Records Management Blog | Practical Records Management

Document Scanning or Document Storage: Points to consider

Ryan Doyle — Tue, 28 Feb 2023 16:45:32 GMT

With 25 years of experience in the document management industry, projects often come down to a simple question – Should we scan our documents or securely store them and retrieve them on an as-needed basis? The answer depends on several factors. Let us first define both services.

What is document scanning?

In its simplest terms, document scanning is the process of converting paper documents to digital images. Through experience and adaptation, we have perfected our scanning process and procedures.

How does document scanning work?

We start by preparing the documents for scanning, which means removing post-it notes, removing clips, taping things down, etc. Then, we physically scan the paper with our high-speed scanners, review the images for quality control, index the images, and finally, upload or export the images. If you are interested in learning a detailed description of how we process a scan job, I encourage you to read our blog on bulk document scanning.

Why is document scanning important?

There are many reasons why scanning can add value to your business. Here are some of the benefits:

Accessibility - Ease of use
Instead of going through file cabinets or boxes, you can easily access the document with a few clicks. Not only that, but you can easily share it with co-workers, or people outside the company. Once it's an electronic document, you can edit, print, email, etc.
Security – What potential PPI/PHI is contained in the documents?
In today's advanced technological climate, security is and always should be of utmost importance and concern. Physical paper documents containing protected health information (PHI) and/or protected personal information (PPI) should be maintained with the proper level of security, regardless of whether they are in paper or electronic form. Storing physical paper documents in unlocked cabinets in file rooms that anyone can access can leave organizations open to theft, fraud, and other crimes of opportunity using information that should be highly secured. Having them as electronic files allows for better record-keeping and meets compliance regulations.
Avoid effects of Potential Disasters – Water/Fire – Nature – Hurricane/Tornado/Earthquake
Although not likely, incidents including fire and water damage have the potential to destroy important company documents that may be expensive or even impossible to replace. Natural disasters such as hurricanes, tornadoes, and earthquakes can eliminate entire physical locations in minutes and, along with them, the lifeblood of the company, its systems, and documents.

Now, let us look at Document Storage

What is document storage?

Document storage is the process of boxing, transporting, and housing hard copies of paper documents in a regulated and secure facility. Storage is valuable when the documents have a long retention period and are not accessed frequently.

How are documents stored?

Similar to our experience with document scanning, through experience, we have perfected our storage policies & procedures. First, we determine how the records are currently being stored. Are they on shelves, in filing cabinets, or already in boxes? Every box we store must be a standard banker's box (1.2 cu. inches), and we can assist in the packing. Once we convert the shelves or filing cabinets to # of boxes, we look at how long we must retain the documents. Next, we store the boxes and deliver images on an as-needed basis, also known as "scan on demand." At the end of the retention period, the paper is securely shredded, and you receive a certificate of destruction.

Why is document storage important?

There are many benefits to outsourcing your documents to a storage partner. Here are some:

Security
As described above, we safely store the documents in a regulated and secure facility. This facility is set with an active monitoring and security system. The personnel allowed inside the facility receive the proper training and sign Non-Disclosure and confidentiality agreements. Additionally, our storage facility is equipped with Comprehensive Fire Suppression Systems and a state-of-the-art alarm system.
Efficiency: Better Tracking and Records Management
Some documents may carry strict compliance and retention rules yet have very low access requirements. You have to ask yourself: Who within the organization is tracking what goes into storage, manages file requests and returns, and ultimately secures destruction? We have seen many times over the years companies who continue to pay storage bills monthly with no real idea of what is in storage and how long it should be kept. This situation can easily lead to wasted spending. Small companies who decide to use a local self-storage company may have the same dilemma. In addition, how much time does it take for an employee to drive to the storage location, retrieve a file and return it to its proper location? Outsourcing your files to a Document Storage company like us can help mitigate potential issues since we keep track of every file coming in and coming out to avoid any misplacement of files. Our expertise is in records management, so rest assured that we will efficiently manage all your files.
Save space
Reclaim the space files are taking up at your office or within file cabinets. Think of how many file cabinets you have that are filled with paperwork that you no longer use but that, for compliance reasons, must keep. Outsourcing these files will help you regain the lost space.

Next, let us examine some considerations that should be identified and answered before deciding which option is best for your organization:

Accessibility – Remote Work
A critical question to be answered is, how often are the documents needed? With more companies integrating remote work into their operations, access to physical documents is most likely critical to remote efficiency. Workers who collaborate with case files, human resource files, and many other departmental documents must have the ability to retrieve, append, email, etc. quickly, these files in order to complete their functions. Files in paper form only available in a physical location would most likely remove remote work as an option. As mentioned above, if you need frequent access to the files, we recommend going with document scanning.
Compliance/Regulation
What is the retention requirement for the documents? Consult with your legal/accounting team to clearly understand the retention requirement. Medical records, for instance, can have a large variation in retention from State to State, and whether the patient is an adult or a minor. Loan documents may require retention for the life of the loan, while accounting and financial reports most typically carry 7–10-year retention. Knowing how long you need to keep the records will help you make a better decision. If you need to keep the files for a long time and have infrequent access to them, then we recommend going with document storage.
Cost
Cost is always a significant consideration, and while storing the documents with either self-storage or an established storage vendor is the less expensive option, it may not address many of the benefits we outlined above. Document Scanning requires a deeper investment due to the labor involved in preparing the documents to be scanned and the indexing of the files to ensure accurate retrieval, but it significantly addresses these same concerns and allows for greater efficiency and security. Also, it is highly important to think of the return on investment. Storage may be more affordable at face value, but in the long run, is it costing you more to store? Think of multiple potential pickups or multiple requests for files or requests for boxes of documents to be scanned, etc.

