What if there was a better way to save these memories for future generations?

Digital conversion archives your family documents, photos, records and ledgers by scanning traditional paper documents and converting them into digital files.  Digital imaging and archiving solutions guarantee the existence of our histories beyond what paper and ink can provide.

Recently in Bangor, Maine, the Bangor Public Library requested residents to submit family photos, documents, records and journals.  The Bangor Public Library is hoping to collect these items for digital conversion. The digital files will then be housed in the library’s online archives and hopefully added to the Maine Memory Network.

This document scanning process will make important historical information available to scholars, researchers and future generations.  Given the popularity of online genealogy sites and television shows like “Who Do You Think You Are,” this is a perfect idea to encourage genealogical studies, and a great way to ensure the preservation of fragile paper materials far into the future.

What do you think?  Would you be interested in the digital conversion of your family artifacts for future generations?  Post your comments below!

Learn more about digital conversion and other document and imaging scanning services offered by microMEDIA.

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Digital Conversion of Your Family Heritage was posted at Imaging Services Blog. | http://www.imagingservices.com/blog

In fact, the Labor Department recently reported that in 2009, worker productivity rose 5.8% — the largest increase in seven years – meaning less employees are working harder.

One solution for maximizing business success with fewer resources and employees is to outsource document imaging and management.

Outsourced document imaging services allow businesses to refocus valuable personnel time to tasks more relevant to the actual job and company’s bottom line.

Outsourcing also ensures valuable company documents and files will be centralized and handled securely. Here are 5 additional ways a document imaging vendor can improve you business:

1. Focus employees more strategically. Outsourced document management directs employees away from support activities, allowing them to focus more directly on core business goals.

2. Free up management time. A document imaging service can assume control of all document activity and execution, freeing up management to focus their efforts on more pressing tasks.

3. Reduce expenses. Allowing a single document imaging provider to handle scanning needs will reduce time and money spent on document training, procedures, etc.

4. Improve quality. A document imaging service provider is solely in the business of document storage and management, so businesses can expect higher quality work.

5. Allow flexibility. A document imaging service can also help manage times of heavy workloads, and cost is generally reflected in the amount of work done.

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5 Ways a Document Imaging Service Can Improve Your Company’s Potential was posted at Imaging Services Blog. | http://www.imagingservices.com/blog

The payment incentives for using an Electronic Health Record (EHR) are a result of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA), which financially rewards healthcare organizations that adopt more efficient practices. Healthcare organizations using an EHR with “meaningful use” – which is defined as improving overall healthcare through local processes, better quality measurement and increased communication with medical record scanning – will be eligible.

Financial incentives can be significant: According to the New England Journal of Medicine, physicians working with the North Shore Hospital System in New York would receive up to $40,000 by implementing an EHR.

However, the benefits of EHR implementation extend beyond government incentives. After all, the advantages of an EHR over traditional recording methods are the reasons ARRA is recognizing the approach.

Along with financial incentives from the government, an EHR has the following added benefits for health care professionals: 

• Payment for quality of care emphasizes documentation of quality
• As software licenses sold increase, the cost to implement EHR lowers
• EHR enables closer links between community physicians and hospitals by centralizing data
• EHR not only centralizes documentation, but also coding functions, billing, electronic prescribing and other tasks
• Along with saving time on data entry and filing, medical record scanning also offers flexibility in how the user conducts data entry
• EHR can connect to each other and common services, which allows information to be coordinated for the provision of care

Learn how medical record scanning was successfully implemented at one New York hospital.

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Electronic Health Record Initiative: Another Benefit of Medical Record Scanning was posted at Imaging Services Blog. | http://www.imagingservices.com/blog

When choosing a document imaging service, it’s important to consider several key factors to ensure safety and security.

Here, we’ve identified the five tips to verify that a document imaging service provider can protect sensitive files and records:

1. Verify that the provider is SAS 70 Certified. This certification represents that a service organization – like a document imaging service provider – has withstood an in-depth audit of their control objectives and control activities. In addition, organizations should be compliant with all relevant government regulations, including Sarbanes-Oxley, Gramm-Leach-Bliley and HIPAA.

2. Ensure the provider’s conversion process is meticulous. Documents should be segregated, identified and tracked through every step of the conversion process.

3. Make sure documents are secure with the provider. Work performed at a servicer’s facility should be maintained in access-controlled areas.  Files should be accessible on a “need to know” basis by employees of the document imaging service. In addition, strong passwords, timed log-offs, restricted Internet access and other policies should be in place.

