Brian,
I am scanning in ALL of our existing paper charts.
A BIG F%@#'ing project!! I believe this will take us 3-6 months.
But I seen the whole point of using AC is to be paperless. Therefore I want to really be paperless.
So here's the process:
1)break down the paper chart
2) organize into sections (this is the biggest part of the job because I do not have tabbed/sectioned paper charts, everything was added sequentially into one big giant MESS)....so the organization makes ALL the difference.
3) Scan individual sections (office notes, radiology studies, labs, consults, hospital admissions, ER reports, insurance info, HIPPA releases, et al.)
4) Drag the sections into AC under Imported Items for the individual patient.
5) Right click-->edit, place EVERY OLD CHART into folder "Batched Import Items." This is the important distinction which identifies everything as the old chart for our office.
6) finally, label the .PDF file into it's corresponding name (radiology, labs, etc.)
7) I set up a temporary high privileged account (username SCAN)for the sole purpose of scanning in these old records. I don't want all that information going to my desktop, as it was creating a HUGE issue in clearing out my inbox. I've reviewed this information once and don't need to do it again. Once done, I'll delete the high privileged account.
Therefore, I can access all the old information via the imported items tab when needed, right from the room.
Sound like a lot of work? IT IS!!
Some would say, why not just keep all the old records somewhere? refence them if you need to.....well that defeats the ideological point of being paperless, so I'm willing to pay my staff to do this. Plus I don't have room in my new office location (moving in June) for these old records.
Plus, here's my long term plan (of which my staff is not yet aware); we will eventually cut down the size of my practice and release all of my staff except the biller and office manager. 30/60 min visits, I would put patients into rooms myslef. I could schedule visits from my exam room, allowing the office manager to manage the phones, file all incoming faxes via Fax to PC, deal with refills, etc. I want to reduce overhead as much as possible, and the ultimate paperless/computerized office would not need many (or any) staff.