Now let us look at some case scenarios:

Case 1 – Scan & Store

In this scenario, a not-for-profit is looking to digitize its HR files. The law states they must retain HR files for seven years after the employee is no longer with the company. They also have active HR files, which they require access to regularly. The company has 100 boxes of inactive employee files and 40 boxes of active HR records for a total of 140 boxes.

At first, it may seem like a good idea to digitize everything. Digitizing all the records does have benefits; however, as we learned above, scanning is more expensive than simply storing. Scanning allows the not-for-profit to remove the physical records from their location and instant access to both their active and inactive HR records. However, since the bulk of the boxes is made up of inactive employee records, a mix of scanning and storing would be the best option.

Scanning the active files provides the most efficient access to the records they use more frequently. Storing inactive records allows for secure management during the retention period.

Case 2 – Scan

For this scenario, a law firm is looking to save money on rent by moving to a smaller office space and having more employees work remotely. The firm generates paper case files stored in filing cabinets. To continue working as efficiently as possible, remote employees need access to the case files they need frequently.

In this situation, we recommend scanning the case files and uploading them to a document management software. Digital documents paired with a document management software allow employees better access and functionality. With the software in place, employees can add pages, print, email, and fax remotely.

Case 3 – Store

In this last scenario, a business currently stores its accounting records in-house in multiple filing cabinets. The documents include accounting records applicable to the business's taxes, such as year-end financial statements. These documents have a 7-year retention period, and the company must be able to produce them if necessary. The records must be kept and managed; however, they are not accessed frequently.

In this case, we recommend document storage. By storing the records, the business gains peace of mind knowing the accounting records are securely stored and can be produced when necessary.

Whether you choose document storage or document scanning, you've determined the need for finding a records management solution. Choose a solution that best suits your company's needs, fits into your budget, and will provide your company with the most efficient way to retrieve your legal files, employee records, medical records, etc. Here at Shoreline, we are happy to help you figure out what's the best option for you. Contact us today!

Bulk Scanning: Unlock The Power Hidden In Your Documents

Ryan Doyle — Tue, 17 Jan 2023 21:34:46 GMT

What Is Bulk Document Scanning?

Bulk document scanning is the process of converting a large amount of physical paper to digital images using a trained team and high-volume document scanners. The digital images are then either exported to a document management system (DMS), uploaded to a cloud-based server, or to an external hard drive where they can be easily searched for and retrieved.

At Shoreline, we have worked with hundreds of companies across several industries to convert their paper documents to electronic images. Over the span of years, we have learned that each industry has specific guidelines for maintaining records. Medical records, legal documents, tax information, and employee files each have specific retention laws. With a responsibility to maintain these documents, converting them to digital files will make them easier to access, and you will have peace of mind knowing they are safe and secure in the cloud.

Now, more than ever, bulk document scanning is needed. Due to the effects of COVID-19, more and more employees are working either remotely or in a hybrid work environment. Those still relying on paper documents are put in difficult situations when records need to be produced. Dealing with paper is not only slow and inefficient, but what happens when something is misplaced? Organizations can find themselves in challenging and costly situations when documents are misfiled, damaged, or destroyed before their retention date. Against this backdrop, consider the advantages of bulk document scanning.

What Are The Advantages Of Bulk Scanning?

1. Increased Access/Shareability

Through bulk document scanning, your business has the advantages of a paperless office. Time is no longer wasted searching through filing cabinets, making copies, and re-filing. With digital documents, you and your employees can simply access what they need and share instantly through email.

2. Security

Protecting sensitive information about your employees or customers should be a top priority of any business, especially in today’s world. Papers can easily be misplaced, destroyed, or find themselves in the hands of someone with bad intentions. Regardless of the situation, you can ensure it will be protected by digitizing your important data.

3. Saves time & space

Have boxes in storage locations? Are your cabinets filled with important documents? Scan your documents and save on space. Have you added how much it takes to find a document stored in a warehouse? Or misplaced in your office? Invest your space and time in driving your business to excellence.

Shoreline’s Bulk Document Scanning Process:

1. Free Consultation

A representative from Shoreline will meet with you in person to evaluate and discuss the project. You will be asked questions such as how the documents are currently stored and what type of documents they are. Then, we will assess the volume, discuss indexing criteria, and determine the condition of the paper.

2. Packing & Transportation & Unloading

If your files are not already in boxes, our team will come onsite and pack the records for transport. Each box is carefully accounted for and transported to our operations center in Ronkonkoma, New York. Once they reach our facility, each box is assigned a label with a barcode until they are ready to be scanned.

3. Document Preparation

Prior to beginning the document conversion process, Shoreline personnel will prepare each file for scanning by removing any fasteners or clips. In addition, all sticky notes and other papers contained within the folders or documents will be prepared “scan-ready” and scanned unless they are blank, in which case they will be removed and discarded.

4. Document Scanning

Our production document scanning operations center is equipped with leading-edge, high-speed equipment from Kodak and Canon, featuring Optimal Character Recognition (OCR) technology that allows you to search and retrieve instantly.