4. Discuss the backup plan in the event of an emergency. Document imaging data should be consistently backed up and distributed across a redundant disk library. In addition, full system backups should be conducted on a regular schedule, including offsite software program maintenance.

5. Ask about the document imaging provider’s employees. It is important to find out how the provider hires and pre-screens employees.

By following these five tips, businesses can open a discussion with document imaging providers and determine which best suits their individual needs.

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5 Tips to Ensure Your Document Imaging Service Meets Your Security Needs was posted at Imaging Services Blog. | http://www.imagingservices.com/blog

Of course, not all organizations are challenged with protecting their data from insurgents. But the military security breach does bring up a serious question for organizations in all industries: Is your data safe?

For industries ranging from healthcare to banking, a sizable amount of documents scanned and filed involves sensitive personal data. Organizations must take all possible security precautions to protect digital information involving corporate, medical and financial data.

Below are 4 requirements all document scanning and management systems should meet to keep data safe:

1. Protection From Unauthorized Parties: Document scanning services should provide high-security password protection for document management systems. Access is given only to those who can provide authentication and have a secure Internet connection. Organizations should be able to determine who does and does not have access.

2. Protection From Natural Disasters: Secure web-based document management systems should not only protect data against unauthorized parties, but also natural disasters. To mitigate the risk of losing vital information as a result of a fire or flood, document hosting services create backup copies. This keeps information accessible and safe no matter what situation arises.

3. Protection From System Crashes: In the event of a system crash, backup of electronic information is of utmost importance. Organizations should look for a document scanning services provider that ensures online backup, offsite storage and rapid recovery.

4. Protection From Internal Security Breaches: It is the responsibility of the document scanning service to properly screen employees – and ensure client documents and images are seen by employees on a “need to know” basis. In addition, strong passwords, timed log-offs, restricted Internet access and other policies can help ensure tightly regulated computer usage.

When it comes to protection of critical data, it’s not just important to ensure no paper copy is unprotected. Document scanning systems must also ensure all information is backed up and protected from every threat – both natural and manmade.

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Top 4 Security Requirements of Document Scanning Systems was posted at Imaging Services Blog. | http://www.imagingservices.com/blog

According to a recent Kansas City Star article, two major factors are contributing to the growth of electronic health records:

• Medical imaging advancements are helping physicians and healthcare providers ease the transition to electronic files. For example, Electronic Health Records (EHR) – one quickly evolving healthcare technology – allow digital records to be shared across entire healthcare organizations.
• The Health Information and Technology for Economic and Clinical Health (HITECH) Act is providing billions of dollars to help healthcare providers leverage the latest health information technology.

Still, for many healthcare providers, there’s a long road ahead to take patient records and files digital. The same article cites that less than half of the nation’s hospitals, and only one in five physicians, are currently equipped to fully use electronic records.

Healthcare providers looking for a medical digital imaging solution should follow these 5 tips to ensure the process is seamless and successful:

1. Look for a flexible solution. All healthcare organizations have different budgets, project timeframes and other systems that need to interface with the scanned documents. Therefore, medical digital imaging solutions shouldn’t take a “one-size-fits-all” approach.

2. Make sure digital imaging processes are HIPAA compliant. Confidentiality of medical, personnel and financial information must be a top priority. Look for an imaging service that will sign a confidentiality agreement, employs video monitoring of equipment and operates in a security monitored building.

3. Require vendor independence. One medical provider in the Kansas City Star article says his biggest hurdle to converting to electronic records was finding software compatible with his business operation. To avoid this issue, healthcare organization should ensure their imaging service can work with any existing software or system. On the converse, healthcare organizations should be wary of providers who sell hardware or software.

4. Ensure ease of use. Another medical provider in the Kansas City Star article cited ease of use as a main barrier to the adoption of digital files. A medical digital imaging service should not only ensure proper training of new systems or processes, but also offer the option of an on-site representative to ensure seamless transition.

5. Provide a complete audit trail. During the digital conversion processes, healthcare organizations need a complete audit trail for doctors and medical personnel to track the status of patient files. Medical personnel must be able to quickly determine whether files are waiting to be scanned, are in the process of being scanned or have successfully been electronically filed.

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Medical Digital Imaging Quickly Gaining Speed was posted at Imaging Services Blog. | http://www.imagingservices.com/blog

A. 10 million four-drawer filing cabinets

B. 12 million four-drawer filing cabinets

C. 20 million four-drawer filing cabinets

If you answered “C,” you are correct.

The new electronic document management system for The National Archives can store 1 petabyte of digital data – the same as 20 million four-drawer filing cabinets or 12 years of HDTV, according to PublicTechnology.net.

