Document Scanning Blog

Moving forward with electronic document management (EDM) for your business can be complicated.  It may even seem like an endless project.  But once the transition is complete, having a fully automated office is well worth the time it takes to get there.  Making the document scanning transition can have a dramatic and positive impact on the overall health of your business.  Ultimately, most fiscally responsible business managers will want to analyze the project to determine the “total cost of ownership” (TCO). How does one measure the TCO for automating business processes?  From the initial document scanning process through the implementation of your EDM system, financial analysts will be evaluating the costs and benefits of making such a dramatic change to the way your company does business. Here are some elements that may be included in this analysis:

• Upgrades to your IT infrastructure
• The addition of desktop scanners
• Software systems to manage and index scanned documents
• The use of professional document medical record scanning companies, if outsourced
• Archival storage of paper documents, if necessary
• Custom programming by in-house IT department
• Increased backups and security functions for hard drives and other data storage media

Savings that will be realized through a paperless office may include:

• Reduced overhead costs for file storage and payroll
• Improved efficiency and speed in serving clients/customers
• Less expensive compliance with HIPAA, Sarbanes-Oxley and other regulations
• Ability to take on more clients or patients due to faster workflow

Usually, the efficiencies gained by adding a comprehensive electronic document scanning management system cover the costs of implementation within a year, and after that the savings really start to skyrocket.