5. Quality Control

Once the paper is converted to digital, it is moved to the ‘QC’ stage. This is where we review every image to ensure quality. We remove any blank or unnecessary pages and re-scan any image that does not meet our standards.

6. Indexing

The indexing step is when we assign name(s) or number(s) to each set of digital images. For example, in a medical record, we often record (Last Name, First Name, (Date of Birth), and (Medical Record #). This is to ensure everything has a place and can be found as quickly as possible.

7. Import/Upload of Files

Once the images have been indexed, and QC’d, our IT department will work with you to deliver the electronic documents. This can be done in several ways, including uploading to our document management solution SCView. With SCView, you may search, retrieve, share, email, and print out of the system, all while knowing your data is protected. If you already have a DMS in place, we can upload the files directly to your system, otherwise to a Secure FTP site or an external hard drive.

8. Storage or Destruction

When the appropriate time comes, we offer certified document destruction to ensure the physical data is disposed of securely. We also provide secure document storage if you need to keep the physical paper.

Why Outsource Your Bulk Document Scanning Project To Shoreline?

Perhaps you considered that you could do the scanning yourself but think of the following questions: How much would you need to invest in acquiring the right equipment? How much time would you spend training employees to use the equipment? Do you have the space needed?

When you add all those factors, you’ll realize that your money and time are better-spent outsourcing to a professional document scanning company. Now, you may say, why choose Shoreline? Here are a few reasons why:

1. Reliability

Shoreline is the leading document scanning company in Long Island, New York. As such, we have worked with a variety of customers meeting their specific needs. Whether it’s a small company or a large organization, Shoreline has the capacity and ability to meet the demands of any project.

2. Expertise

Shoreline has over 20 years of experience providing document scanning services to multiple industries. Whether you have a small project (5-10 boxes) or a large one (50+ boxes), Shoreline combines industry-leading technology and a dedicated, knowledgeable staff to deliver the service that your company needs.

3. Dedicated

Shoreline understands the importance of security and compliance. Our compliance programs are best-in-class, and we continually train our personnel and test our systems to ensure the highest level of confidentiality and security. Shoreline prides itself on its ability to help companies reduce costs and improve efficiency by implementing effective strategies for their information.

Outsource your bulk document scanning project today!

How to Close your Medical Practice with a Medical Records Custodian

Ryan Doyle — Mon, 08 Mar 2021 21:27:00 GMT

Recently, in a conversation with a former patient of one of our physician customers, the patient expressed how smooth the process had been between the practice closing and getting a copy of her medical chart. She highlighted how her doctor had announced his retirement to patients with much time in advance. During this time, patients had the option to request their charts and were provided with Shoreline's contact information for further assistance. She was so pleased that her doctor had taken the time to care and make these arrangements to be so thorough with his patients.

It is precisely for this reason that we at Shoreline created a checklist for physicians who are considering closing their practice. We want to make sure that any doctor who is thinking about retirement will take careful consideration of their patient charts. With an understanding of the patient charts' volume, format, and retention requirements, we can help you put together an effective plan for closing your doors. Choosing a Medical Records Custodian Service like Shoreline puts you in the best position to limit your costs and risks and allows you the freedom to do what's next in life, without the burden of records requests.

Let’s take a look at how you can prepare yourself to close your practice.

6 Months Prior to Closure

Once you decide that your practice is closing, you should begin researching your state's retention requirements. It is vital to understand the retention requirements as they pertain to laws regarding retaining records held by medical doctors and hospitals. Depending on these requirements, you will know how long you are responsible for managing your charts. This information is critical, especially when you start to research some possible custodians.

Now that you know what the requirements are in your state, we suggest starting to research medical records custodians. Choosing a custodian to handle your records after the practice closes is the best way to ensure that your charts will be secure and that requests are being completed timely and in accordance with the law. Opting to do the work yourself can have negative consequences, as could selecting a custodian with little knowledge and experience in the industry. We expand more on these consequences in our blog: "5 Mistakes Physicians Make When Closing Their Practice".

As mentioned earlier, understanding the number of patient charts you have, their format (digital/paper), and the retention requirements enables you to do proper research. All the information you gather allows the custodian to assist you best. Now, let us take a look at what you should be doing three months before closing.

3 Months Prior to Closure

As you move closer to the closing of your medical practice, you will begin making announcements and notifications. Approximately three months before the closing date, it is encouraged that you draft a letter and include a record release authorization. These two documents will be sent to patients who are currently receiving treatment or were seen within the last two years. This step is critical because these patients are the most active in the practice; therefore, they will be more inclined to request their patient chart. Including a release authorization allows the patient to make a request before the office is closed, and their record is with a custodian. Remember to prioritize patients with complicated medical conditions. Consider calling the patient and following up with a letter that alerts them to choosing a new physician for continued care.

Now that you have alerted active patients and patients with complicated conditions, you will begin to post notices in your office. These notices should be in at least two different office areas where they are most accessible to patients. The information should alert them that the practice is closing and explain how to get a copy of their records while still seeing patients.

Within three months of the closing date, think of selecting one of the custodians that you researched previously. The selection of a medical records custodian provides the benefit of peace of mind, with the knowledge that once you are closed, you do not need to worry about your patient charts. Choosing a custodian at this time also allows you to focus on the many other aspects of closing your practice, such as dealing with accounts payable, insurance companies, government entities, and other legal responsibilities.

