HME Insider

DP: What should a provider look for when deciding which document solution to purchase?
O’Neil: When a provider looks for any technology solution, they need to evaluate their objectives, requirements, and processes and determine how a solution is going to support those factors. Providers should also consider what their company expects to spend and what their company is willing to spend given the efficiencies that a solution will provide. There are a few questions to consider: how do documents get into the system, how can documents be found, what can you do with the document once you have it, what kind of documents and information can be managed by the system, how does the system work with other software, how much of the document management cycle is automated, how much labor is required to operate the system, and how much time is the system saving.

DP: What are the three main time-saving features of document management technology?
O’Neil: Document identification and capture: Compare this to sorting through a stack of paper and figuring out how to file it. If a solution can actually read the text of the paper, determine what it is, and file it away without any user interaction then it is saving money. If a person reviews every document image and files it away, the only thing they got rid of is the paper—not the work of filing it away.

Searching for documents: Compare this to having to go to a filing cabinet, locating a folder, finding the document that you need, and going back to your desk. Using a document management solution, a user should be able to type a few words, click a button, and the documents are right there. Automating this process increases production so that people can get things done faster.

Application integration and workflow: Now that you have retrieved the document quickly, someone still has to read the document and do something with it. If a solution can read the document and determine what to do with it, or trigger another step in the process, now you are not just automating one task but you have a collection of tasks that can be executed without human interaction—and people are freed up to do something else.

DP: How do paper and digital filing compare as far as time and money are concerned?
O’Neil: Generally, the payback period is 6 to 12 months only taking into account direct savings. The indirect savings or benefits come from what you do with the time saved and can be greater than the direct benefits.

DP: Why should a provider choose Metridoc?
O’Neil: Metridoc was designed for the HME industry and offers high-end features at a reasonable price. When people inquire about Metridoc features, our most popular response is “included” instead of “optional.” Some solutions get rid of the paper, but keep the manual filing process. Metridoc gets rid of the paper and automates the filing process.