Home Forums Discussions General Discussion Fax help

Hi Guys,
Just got AC. I know you some of you use Updox, paperport, etc. As of today Please tell me which one I should get.
Thanks

George

The answer is going to be more complicated than just which is best. We are about 5 months into AC and the EHR conversion, and have had to put a WHOLE lot of effort into the general office flow. There are lots of tasks that have to be accomplished in an office, different offices have different needs and priorities and consequently a lot of philosophies of how to accomplish these tasks. Each of these services looks at it differently.

We went with UpDox because we needed to quickly get set up for electronic faxing and a patient portal, plus a way to import items without having to learn yet another program like Adobe right away or train someone to do importing. I am fond of Updox, but have no standard for comparison. If you search for Updox during the last couple of months there are a bunch of threads. We are happily using it for incoming faxes and in place of a scanner (we just fax to ourselves) as well as the patient portal that we use a lot. Updox remains a work in progress, it is improved almost weekly, and tech support is outstanding. It was also fairly easy to learn and use which was vital, as we were really stressed by the whole conversion process.

We have not much used UpDox for outgoing faxes as there is an issue with the Updox phone service that does not let it fax to Alaska, so we use a fax modem on our printer. I think that is still the easiest method for outgoing faxes although it does mean a duplicate address book.

There was a recent thread on Paperport also that sounded to me as if the current version was giving problems, but as I said I have no experience with it.

Hi Georgr
Welcome to AC
1.I use a network printer that is connected to all my computers.
2. I use a network printer to send and receive faxes on line using ZIMBRA
3. I use paperport to fill all my forms and even annonate(sign) my forms.
4. If you are within paperport and print your document it prints fine but if you print your file outside paperport then it does not show any typing you have done.
5 To overcome that problem, I print the form to file using CUTE PDF WRITER which is freeware and save it to a file which then does show all the typing I have done including my signature which I had done in paperport.
6 The cute PDF writer by the way converts documents to PDF
documents.
7 When you have completed your documents you have to PRINT and select CUTE PDF writer from your printer options and then it will ask you where you want to save the completed document
8 Select the folder/location where your document can be faxed or retreived later.
I am a solo Family Physician and using the above methods I am virtually paperless and saved a lot paper and unnecessary printing
Hope this helps
Grenville

Refering to my previous post
Incoming faxes are received via email using ZIMBRA
Outgoing faxes and printing if needed is done via the network printer

Thanks for your responses.
Grenville, can you tell me which Zimbra you have, how much this cost you per month?

Draugman, can you also tell me how much the Updox cost you and how much per month?

I have a dedicated fax line now and a fax machine. So if I use either Updox or Paperport, I would have to get a computer w/ fax modem to hook up to the dedicated fax line and have updox or paperport running 24hrs. And the incoming faxes would come in electronically and then I decide what to keep and to import into AC. AC prefers updox because it does it automatically?

With Zimbra I can still use my existing fax line?

George
My IT guy set me up with ZIMBRA- I think it is open source so it should be free.I do not pay for it. The faxes come in via email. There are other applications you can buy from them.
If you have a fax machine you should be able to receive and send faxes through a PC with the fax software that comes with it- What Fax machine do you have?
Here is the link for Zimbra- http://www.zimbra.com/learn/
Grenville

George, all fax machines are different so I may be wrong, but you could have an issue with only one fax line. Faxing out would be no problem but faxes coming in would have to choose which line to take.

Grenville,
I have a Brother Intellifax 4100e.
Bert,
I think there is a setting on the machine to prevent the fax machine from picking up the call. This way the computer fax can pick up the fax. If I am planning this right.

Hi George,

That would be great. That's why I said, I may be wrong. I guess there are a couple of ways to look at it:

1. You are correct. (most likely), and you are all set.
2. You aren't, and you just have to get another line.

It's a good question, because I don't know if turning it off let's the fax know to go to the other machine. It probably does. Just don't make the mistake I have done a couple of times.

Since (given I may be mistaken) I have our normal walk-up fax connected to a second line with a different (obviously) fax number. When it faxes out, it is set to still show our actual fax number. When we get a fax, the faxes go to the actual number which is only connected to our isolated fax server and computers. So, even though all faxes go to our fax server, we have the capacity to change that. A couple of times when the server was down, and therefore the fax server, I left the office and forgot that I could have taken the phone line from the walk up fax machine and plugged it into the other real fax line. This would have allowed faxes to at least be sent to the Xerox as paper faxes which we could have scanned later. So, we ended up missing maybe 15 faxes.

Sorry if that was too confusing. Of course, if you are right, we are probably wasting money each month. But, maybe it is somewhat helpful if faxes going out don't tie up faxes coming in.

Thanks for the information. Please let me know.

George
I did go through the brochure of your fax machine on line.
It does have a PC interface via the USB connection on your fax machine. You will have to run the software disc that came with your PC
If you connect your PC via the USB port I think you can receive your incoming faxes on your PC and also send faxes through your PC.
Grenville

George
My above statement should have read - You will have to run the software disc that came with your Fax machine- I wrote that came with your PC.!!

LOL. I noticed that, but I wasn't going to correct it. Figured he or you would catch it sooner or later. Nice of you to take the time to research all that.

Thanks guys. But:

"Built-in USB and parallel interfaces‡ Your investment is protected because we’ve built in both USB and parallel interfaces that enable this model to serve as a laser printer (up to 15ppm) if your needs grow beyond basic fax and copying."

http://www.brother-usa.com/Fax/modeldetail.aspx?PRODUCTID=FAX4100e&tab=spec

It has no PC/Fax capability. THe USB connection is only to use the laser printer.