At this point, we encourage you to consider Shoreline as your custodian partner. We securely store your records, fulfill records requests in compliance with HIPAA regulations, and continually ensure the best confidentiality and security level. Shoreline has assisted physicians nationwide, regardless of the location, the size of the practice, or the charts' format.

Now, let us look into the final step.

Transfer of Medical Records

The final step in partnering with a medical records custodian is the transfer of data. Your custodian will work to come up with a logistical plan that fits your schedule and your needs. Whether you have physical paper charts, an electronic medical records system (EMR), or both, Shoreline has the experience to make the transition smooth.

Our team has helped several physicians transfer their physical paper charts to our storage facility here on Long Island, New York. We work with you to schedule the pickup, pack your patient charts, and securely store them. Our IT professionals have years of experience with several different EMR systems and will work with you and your team to transfer the data to our servers securely.

Once your data is transferred, there are two final steps to complete before you are on your way to moving on with your life. You should post a voicemail to your office's phone that lets any caller know that the practice is closed. The voicemail should also include your custodian's contact information so any former patient may request a copy of their record. Lastly, contact your state medical society and alert them of the practice closing. Again, you should provide them with your custodian's information. That way, former patients have another avenue of receiving their chart.

At Shoreline, we take pride in assisting retiring physicians across the United States. Using our checklist, you can create a plan that will reduce your costs, limit your risks dealing with PHI, and allow you to enjoy your next step in life without the burden of patient charts.

It is never too early or too late to speak with a custodian. Whether you are two years from closing and would like some information or if you have been closed for a year and no longer can keep up with requests, Shoreline is here for you. We hope to hear from you soon!

Learn more about why choose Shoreline

How COVID-19 Accelerated the Closing of Medical Practices

Ryan Doyle — Mon, 07 Dec 2020 21:43:00 GMT

The Covid-19 Pandemic has taken its toll on everyone in 2020. Causing devastating damage, the virus does not discriminate against who it affects. While nearly every industry has struggled, the coronavirus has been incredibly damaging to the medical industry and small businesses. In November, a New York Times article described the challenges doctors are experiencing and the increase in the number of doctors retiring due to the pandemic. The stories of these doctors and their patients are saddening as this is never how they envisioned retiring.

At Shoreline, we have seen first-hand the effect Covid-19 has had on doctors, especially those with small practices. There has certainly been an increase in the number of doctors retiring for various reasons stemming from the pandemic. Whether they were unable or it was unsustainable to do telemedicine, had financial issues before the pandemic, or were planning on retiring soon but decided now was the time, many medical professionals have opted to close their doors. Regardless of the reasoning, the pandemic has greatly affected medical practices and patients.

The Effect on Doctor's and Their Patients

The NY Times article provides us with a quantitative look at how the pandemic is affecting medical practices. The report points to a survey conducted during the month of July 2020 by the Physicians Foundation. This nonprofit group surveyed an estimated number of 3,500 doctors. When asked about closing practices, the survey reflected that "About 8 percent of the doctors reported closing their offices in recent months, which the foundation estimated could equal some 16,000 practices. Another 4 percent said they planned to shutter within the next year." That is a total of 24,000 practices estimated to close by this time next year. Another shocking discovery the survey revealed is that nearly 50% of physicians surveyed do not believe the pandemic will be under control by June 1, 2021. These are just two of the key findings of the survey. For more detailed information and statistics, the full findings and results can be found here.

While telemedicine may be a viable solution for some practices, others could not adapt or were not getting enough volume of patients to keep doing it. Health risks also play a large role in the decision to close a practice. Older physicians worry about being exposed to the virus, and continuing to practice is not an option. Smaller medical practices also face financial challenges. While there has been some government aid, some smaller doctor offices cannot even afford masks. Each of these factors eventually trickles down to the doctor's patients.

With the increase in the number of practices closing, finding healthcare at this time can be a challenge. If the patient is able to find a new doctor, they must also go through the process of retrieving their record from their previous doctor. This can cause stress for the patient, the doctor, and the administrative staff. In some cases, the staff is not prepared to fulfill the records requests, leaving the patient without their record for an extended time. During these times, especially, patients need access to their records in a timely manner to receive proper care.

How We Can Help

Our team at Shoreline understands how much of a challenge it can be to close a medical practice. Over our 20 years in the records industry, we noticed a need for medical records custodians, and that need has never been greater than now. The number of physicians retiring is staggering, and many are unprepared to do so.

At Shoreline, we work with each physician to determine the volume, format, and storage duration for their medical charts. We take responsibility of the patient charts and provide patients with the opportunity to retrieve their charts in a fast and HIPAA-compliant manner. Thus, eliminating the stress of managing your patient charts once your practice is closed.

If you would like more detailed information about the process, please read our closing checklist and our FAQs.

What's Next?

No one truly knows what the next year or even a few months will hold for small businesses and the medical industry. Each day information about the virus is changing, and therefore we must adapt to what comes. Walking away and closing a business that you worked your entire life for is a devastating experience that has, unfortunately, become more common with the virus's spread. Our job at Shoreline is to provide assistance and support for these physicians and their patients. Choosing a medical records custodian like Shoreline puts you and your patients in the best possible position.

