately half of U.S. nursing homes were already using electronic technology methods to keep patient records, fill medication orders, and to manage their laboratory information.
The study supported evidence that nursing homes, both small and large can reap large benefits from an EMR document scanning system. Since nursing homes provide more long-term care than hospitals, their record keeping per patient is much more extensive. Furthermore, nursing home residents are often hospitalized for illnesses and injuries and with an EMR system, sharing medical information between health care providers at different facilities provides patients with better personalized care and updated treatment information.
The AAHSA concluded that nursing homes that implement EMR document scanning systems are an asset to the medical profession and to the patient since it reduces the likelihood of repeated and unnecessary tests, prevents prescription errors, and can reduce the number of malpractice lawsuits. EMR enables both patients and their families to be better-informed about medical conditions when the information is organized, current, and concise.
By: / on: 03-23-2011
Up until recently the primary focus of document scanning and online document management has been to get medical practices and law offices into the 21st century. This was immediately followed by the financial and insurance industries. Now that so many businesses are managing everything digitally, other companies may find it easier to switch to a paperless office.
As the American labor force becomes more accustomed to electronic documents, the use of paper in an office seems a lot more cumbersome. Gone are the days when there was a line at the copy machine and a stack of manila folders on every worker’s desk. Without even trying, today’s worker has gradually changed the way they manage paper documents in an office environment.
It’s hard to say when it happened, but at some point it become redundant to keep a file of paperwork for each client, when there was already an electronic file in existence. It probably happened around the same time that people started “trusting computers” and realizing that their documents wouldn’t be lost in a computer crash. IT professionals have become very adept at maintaining back-up files and ensuring the safety of network drives. In most modern offices, client documents and important files are saved to a network drive instead of existing solely on a workers computer. As a result, the average worker feels a lot more confident maintaining electronic document scanning without the requisite paper file.
This shift has impacted various industries in different ways, but there are very few businesses that still operate in a paper-only model. In the interest of efficiency, it appears that the American business owner is ready to follow the example of medical and legal office and embrace electronic document management solutions.
Getting started with a document management solution for your office may require the help of a document scanning company. These digital imaging professionals are the most effective way to make sure every employee is on the same page with the transition, and they can recommend the right software to securely manage employee document access. In addition to actually document scanning and archiving your paper documents, most document scanning firms offer training for your employees. By: / on: 03-03-2011
As an “institute for higher education”, it is impossible to imagine an admissions office without stacks of paper on every desk, and administrative offices are not far behind on the “paper trail”. But with law offices, dental offices, hospitals and financial services businesses realizing efficiencies by going “paperless”, it seems like higher education is taking a bit longer to make the transition. One reason lag may be the fact that higher education offices are dealing with so many different external parties while also maintaining on-campus activities and all aspects of student life.
Every document scanning project has to start somewhere though, and even an organization as complex as a university can find a way to eliminate mounds of unnecessary paperwork. In a college environment, there are necessary evils, some of which may never be entirely eliminated. These include financial aid forms, tuition bills, transcripts, contracts and order forms. But with so many schools cutting their operating budgets, a document management program can save a university time, money and resources.
For example, just the ability to implement an online tuition payment system will cut down on printing, postage and administrative time. Sending out class schedules online and having students print them at home is another savings. Even the application process has been digitized, and many schools have stopped accepting paper forms.
With so many elements of a school’s administration going digital, it is important to have a back-end system in place to ensure the documents are accessible yet secure. For example, a student’s personal records would have a different security level than their class schedule and syllabi. In the admissions office, their transcript may be viewed by more administrators than their financial aid application, and so on. Implementing a full-scale document scanning management system for higher education institutions may seem like an arduous task, but the end result will be a much leaner and more efficient operation for school administrators, faculty and students.
By: / on: 01-11-2010
These days, we don’t push paper anymore, but we do push digital files, documents, spread sheets and quotes through a series of internal and external networks. In highly confidential work environments, such as doctors’ offices and law firms, there is always a concern about maintaining control over who can access each document.
As documents move through an office environment, they can be converted into PDFs, reformatted, recalculated and edited. They can also be emailed, printed, mailed and released to the public. But because each document is essentially a “corporate record” it is important to retain each one properly throughout every stage of its existence.
Whether you choose to use a document scanning company or handle your document management process in-house, it is wise to come up with a company-wide protocol for the movement of digital files through corporate networks. Most companies will also want to use off-site online document storage for instant retrieval of important records from any PC.
For those who choose the do-it-yourself method, Microsoft Office SharePoint Server has features that will help you implement a fully functional document management system. All aspects of the program work well with familiar applications from Microsoft Office, such as Word, Outlook and Excel.
Larger organizations, and those who require more security features, should consider outsourcing their document management system to an outside vendor. Not only will this free up your employees’ time, it will also ensure that the project is managed properly, all documents are archived, and system updates are maintained on a regular basis.
By: / on: 11-20-2009
Known as the process by which an image file is converted into an editable and searchable document, OCR scanning has really taken off in recent years. This is because with so many businesses switching to online document management (instead of cumbersome paper files), the need to find and edit existing documents is as important as ever.
OCR, or Optical Character Recognition, OCR scanning is used for managing live documents which can be found using keyword-based or parametric searches, edited, and then retained in multiple versions on a server. This process of content manipulation can be used by law firms, archives managers, educators, museums and medical facilities, among others. It can also be translated easily into multiple languages, including HTML.
OCR scanning became more widely known about ten years ago, but there are still very few standards that define OCR applications. While some software programs claim to cut down on error rates, few are capable of delivering high quality OCR-scanned documents at a reasonable price.
For the thousands of businesses looking to transfer large amounts of original files into digital data, speed and accuracy are a major concern. This is mainly because the original documents need to be out of reach for the period of time it takes to have them professionally scanned and uploaded into digital files. One solution is to scan documents in segments throughout the year by a professional document scanning company who promises quick turnaround.
Volume and turnaround time are the most important factors in determining the need for a professional document scanning company. In the consumer as well as the professional arena, most scanners can handle OCR imaging. If you choose to go this route, consider buying one where the software is part of the machine itself, as this seems to increase speed without sacrificing accuracy.
Ultimately, turnaround time and volume will determine whether a job should be handled in-house or outsourced to a document scanning company.
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