It clearly states it does not have Fax to PC capability. Can you take it back and upgrade to a model that can. This is a huge thing and a make or break option for a lot of users.

No, can't take it back. Had it for over a year. But I'll look into another one. Any siggestions on the brand and model #?

I am using a SAMSUNG SCX 4826 FN. It is a networked MFC and I have had no problems with it.
Grenville

Well, at the risk of getting everyone further upset with me, anything but a Brother. How much is the Samsung SCX, Grenville?

Bert
Samsung SCX 4826FN - $249 at Tigerdirect.com
Grenville

I have a Brother 8660DN MFC printer and I love it. I am not sure what Bert's beef with the Brother is. I don't have anything to compare it to so maybe I don't know what I am missing. The only complaint I have is that files come in as .tiff and need to be converted to PDF. That IS one extra step. But it is networked so all faxes come into a common file and can be accessed by anyone and I can fax Rxs from AC from any computer. I have my most common pharmacies in the Brother speed dial which is,again, accessible from all the computers. I haven't tried the eRx yet because this system works so well. This machine is our copier and fax. It is a flat bed so we do not use it as our main scanner. Whatever you get, make sure it is networkable and it certainly would be preferable if faxes came in as PDFs.

I don't think Bert hates Brother - but I agree that it is ridiculous that it scans in PDF, but fax receives only in TIFF....their software obviously can do PDF since the scanner works that way.

I use the e prescribing because even if my fax is as fast the erx enters it at the pharmacy as data and so reduces chance for human error. I think everyone should jump on the erx so that it becomes standardized.

That's my beef. You said it, not I. This isn't 1980 when everyone used Word Perfect. It is 2010, when the archive format of choice is PDF.

I can't imagine any good MFP not being networkable and having all files come to one place. Ironically, the biggest complaint I hear on here about the Brother is that it is NOT networkable. When I think networkable (and maybe this is semantics), I think of a computer or printer or fax machine that can be plugged into an Ethernet receptacle and be seen by every computer on the network. Everything I hear is that it has to be connected to the main computer via USB and shared from there.

I hope this doesn't sound like I am picking on you, but since you brought my name into this: I would hope that any MFP that is networkable (which this one hardly is) would allow a central address book. As Steven says, I would highly recommend ePrescribe. We can fax via a fax server to any pharmacy as well, but here is the difference. I haven't kept track of the numbers, but I would guestimate that 10 to 15% of our faxes did not reach their destination or at least that is what the pharmacy would say. In three months, we have had one that is ONE script not make it via ePrescribe. And, saving the pharmacy is a nice feature.
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A few quotes from users:







I don't generally start a thread on faxing and bash the Brother. I respond to threads about Brothers. Why are there so many threads about the Brother MFP? Because so many users on here bring up issues with the lack of installation of software to server software, being unable to fax or scan directly to a server, having to convert from tiff to pdf (whether it takes three seconds or not). As I stated in another post, you just don't hear this about other companies, because they get it.

I like helping people on here. So, I cringe when yet another person falls prey to the non-networkable, non PDF Brother machine.

As Steven says, it can scan to pdf so why can't it import faxes to pdf. The only reason I can think of would be to continue to make money having users upgrade their PaperPort from 8.0 to 9.0 to 10.0, etc.

I don't feel picked and those all sound like good reasons.
But to clear one thing up, (I think I actually have the 8860dn not 8660)it IS networkable. I plug an ethernet cable into it and it is visible on the network. It is NOT attached to any computer. I don't use a server so I have not run into that problem. You are correct, however, that there are a not insignificant number of faxes that don't make it. I am excited about eprescribe but I am stalling a little longer on the upgrade after hearing all the complaints on here. Thanks for the comments as always, Bert. I wouldn't speak up if I was afraid to get picked on.
I still like my fax machine

That is very cool if it is truly networkable. I have hope. OK, so the next thread where a bunch of Band of Brothers start talking about the above, I am going to PM you to explain everything.

I would move to v5. ePrescribe is worth it. It's really not that bad. It's not really buggy. The order section is tough (for some -- read I -- not for everyone) but other than that, it's a good version.

One thing is for certain. I had a bit of a hard time with the learning curve on v5 (and I am halfway decent with AC). So, if one skips v5 (which I know you aren't planning on doing), then v6 may be a helluva jump.

This is tangential, but speaking of v5 and ePrescribing, I was checking on when 5.1 was supposed to drop, as I first heard July, then August, now it sounds like it will be later, so I would plan your move to v5, and get your ePrescribing on. There are things that could be fixed but I haven't heard anyone who would go back having come up on v5 and used the ePrescribing.

I think my thought process about using my Brother 8890DW MFC is kind of why I use AC as my EMR: lacks the bells & whistles, sometimes has some surprising deficits, but the balance of usability, value for my $, and ease of use sold me.

Would anyone happen to know of a faxing program that is free or inexpensive that will allow for patient notes to be faxed directly out of AC to referring providers? I'm not so concerned about incoming faxes of yet, but outgoing would be most helpful!

That looks like an awesome program Jon.

For those that have a lot of incoming faxes that need to be imported into the chart, I suggest UpDox! It has an interface (FREE) with AC and when the thing comes into the inbox on UPDOX your staff can just click send, and then have it automatically put into the AC chart in the imported items in certain categories