Speak to a custodian today

5 Mistakes Physicians Make When Closing Their Practice

Ryan Doyle — Mon, 02 Nov 2020 21:09:00 GMT

We all know that doctors are extremely intelligent. Yet, no matter how smart they are, they’re only human and make mistakes. Doctors' most common mistakes happen when it comes to dealing with their patient records, either after retirement or when the practice closes. During the past few years in the Medical Records Custodian Service industry, our team at Shoreline has seen many repetitive mistakes and has come up with the 5 most common ones we see from case to case. Like any important decision in life, it is essential to plan your patient charts' appropriate care once your practice closes or you retire. Without a plan, many problems may arise that could affect finances, family members, and your happiness. Before examining the five mistakes, I want to quickly mention the effect that poor patient records management could have on the medical professional responsible.

From a legal standpoint, the doctor is responsible for managing and distributing their medical files to authorized requesters for several years, depending on the state laws. If a patient makes a request, and the doctor cannot locate or produce the chart, it could result in a hefty fine, and even worse, the patient is left without their medical history. A doctor could have thousands of patient records, and managing and sending those documents puts a significant burden on the doctor or the doctor's family if he or she is deceased.

Now that we briefly skimmed through some consequences of mismanaged medical records let us look at each mistake and understand why they are so common.

Choosing to manage your patient charts for your closed practice.

The number one mistake we see on a case to case basis is doctors choosing to do the work themselves without realizing the full responsibilities and commitment to do it correctly. As mentioned above, the amount of risk, cost, and chaos is significant when attempting to manage your own patient charts. Many states require you to keep the charts at least 7 years after the last date of service, and if you see patients that are minors, you may have to keep the chart until they turn 18! Now consider, if you have physical patient charts, you will have to pay to store them for several years. Even if you have a place to store the charts (if they are paper), you will have to have access to them AND have an idea of which charts are in which boxes. When and if you find the chart, will you send it in compliance with HIPAA and HI-Tech laws? Equally important, would you be incurring the cost of delivering the chart? How would you process the payments? Would you keep track of every request as required by HIPAA laws?

More importantly, do you see yourself doing this 20-30 times a week? I’m sure you don’t, but these are all questions that need to be understood and answered before deciding to do the work yourself. Mishandling records could expose Protected Health Information (PHI) that could result in fines or lawsuits. Choosing to do the work yourself is certainly a daunting task, and it is because of this that physicians will often contract with a records management custodian.

Choosing a medical records storage vendor that does not have custodian experience or resources.

Choosing to store medical records with a vendor that only offers storage services may seem like a good idea on the surface; however, it can get you in much trouble. When choosing a partner, it is essential to be sure that they have experience and the resources to do the job correctly. A poor records custodian may mishandle the information leading to PHI breaches, which extends to the doctor because it is ultimately their responsibility. Also, a regular records storage company may not be aware of HIPAA laws and retention laws, leading to prematurely destroyed documents. It’s important to keep in mind that any mistake extends back to the doctor, which is why it is so essential to understand the difference between a records storage vendor and a Medical Records Custodian Service.

Assuming there will not be a large number of requests.

While the practice is still operating, it may be easy to overlook how records are seamlessly located and sent to the patients. You may also not have realized how frequently this happens weekly. Due to these oversights, you may think that you can handle the number of requests you will receive or that there will not be many requests. But the opposite is true. Based on our experience, when a patient hears their doctor's practice is closing, they will ask for a copy of their records to bring to their next doctor almost right away. This kind of request is the most common type of request, and let’s not forget that a patient can make an unlimited number of requests during the retention period. There are also other kinds of requests, sometimes it can be attorneys or insurance companies or government agencies, all needing a certain aspect of the patient file. This set of requests, especially those deemed as an emergency, must be fulfilled within a reasonable time frame. Timing is also an extremely important factor when alerting your patient’s about the practice closing.

Alerting patients before choosing a custodian

Without proper planning, things can get messy quickly when choosing a custodian. When you choose a Medical Records Custodian Service partner, you have to alert your patients on how to acquire a copy of their chart from them. The law also states that you must also notify the state that you are closing your practice. Alerting patients, before choosing a Medical Records Custodian Service results in chaos for the doctor responsible for fulfilling those requests. Similarly, alerting patients to make requests to the custodian before the transfer of data/boxes results in the custodian unable to satisfy those requests. From our experience, we have encountered many occasions when the doctor has alerted the patients of their closure before releasing the records to us and has only resulted in having several confused and upset patients. These both situations are examples of poor communication and only creates a dreadful experience for the requester.

Not knowing or ignoring the laws for notification and retention.

Like mentioned before, there are several laws regarding both notification and retention when closing your medical practice. Retention laws are set by each state determining how long records must be kept. As mentioned in the beginning, the retention periods can be anywhere from 7 to 18 years. Failure to abide by these laws can result in fines. Alerting the Federal and State authorities may seem like a small, easy thing to do, but it can be forgotten just as easily. Hence, a good number of physicians seek the guidance of specialized attorneys during the process. One recommendation based on our experience: when you think of closing, consider having a healthcare attorney look through your documents to verify that everything is in line.

Hopefully, this list has given you a good idea of some of the mistakes made by retiring medical professionals. I also hope that it raised awareness of some of the issues that arise when a medical practice closes. We see these mistakes being made regularly, and we want to help. Shoreline was created to provide solutions to these problems. We have the knowledge and over 20 years of experience to help you close your practice and enjoy your retirement.

