Certified Records Management of Tampa, Smart Dome Vault is 60 feet tall, has 12,000 square feet of interior space including a floor to ceiling metal racking system, and is NARA (National Archives and Records Administration) Compliant. The Smart Dome Vault is engineered to withstand winds of more than 300 mph, providing protection from Category 5 tornado and hurricane pressures. The Certified Records Management Smart Dome also provides environmentally controlled protection for all forms of critical data and will be the safest and most secure vault facility available in the state of Florida.

The Certified Records Management Smart Dome uses ABC Domes’ construction process; utilizing monolithic concrete dome technology, double steel reinforced 6000 PSI Shotcrete, polyurethane foam insulation, and a custom Kevlar-reinforced air form.  The Certified Records Management Smart Dome Vault requires no windstorm insurance, is located on a high security site with solar lighting and  geo thermal HVAC.

Certified Records Management specializes in providing the most secure environment for their clients especially when it comes to critical documents and vital data.  In order to compliment their sophisticated Document Storage, Digital Solutions and Document Shredding, Certified Records Management investigated the ABC Dome Technology for vital records and media storage.  After visiting a proto-type facility and examining the specifications, Certified Records Management saw a perfect synergy.  ABC Domes allows Certified Records Management  to build the safest environment possible today in the Records and Information Industry and it is for that reason that the 2-20 Family of Companies has signed an exclusive contract to build these domes throughout the country, for records management.  In addition to providing a disaster-resistant structure, Certified Records Management, by way of ABC Domes,  also makes the following conveniences and amenities available:

• A safe, secure environment, housed in a structure built to withstand 300 mph winds.
• Security fencing and guardhouse
• Web-based video surveillance
• Fireproof, steel reinforced, concrete shell
• Humidity controlled environment
• 90 psf rolling steel doors

It’s amazing to see the Smart Dome Vault in a video – seeing it in person is awe-inspiring.

Please feel free to email Richard Ruck, richard.ruck@flacrm.com, personally to schedule a tour or call 888-723-3345 or 813-247-1944.

We have also provided a few places to come see us in 2012, a few sites to visit if you want to be informed on Records and Information Management topics or a few sites if you simply want to have some holiday fun.  If you have a little more time and would like to receive a copy of one of our December email newsletters please email me and in the subject line just place the appropriate 2-20 Company name, Arizona Records Storage Center, Storetrieve (Southern California) or Certified Records Management (Florida) and I will ensure to add you to that location’s distribution.  In the interim, have a happy, safe and wonderful holiday from all of us at the 2-20 Family of Companies.

End of the Year Records Storage Clean Up Tips

1.  Get Rid of Paper Files

Have another party in addition to the office party and focus on purging old information, especially paper files.  Order lunch and have a small contest to see who can finish first or purge the most (note- always check the retention schedule first to be compliant).  Don’t forget to recycle and shred confidential documents!  Make office bets on who will win and donate the proceeds to a local charity.

2.  Get Rid of Old Emails

Leave work early, but take your work home with you.  Watch a good, long movie that you’ve seen before so you don’t get too distracted.  Sit down with your computer and go through your Inbox and Sent items.  Purge what you don’t need and file the rest in relevant folders out of your Inbox.  Just like in the movies, sometimes you just have to let go.

3.  Unsubscribe to Paper and Electronic Mailings

Unwanted emails or physical mail take up a lot of your time.  Take a few hours and hit the unsubscribe button to as many emails as you can in a few hours.  Also take the time to look up your unwanted printed catalogs, magazines and other mailings and stop receiving those as well.  Less mail to toss or delete is a gift that will keep on giving throughout the year.

4.  Become Electronically Green

A Christmas tree isn’t the only   thing that should be evergreen.  Don’t just limit your ‘green’ attitude to cutting back on paper.  Cut down your electronic storage as well,  since more storage equals more back-up equipment and electricity that’s being wasted.  Purge old files and consider what you really need to save over the year to be e-green.  Do something nice for yourself too.

5.  Take Things Off-site

Whether it’s taking your excess personal stuff home or shipping your boxes to off-site storage, you will feel physically and mentally relieved if that mountain of paper (and promotional vendor items) is gone from your desk, hallway or closet.  Start the new year off right with less clutter, less things to collect dust and more of an open area to work in.  Trust me, you’ll feel better.