With the new system, The National Archives will be equipped to handle the mass of electronic government records that will be received over the next few years. The system will store websites, digital documents and digital copies of paper records.

Electronic document imaging and scanning not only ensures the longevity of historical documents, but also provides benefits such as:

• Security: Electronic document management systems eliminate the risk of loss due to fire, water damage or malicious intervention.
• Responsiveness: Requests for files can be answered instantaneously.
• Manpower reduction: Search time is reduced and re-filing is eliminated.
• Space savings: Areas needed for file cabinets can be re-used more efficiently.

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Electronic Document Management System at The National Archives was posted at Imaging Services Blog. | http://www.imagingservices.com/blog

1. Reduce paper use. With digital documents and files, a business can reduce the amount of paper it needs. For a business with the goal of going paperless, document scanning systems are a step in the right direction, helping to improve paper-based efficiencies.
2. Avoid courier services. An often overlooked aspect of the paper trail is the vans that are taking it from one place to another. Using electronic means to store, access and send files enables a business to eliminate the vehicles used to transport those files – thus reducing its carbon footprint.
3. Save on space. A reduced number of paper files means a reduced need for rooms and cabinets to house paper files. And when a business is able to conserve space through document imaging, it can subsequently reduce the heating and lighting costs associated with more space.
4. Work from home. With digital document scanning services, businesses are afforded more freedom to allow employees to work remotely, as files can be accessed remotely. Allowing employees to work from home – even on a temporary basis – decreases the amount of space needed to house employees. Plus, employees will be cutting their individual carbon footprints by not driving to work.

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4 Ways Document Scanning Services Can Help You Green Your Business was posted at Imaging Services Blog. | http://www.imagingservices.com/blog

In a recent article for the CPA Technology Advisor, Roman Kepzyck lists 7 keys to a successful web-based document management system:

1. Ease of Setup: How much effort does it take to set up the system for the first time? Is the process streamlined? Calculate the length of time needed for your document scanning and conversion calculator.

2. Ease of Adding Documents: What does it take to add a document into the system? The easier the process, the better. For example, microMEDIA provides multiple options for clients to upload files to be added to their web-based document management system. Clients can transmit files via email, FTP, CD and even facsimile in some cases.

3. Ease of Access: Is it simple for users to access the system and log-in? Is it easy to manage multiple users with access? Any document management system should allow the client to determine user access and provide secure access to authorized users only.  

4. Ease of Use: Are the steps to access files, copy them, and move new files into the system easy and intuitive? Users should be able to access the system via standard Internet browsers, anywhere there’s a secure connection. 

5. Notification: Does the system notify the administrator when the portal has been accessed and a file is uploaded or downloaded?

6. Audit Trail and Security: Is activity in the system being monitored? Knowing who is downloading, uploading and accessing files helps keep confidentiality and document retention in check.

7. Cost: How much does it cost to set up and maintain the system? Is the system helping to cut down on unnecessary storage space to reduce costs?

A secure, user-friendly web-based document management system that meets these requirements will ensure files are safe and accessible, now and well into the future.

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7 Keys to a Successful Web-Based Document Management System was posted at Imaging Services Blog. | http://www.imagingservices.com/blog

One New York hospital recently joined the ranks of healthcare organizations investing in medical records scanning. With the help of microMEDIA Imaging Systems, it has successfully converted its paper and film records and charts for its pediatric unit, OBGYN unit, World Trade Center unit for 9/11 victims and 5 off-site community clinics.

But the road to achieving an effective medical records scanning solution wasn’t easy. Before partnering with microMEDIA Imaging Systems, the hospital had been working with another vendor unable to meet the needs of a fast-paced healthcare environment. The hospital experienced 3 problems in particular:

Before:

1. Inaccurate coding of documents and lack of communication, leading to misfiled patient charts

2. No audit trail for doctors or other medical personnel to track the status of patient files

3. No plan for overabundant workflow days, when more than the typical 40 patient charts would go to the vendor to be scanned

To help it get back on the road to implementing an effective medical records scanning solution, the hospital turned to microMEDIA Imaging Systems.

After:

1. Implementation of a regular meeting schedule for scanning team members and hospital staff to facilitate communication

2. Comprehensive audit trail added to distinguish files waiting to be scanned, in the process of being scanned or already filed

3. Extra staff brought in on an as-needed basis to address over-abundant workloads

Read the full case study to discover how the hospital’s new document scanning solution has helped it enhance patient care, save physicians’ time and improve efficiencies.

NY Hospital Goes Digital With Medical Records Scanning was posted at Imaging Services Blog. | http://www.imagingservices.com/blog