Learn more about how Shoreline can help!

The Next Big Thing for Physicians

Ryan Doyle — Tue, 04 Aug 2020 19:22:00 GMT

When one thinks of the concerns that physicians may have, the closing of their practice is not number one on that list. They tend to be more concerned with patients, insurance companies, attorneys, business logistics, etc., and rightly so. Once the time comes to retire or close their practice, they may be faced with uncertainty and questions. What is my obligation to my patient charts when I am retired? What if I join another practice? What is the optimal process? The answer often varies from case to case depending on a number of factors including paper vs. electronic patient charts, the volume of charts, the law of retention based on location, etc. Part of the transition to closing a practice involves getting a medical records custodian partner that will securely provide medical record storage and provide copies of them to the patients. Shoreline is the one patient chart custodian partner that can successfully do this.

Think about it, going into a transition period such as retirement can be scary without a well-thought-out plan, right? Yes! We know how difficult it can be, that is why our team at Shoreline has created a detailed, 6-month checklist for closing your medical practice that covers the steps needed to properly prepare for medical records storage. The list was created in accordance with the laws and regulations, with every base covered so you can plan effectively and efficiently. No matter what stage you are at in the process of closing a practice, it is never too early or too late to get started.

Now, let us take a deeper look inside Medical Records Custodian Services and how Shoreline helps physicians with their practice closing process.

What is a medical records custodian?

A medical records custodian is, as defined by the American Health Information Management Association: "…the person who has been designated responsible for the care, custody, and control of the health record for such persons or institutions that prepare and maintain records of healthcare." The official custodian or designee should be authorized to certify records and supervise all inspections and copying or duplication of records.”[1]

Who is Shoreline?

Shoreline has been in business for over twenty years and has been able to successfully help its customers from a variety of industries. As Shoreline came across more and more opportunities for storing patient charts, it made sense to launch a new service line dedicated only to this kind of service. Shoreline then created a solution to a question all medical professionals should ask themselves: what do I do with my patient charts once I retire or want to close my practice?

Our mission from the beginning has been to provide elite customer and custodian services for retiring physicians across the United States. Whether the physician has paper charts in Florida, electronic records in Iowa, or is down the road from our Long Island, New York office, we strive to offer the same stress-relieving experience for every one of our customers.

How can Shoreline help physicians?

Shoreline has been able to assist many physicians with their retirement process. An example of this took place back in February when our team traveled down to Bradenton, FL to help Dr. Philip Rasulo assemble all the medical charts and prepare them for shipment to the Shoreline office in New York. In his case, he needed to ship his medical records because he only dealt with paper charts. The Shoreline team was there to help and provide a logistical plan that included securely transporting the boxes to Shoreline.

In addition to the logistical process and the actual transferring of the patient charts themselves, Shoreline also fulfills the requests from authorized requesters. In some cases, there can be over 500 requests in as little as six months!! And all the requests must be fulfilled within a reasonable time frame. This is something that Dr. Pleno Moise, a practicing pediatrician in New York City, knew he did not want to take on. Pediatric patient records must be kept much longer than a typical adult record and are more likely to be requested. Can you imagine the hassle Dr. Moise would have to go through to complete all those requests? Instead, he is peacefully enjoying his retirement, worry-free because he knows his patients' charts are safe.

Why choose Shoreline?

The company created this new service line with a single purpose in mind and that was to help physicians as they get ready to move on to the next phase of their lives. Our dedication, expertise and experience are at the forefront of who we are. With us, any physician can count on the reliability, confidentiality and security physicians require during their transitioning process. We know and understand that the safety and security of the medical charts are important to every physician, which is why we follow the proper HIPAA and HITECH compliance that is needed to securely store any patient chart and efficiently keep track of all medical charts.

Many vendors can offer storage locations, but a Medical Records Custodian Service is far more encompassing than that. So, don’t get a partner that will do the minimum for you, but rather, choose one who can go the extra mile with you, just like you have done for your patients.

One Vendor, One Solution

Shoreline understands that each customer’s situation is different and often there can be unique obstacles from case to case. With this in mind, Shoreline has and will continue to adapt to the needs of our customers. In accordance with our mission, we work to provide the most optimal solutions for our customers to ensure that they can retire or close their practice knowing exactly what they will do with their patient charts.

If you are interested to learn more about how Shoreline is different from any other medical records custodian service provider, please visit the Medical Custodian FAQs section of our website.

^[1] http://library.ahima.org/doc?oid=59559#.X1EKyH6SlPY

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More Schools to go Paperless in 2020?

Ryan Doyle — Thu, 23 Apr 2020 14:10:18 GMT

Each state has their own set of laws which require school districts to retain certain student records for set amounts of time. These time constraints can range from 1 to 6 years, to some records that must be kept permanently. For example, in New York, cumulative achievement record equivalent (sometimes known as a Permanent Record Card) for elementary and secondary school must be kept permanently.

Some schools across the nation are taking a proactive approach. For example, this article highlights what one school district is doing to become paperless and why.

Among Permanent Record Cards are several other documents that each state requires for schools to retain permanently. This can create several issues, some of which arose in Marion County schools which convinced them that it was time for a change.

One of the biggest issues faced in retaining student records is storage. According to the article, the district is challenged with storing well over 9 million pages of both student and employee records. In addition to the space issue, teachers would have to search the massive file room to locate a student's chart.

