After incorporating an Electronic Medical Record (EMR) system, the Mental Health Center of Denver (MHCD) was still experiencing frustration in the retrieval of medical records and turned to Digitech Systems for help with enterprise content management.

After installing PaperFlow™ to scan records, MHCD was impressed with the product and interested in what additional software Digitech Systems had to offer. It was not long before they upgraded to PaperVision^® Enterprise and PaperVision^® Capture to improve their overall file management system strategy. Adding these products not only complemented MHCD’s EMR system, but also increased employee productivity, secured pertinent health records and saved a significant amount of money.

The Situation

Founded in 1987, MHCD is the designated community mental health authority for the City and County of Denver. Specializing in the treatment of serious and persistent mental illness, MHCD employs more than 500 people, operates with an annual budget of $47 million and treats more than 15,000 patients on a yearly basis. Like any medical Center, thousands of medical records in a paper format began to pile up. MHCD established an EMR system in 2003 to help with paper overload and to comply with government regulations including the 1996 Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA).

However, after moving to an EMR system, paper records were still used for documents that needed signatures and other business documents, causing an array of headaches. Even though some files were electronic, some were not and employees were spending at least one minute retrieving each record in file cabinets or even in an off-site warehouse. This totaled an extra 20 hours spent, per week, retrieving files. Plus, the cost was adding up – MHCD was paying nearly $1,300 per month to house more than 25 years of records off-site. Ultimately, staff members’ time was not being properly utilized and the paper files were taking up too much space, which was costing the Center money. MHCD needed a solution that would provide one point of entry for patient records and also centralize record management.

The Solution

After considering three different options, MHCD chose PaperFlow as the solution because it was not a pay-per-page model. They then worked with Imagetek, a Digitech Systems reseller, to install an ECM system. In November 2005, the Center started using PaperFlow and began scanning more than 7,000 records residing in 35 sites. Mary Peelen, Director of Health Information Systems at MHCD, said employees scan all active files and new admit or re-admit files. They expect to be completely electronic by the end of 2012.

PaperVision Enterprise was incorporated into the strategy to help house all parts of medical records and was integrated into Netsmart to retrieve information. Imagetek also assisted MHCD in upgrading to PaperVision Capture in 2010 to run the scanners and index all electronic documents, which saved time and money.

Due to MHCD’s outstanding savings, Nucleus Research, an independent analyst firm, performed an ROI study that calculated a 1315% ROI and six-month payback after implementing ECM.

“As agencies such as MHCD seek to do more with fewer resources, technology investments can be a valuable way to make existing staff more productive,” said Rebecca Wetteman, Vice President, Nucleus Research.

“With the help of PaperVision Capture and PaperVision Enterprise, we’re able to ensure protection of more than 10,000 records. Vulnerable information is no longer just sitting in drawers. And the cost savings are remarkable. Digitech Systems’ products have helped us save more than $225,500!”

-Mary Peelen,
Director of Health Information Services, MHCD

MHCD was looking for a way to increase staff productivity, centralize more than 10,000 patient records and then make those records accessible at one point of entry. Utilizing PaperVision Capture and PaperVision Enterprise provided EfficiencyNOW! in these areas and many others. First, there is more space for patient services. Thirteen rooms, previously used for file storage, have now opened up for patients, doctors, new services and training. There was also a significant decrease in time spent locating records. What used to take employees a minute or more now takes 10 seconds, increasing staff productivity by 90 percent! Implementing an ECM system also assists MHCD with retention and destruction by helping identify when to purge a record.

Another sigh of relief comes in the ControlNOW! MHCD experiences with an ECM system. Documents are much safer now that they are stored electronically, and managing records digitally also makes it easier for MHCD to adhere to HIPAA regulations. HIPAA asks providers to protect the privacy of personally identifiable health information (PHI), guard against unauthorized access to records, enable audit tracking of all uses of PHI and simplify exchange of information between providers. Because the Center can better secure, store and find documents, it’s become very easy to demonstrate meaningful use. They are doing so well, in fact, that the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act (ARRA) awarded MHCD a grant of federal government incentive funds to help offset costs associated with implementing an EMR system.

Less paper means more MoneyNOW!. Previously, MHCD was spending $15,500 annually in off-site storage fees. Also, of the nine employees dedicated to filing, five were reallocated. Removing those salaries saves MHCD a whopping $175,000 every year. The Center also avoided hiring a new coordinator, saving at least $35,000.

“It was so easy to make the switch to managing files, electronically,” Peelen said. “It takes so much less time, and we would never go back to the way we did things before. Currently we’re not passing out any paper records and the goal is to never touch the paper record again.”

About Imagetek

Imagetek is a full-service provider and national leader in ECM. Today, Imagetek markets in 17 states and customizes software solutions for companies of all sizes in the government, banking and healthcare industries. With more than 400 customers and approximately 100 ImageSilo clients, Imagetek manages nearly 10 million documents on ImageSilo. To learn more, visit their website at www.imagetek-inc.com or call 1.800.422.1330.

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