Does your medical office have a space issue?
Hint: It’s actually a management issue!
Recently, a potential client called me up and said they needed SRS to help them immediately. It was urgent – the practice’s office was literally running out of room. We, of course, were able to help him with his problem, but I smiled to myself when I remembered our conversation several years prior. “We don’t have a storage problem,” he had told me. “We have plenty of space.”
Now, three years later, I couldn’t help but think that he was right. It wasn’t a storage problem, it was a management problem. I don’t mean to sound harsh, but viewing it as a storage problem ignores the real issue. And without addressing the root cause, the cycle will perpetuate.
How do you know what kind of problem you have? If you answer yes to any of these questions, your storage problem is likely a management issue.
Is your space used to store records instead of revenue-producing activities such as seeing patients?
If you are dedicating more space to storing records than seeing patients, that is potential money down the drain. One physician client did the actual math to find out how much revenue he could produce by converting a records room to a patient room. The answer was tens of thousands of dollars per year! And don’t be fooled. Even if space is not yet a problem, that doesn’t mean it won’t become an issue down the road. Given the regulations around records storage, a growing practice will eventually have to choose between growth and space. When you outsource your medical records storage with SRS, you can utilize that space more efficiently, expand if necessary, and lower operating costs.
Does your staff waste precious time sorting through an outdated, disorganized filing system?
Medical professionals are already at the brink of burnout, and disorganized file rooms only add to that stress. At SRS, we are always improving, and one of the easiest ways is to alleviate burdens and reduce stress. When we consult with medical practices, we go in and remove entire file rooms. Our indexing team then sorts through the files one by one. Once we know what you have, we shred what is eligible for destruction, store what needs to be kept, and we actively manage the rest for retention. When your staff needs a medical file, they simply request via our scan-on-demand system. Our team will promptly deliver it, typically within the hour. Much easier than sifting through a disorganized file room!
Does your office keep records past their retention?
Keeping historical records longer than their retention requirement not only takes up valuable space and costs money to store, it also makes them discoverable in a lawsuit. Our expert team can work with you to ensure record kept in retention to ensure you’re compliant but then destroy them when it’s time to free up space, money, and any future liabilities.
Are your records securely stored and properly handled?
Even if your staff has undergone proper training, unsecured records rooms are at risk from a breach due to vendors, temporary employees, or virtually anyone who enters your office. When you store records offsite with SRS, your records are kept in a locked, safeguarded storage facility with 24/7 video monitoring.
Are you out of room and think the only answers are to (1) move or (2) scan everything?
Both of these so-called “solutions” are costly and, frankly, unnecessary. Beyond the costs of physically changing an office and increased rent from a larger space, there are many other hidden costs to move: staff productivity, missed appointments from patients unaware of the change, and costs to update collateral, letterhead, etc. And scanning everything is a Band-Aid over a bullet wound. And, above all, neither of these address the root of the problem. Eventually, you will once again run out of space. This is why we think that it’s a management issue and not simply a space issue.
If you answer yes to any of these questions, you are a good candidate for SRS’s document management services. Contact us today, and we’ll help you address the root cause and find a permanent solution.