In order to combat these challenges, Marion County schools decided to scan their existing records and all new files going forward. Their plan is to be completely digital by 2024. Some of the benefits of scanning their student records include: digitized student files, easier access in locating a file via a searchable database, peace of mind knowing everything is scanned and backed up properly and once scanned, the physical paper charts can be shred.

The idea of going paperless is something that a lot of schools should and will consider in the future. While Marion County had the right idea, the execution could have been much more efficient and cost effective. Shoreline Records Management has been in business 20+ years and has worked with many school districts in the past. If a district in a similar situation to Marion County were to utilize Shoreline’s record management services, the entire project would take, at most, a few months to complete as opposed to the several years outlined by Marion County in their plan. In addition to the time saved by choosing Shoreline, Marion County would have been able to cut the costs of hiring and training a team, expensive scanning equipment and other resources needed to conduct this project.

To learn more about how Shoreline Records Management can assist in your records management project, click below or call us at (800) 435-2956

What to do With Paper Patient Charts When Transitioning to Electronic Medical Records

Matthew Petito — Mon, 18 Apr 2016 18:40:44 GMT

As Doctors across the country transition to Electronic Medical Record Systems, they’re confronted with a major decision, what do I do with my paper charts? Practices and Doctors have a few options to choose from:

Continue to use the paper chart for all patient visits.

Yes, Practices have the option to not implement an Electronic Medical Record System and continue to use paper charts like they always have. Financially is it the best option? It depends on how much of a penalty the practice will have to pay. Will operations and efficiency change? Maybe, they will probably remain the same but eventually start to decline.

With the volume of patients increasing, and patients wanting instant access to their records and answers to medical questions, patient satisfaction may begin to slip and small problems of the past may become large problems in the future.

Use both, the EMR for day forward patient visits and use the paper chart when reference to historical information before the EMR was implemented.

Most practices start the EMR transition with this option first, and it is a good way to ease into having electronic records. All important information is imported into the EMR (vaccines, allergies, some medical history, etc.) and the EMR is used on a day forward basis. If there is a specific piece of information that is not in the EMR during an office visit, the practice can locate the paper chart and reference that piece of information.

The practice will be electronic going forward, but they still will have the same issues with maintaining a paper medical record archive that they had previously. Time spent searching for charts, searching for misfiled charts, needing space to store and maintain a paper archive (paper charts need to be kept until the patient’s retention period is up, regardless of what information is on paper and what is in the EMR), and not finding charts.

This option is a good starting point, but with time, the practice should consider taking the active paper patient charts, scanning them, and uploading them into the EMR.

Scan active patient charts and reference historical information as electronic images in the EMR. Store inactive patient charts and have the ability to scan these charts ‘on demand’ if/when a chart is needed.

This is the most cost effective approach to transition to an EMR, convert the paper medical records that are actively being used by the practice, while retaining the inactive paper charts physically. The inactive charts can be stored at the practice or at a record storage facility with the ability to pull, scan, and electronically send a requested chart on demand.

All active paper patient information is scanned and the images can be referenced either in the EMR, stored on the practices internal network, or a document management system outside of the EMR. The three options for viewing the electronic images can be chosen by practice, and all three are great ways to host, search, and retrieve scanned patient information.

For the inactive patient charts, (each practice has its own definition of active and inactive), it may not be finically possible to scan all their information. But, the records can be stored at a secure, offsite storage facility, and have a patient manifest created (Ex. Box 1 contains these 25 patients). A patient’s chart can be requested by the practice and scanned ‘on demand’ and the scanned patient chart can be delivered to the practice within a few hours or less.

This is the most cost effective option, to have active patient charts instantly accessible either in the EMR or an internal network and have inactive charts securely stored physically but can be electronically delivered when requested.

Scan all charts into the EMR.

No office is 100% paperless, but this is as close as they can get. All patient charts are scanned and accessible within seconds and a few mouse clicks. This option requires the largest investment, but also provides the largest return.

There is no paper archive to manage and store, charts cannot be misfiled or lost, all charts can be found within seconds, and charts can be transferred to other practices instantaneously. Going forward, the practice can scan the small amount of paper it will receive from other practices, insurance companies, patients, etc.

Converting to an Electronic Medical Record System can be difficult, time consuming, and frustrating, but the records management part of the transition does not have to be.

What Should Businesses Do With Their Existing Paper Records?

Matthew Petito — Wed, 13 May 2015 19:23:00 GMT

Now that the panic has subsided from the Brooklyn CitiStorage document warehouse fire (even though it shouldn’t) everyone is back in the out of sight, out of mind thinking as it relates to records management. Businesses need to consider what steps to take to create efficiency with their unique records process, and prevent a crisis like this from happening again. Documents in storage should be there only for retention purposes. Certain documents that will have an adverse effect on your business if destroyed should be in an electronic format and backed up.

There will always be documents that should be stored rather than scanned. It could be ten year old accounting documents, inactive medical records, closed legal files, terminated employee files… the list goes on and on. If these documents should ever become inaccessible or destroyed unintentionally, the business should be able to function properly without them. No business, other than one with thousands of dollars to spend, would even consider taking boxes of records that no one looks at out of a storage facility and convert them into electronic records that no one will look at.

