Vinny,
Your points are well taken and appreciated.
One other point that I didn't go into on this thread (although I've mentioned it in other ones), is that I'm moving into a new office down the street from where I'm at now. I'm currently renting a building but will move into a building I've purchased. In my new location, I literally do not have the space for my paper charts.
So for me, it's a mandatory requirement to get rid of the paper.
I hear you on the cost thing, however I have not been paying any outside source to do this. I'm using my staff. They have to be there regardless of how I utilize them. They could clean the floors or scan charts. Since I'm not paying overtime, I am not really spending extra dollars.
I had to buy a Fujitsu Scan Snap, but I'm glad I did because we need that for scanning out mailed documents. I see that as a fixed expense, plus it's so quick and easy to scan it makes the staff time very well utilized.
Final thing to consider, we are almost done. 10-15% of charts remain to be scanned, so it's sort of a moot point.
I'm in a fairly unique situation from a doctor-patient relationship perspective. I still admit patients to the hospital and I don't accept new patients. I've been closed to new patients for over 2 years. My patients are loyal and I have very little turn-over. I lose more patients to people moving away out of the State of Maine or to natural causes of death, than I lose to insurance issues or people getting p/o'd w/ me and leaving.
I appreciate your opinion Vinny. I think you are correct for most AC users and if my situation was different I think your advice would apply to me. Your feedback is welcomed. Thank you.