WHERE TO FIND US IN 2012*

MARCH

• Storetrieve: Southern California Inland Empire ARMA Chapter Annual Conference

Ayeres Hotel and Suites, Southern, California

March 21, 2012

• Arizona Records Storage Center:  ARMA Arizona Spring Seminar

March 20, 2012

APRIL

• Certified Records Management: ARMA Gold Coast Chapter Event

April 11-14 Tentative Date

• Storetrieve:  ARMA Greater Los Angeles Chapter Conference

Date to Follow

AUGUST

• Arizona Records Storage Center: Association of Legal Administrators Valley of the Sun Chapter Business Education and Business  Partner Expo

Hyatt Regency, Phoenix

August 22, 2012

*Note some locations have not been finalized by organizations and more events will be addedd as the year progresses

RECORDS NEWS AND INFORMATION

NARA Records Management Publications

Current ARMA Arizona Chapter Newsletter

FREE Seminar: Business Continuity for Records and Information RIM ARMA Fundamental Series

Obama Orders Agencies to Review Records Management Policies

AHIMA Offers Course to Prepare for ICD-10

FUN Holiday Sites to Visit:

Elf Yourself

If you have not elfed yourself, your spouse or your children, this is a lot of fun.

Create Free Video from Santa

Create a fun personal email to your children, coworkers or spouse, from Santa. Another fun element to add to your holiday if you indeed celebrate Christmas

The 12 Days of Cookies

Fun cookie recipes to bake, share and enjoy.

It has been an exciting time for the 2-20 family of Companies as we roll out Smart Storage Solutions® with everything from new trucks, locking systems, technologies to facilities – yes, facilities. I would be remiss to dive right into our innovations if I did not note that, without such an amazing team, on every level, we would have never been able to progress at such a rapid pace.  The value-add of each employee and their action-oriented attitude continues to be nothing more than exceptional.   The 2-20 Family of companies has worked together to achieve great innovations and here is a glimpse at just a few:

ARIZONA RECORDS STORAGE CENTER, ARSC, Phoenix, Arizona

The ARSC Phoenix Facility Grand Opening

Arizona Records Storage Center marked the culmination of new offices, racking systems, security systems, uniforms and the introduction of a new Babaco Lock equipped fleet of vehicles, at its Grand Opening of its Phoenix facility, on November 4, 2011.   As one customer noted the Phoenix facility it is a true ‘Show Place.’

As impressive as our facility, vehicles and security, it is our systems that had many at our Grand Opening hooked.  The systems are the inner belly of the machine, and mark the sophistication of the day-to-day operation.  Equally important are tools to place in the hands of the customer. The end-user should have the ability to work the way they do today, only better.  The same goes within the record center.  Technology needs to provide automation, increase speed and work with business rules to guarantee 100% accuracy and implement the RIM policies and programs of each individual customer.  I don’t want to digress to far into systems, as they alone deserve their own blog post, which we will tackle in December.

When ARSC Phoenix opened its doors at the Grand Opening we introduced our Smart Storage Solutions® systems to our customers and prospective clients.  These included:  Smart Track, Smart Scan and SmartWeb.  Smart Track demonstrated our error-free chain-of-custody tracking and the systems used to validate each transaction from shelf, to truck, to customer and back again.  Our customers even took part in some hands-on chain-of-custody tracking.  Smart Scan, demonstrated a full array of scanning and imaging solutions.  Last and perhaps of greatest interest to ARSC customers was our Smart Web solution.  SmartWeb provides customers a tool to assist with complex compliance requirements, RIM protocols and ultimately makes their jobs easier.  Customers were impressed by SmartWeb’s ability to be tailored to look and feel the way their office does today.  This replication of field names and titles decreases the learning curve and makes SmartWeb familiar; an extension of their operation. With hands on SmartWeb demonstrations, ARSC customers learned how to place requests, standardize and update their information and finally print, create and export useful reports, all without ever leaving their desks.  The trifecta of solutions, Smart Track, Smart Scan and SmartWeb showed that storing boxes on shelves is the smallest part of what we do, managing information through Smart Storage Solutions® is our true skill set.

Learn More About Arizona Records Storage Center

Note: On the lighter site, as I was present at the Grand Opening, I was consistently getting locked in the offices unable to access the record center.  When this happened while accompanied by clients at the Grand Opening, we had a good laugh as I unintentionally demonstrated our security.  I would like to call this accidental marketing.

STORETRIEVE, Montebello, California

The Storetrieve State-of-the-art Media Center

Storetrieve of Southern California opened its doors to its new Media Center designed for the Entertainment Industry and those businesses in need of data protection and vital records management.   George NeJame, Media Sales Executive with over 30 years experience in Production and Broadcast Operations, managed this initiative with a successful goal of filling a ‘gaping hole in the media storage business.’   Using Smart Storage Solutions® driven by Smart Technology in every area the Media Center Storetrieve created a Media Center and management model that in unique to the California Market.

