For the 1st 2 years of my practice, I slugged away with paper. I dealt with missing paper charts, staff time filing papers, signing papers, faxing papers, printing papers, and worst of all was staff LOSING PAPERS. Paper, paper, paper!!!
Ugh, I'm hating paper (but I still use a paper personal organizer/calendar), ironic?
Do you know how much I spend per month on paper, copy toner, and associated fees in dealing with paper?
My cost is:
$250/month raw paper
$179/month toner
$400/month staff time filing (estimate based upon one staffer at $10/hr, 40 hr/wk, 25% of time spent filing)
$600/month miscellaneous staff time (finding charts, writing sticky post-it notes, putting away referenced charts)
Medico-legal risk for poorly documented phone notes, prescription refills, and staff advice to patient: PRICELESS