But what does make sense is to convert records that are frequently retrieved and actively used in the office, such as active medical records, employee files, pending legal files, current accounting documents, active customer files, all documents that the business relies on to function. Electronic files are more secure, have audit trails, can limit accessibility, have easy to manage destruction dates, can be viewed by multiple people at different locations, have multiple backups, and are easier to manage than paper files.

Below are abstracts from a more detailed, day forward, application specific scanning service, with detailed posts to follow:

Proof of Delivery:

Everyone has had customers that do not want to pay for products or services that have been delivered to them, but with dozens or hundreds of deliveries per day, it can be a daunting task to track down signed delivery tickets to prove the delivery or service was completed. Instead of looking through thousands of delivery tickets, you can simply search for a specific delivery ticket by customer name, date, or other specific search criteria. Your company can even have the images integrated into your accounting software. Once the documents are electronic, you can instantly see who signed for the delivery or service and email it to their AP department, decreasing your receivables significantly.

Accounting Documents:

Unless your company has a fully automated accounts payable processing system (which it most certainly could), the accounting department most likely has the vendor payables and customer receivables in file cabinets organized alphabetically by month or year, depending on volume. Excluding very small accounting departments and businesses, most of these files are going to be accessed by multiple people and possibly from multiple locations. Being able to retrieve frequently accessed documents saves time searching for documents, increases efficiency, and eliminates issues related to lost or mis-filed invoices. Images can be hosted on a cloud based document management system, stored on internal servers, or integrated into the existing accounting software.

Human Resource Documents and Employee Files:

Human Resource departments are far more complicated than many people in business understand. They can be responsible for payroll, recruitment, benefits, employee relations, employee development, risk management, and many other specialized departments. With all this information being managed by HR, there is a lot of paper that can pile up quickly. Limiting the access to these documents by keeping them in file cabinets can cause inefficiencies that often go overlooked. Converting paper HR documents to easily accessible electronic images, allows remote and concurrent access, all within seconds, and with increased security and audit trails.

Medical Records:

With the transition to Electronic Medical Records in full swing, many practices are put in the situation where they have to make a decision on what to do with their paper medical records. They have a few options: they could do nothing, and use the EMR for billing and scheduling only, and continue to use the paper chart for patient notes, they could use both the EMR for day forward progress notes and the paper chart for the historical data, or they can scan the paper chart information into the EMR and centralize their patient care in one location.

Doing nothing does not make the most sense; you implemented the EMR for a reason. Using both can be a viable option for a while, but mistakes can be easily made when working from two forms of media. Medications, allergies, or immunizations can be in the EMR and not the paper record or vice versa, and if another practice or the patient calls looking for that information, someone at the practice might not think to check both the EMR and paper chart.

Scanning paper records into an EMR allows a smooth transition to comprehensive patient chart management. The images from the paper chart are easily viewed in the EMR, and everything day forward is input directly through the EMR interface. New patients are completely paperless. This solution is most appropriate for active patients with paper records that are frequently accessed.

Why Digitizing Paper Documents Should Be Considered

Matthew Petito — Thu, 12 Feb 2015 21:41:00 GMT

The recent Brooklyn document storage warehouse fire, and many other tragedies, point out the importance of digitizing papers. The massive fire last week in Brooklyn’s CitiStorage Document Storage warehouse was not the first time a document storage facility has been destroyed. To name a few, 1997 South Brunswick, NJ, USA, 2006 London, England, 2006 Ottawa, Canada, 2011 Aprilia, Italy, and 2014 Buenos Aires, Argentina.

With 1.1 Million Cubic Feet of records potentially destroyed at CitiStorage, including that of legal firms, financial intuitions, medical practices and hospitals (Mount Sinai Health System, New York-Presbyterian Hospital, North Shore-LIJ Health System and NYU Langone Medical Center), accounting firms, and both small and large businesses, the main question is and has been, why have these documents not been converted to electronic images?

Aside from the why haven’t records been converted, businesses also have to contemplate what would the cost be to recreate destroyed documents? What would be involved? And what if those records cannot be recreated? What would happen if original blueprints, medical records, legal cases, or financial documents are destroyed with no way of reproducing them? “It’s 2015, why isn’t this information electronic?” many people have asked.

Once records are digitized, companies will no longer have to pay for records management services related to document storage. After the documents are scanned, no more costs will be incurred. The electronic images can be on a hard drive, an internal network, or cloud based storage all allowing constant and instant access.

On Sunday, 2/1, many New Yorkers woke up to thousands of pages of private and protected information floating along the Williamsburg waterfront and spewing through the air. Not only are the records that hundreds of businesses and government agencies depend on destroyed, the private and protected information of their customers and employee’s was put on full display. Many of these have names, addresses, account numbers, social security numbers, which can be used to easily steal someone’s identity.

“About the possibility that confidential patient information might have been disclosed on a large scale as the wind scattered unburned records, Brian Conway, of the Greater New York Hospital Association, said, “There’s no reason to believe that’s a possibility.” Yet in one indication of the city’s concern, the disaster recovery contractors, in their neon yellow jackets, sealed off the entrance to the rocky jetty with yellow caution tape early Sunday and began to scoop documents out of the water with nets and shovels.” – NY Times.

The electronic images of scanned documents are more often of a higher quality than the original and much more secure. The entire CitiStorage warehouse could be scanned and stored on a few hard drives, which are much easier to protect, keep organized, and secured than thousands of boxes.