A few of the Smart Technology solutions used to manage the Media Center includes:

Smart Climate Control:  Smart Climate Control communicates temperature and humidity levels in real time from any Internet connection. Using automated system Alerts, personnel is notified should temperature or humidity deviate. The system also maintains a historical data log of temperature and humidity levels for audit purposes

SmartWeb:  SmartWeb media management allows 24/7/365 access and management of media from any Internet connection and creates a more fluid and efficient workflow with no more forms, phone calls or faxes.

The Storetrieve Media Center has truly resonated withthe Media CommunityWhen the doors opened customers and prospective clients immediately began to advantage
themselves of the benefits of the Media Center.  The Storetrieve Media Center is another Smart Storage Solution® only available from Storetrieve.

Learn more about the Storetrieve Media Center

CERTIFIED RECORDS MANAGEMENT, CRM, Tampa, Florida

Certified Records Management Unveils Its NARA Compliant, Category F5 Tornado Rated, Media and Vital Record Smart Dome Vault 

Certified Records Management, CRM, of Tampa, Florida unveils plans to construct a state-of-the-art, NARA Compliant, free standing Smart Dome Vault designed to withstand a category F5 Tornado and an excess of 300+ MPH winds. The CRM Smart Dome Vault will provide environmentally controlled protection for all forms of Media and Vital Records.  The CRM Smart Dome Vault will be the safest and most secure vault currently available in the state of Florida and is targeted for completion in February 2012.

The CRM Smart Dome Vault structure, as redundant as it sounds, is a true dome.  The dome shape alone provides advantages of withstanding natural disaster such as
tornados and further fortified with the use of monolithic dome technology.   Once you enter the dome you will find it is protected with a Fike Proinert automatic gas fire suppression system.  Fike Proinert is one of the best performing and environmentally friendly gas suppression systems available today.  The Vital Records area of the Smart Dome Vault’s fire protection is provided by a pre-action automatic sprinkler system
with smoke detectors.  The CRM Smart Dome Vault meets or exceeds all industry standards and specifications required for the most critical data.  The CRM Smart
Dome coupled with CRM’s Smart Storage Solutions® will provide a media, data protection and vital record protection solution making it the safest vault in the state of Florida.

Learn more about the CRM Smart Dome Vault

As you can see, Smart Storage Solutions® is not simply a tag line, each 2-20 location lives, eat, sleeps and breaths this solution set.    As the 2-20 family of companies continue to grow, we will integrate Smart Storage Solutions® into our facilities, methodologies, technology all delivered by our exceptional team.  We encourage you to investigate our Smart Storage Solutions® and we will gladly email you a full document giving you even greater detail on individual solutions and our locations that provide them.  Just email me today aedmondson@2-20rm.com and I will ensure you receive it.  In the interim, we will try to get some Smart rest as all this innovation keeps us busy only aided by adrenaline to keep it all going.  Have a happy and wonderful Thanksgiving. 

This investment in infrastructure and customer partnership is what we refer to as  2-20’s Smart Storage Solutions^®.  It is a radically different approach, business commitment and philosophy towards information management.  We believe that storing and retrieving boxes is simply not enough.  We are 100% accountable to our customers. Our operations team will use technology to enforce, yes enforce, and notify the customer, on various elements of the customer’s RIM program.  This requires elaborate degrees of communication and planning.    We believe customers need service, GUARANTEED service levels and enforcement protocols driven by technology, people and processes. This ensures RIM plans made on-site are replicated when moved off-site.   Surprisingly, or perhaps not, with greater control of the customers’ RIM program with their Information Management vendor, consumers also have greater control of their RIM costs; a complete operational and fiscal win/win. This is SMART records management.

How interesting it was for me to read recently, knowing how we established the Smart Storage Solutions^® as the core of 2-20 Family of companies, the article in ARMA’s Information Management July/August issue, Making the Case for Merging Document Control and Records  Management by Vera Beck, Mimi Dionne, CRM, CA, PMP, CIA+, Ilona Koti, CRM, PMP, CDIA+, Teri Loriss, Wendy McLain, CRM and Sue Veal, CRM.   This article addresses the internal Document Control and Records Management program creation stating:

“Although document control and records and information management (RIM) employees share a custodial responsibility that includes identifying, protecting, and presenting their identity’s records as assets, they do not share the same focus on managing information throughout the entire records life cycle – from creation to distribution and use, storage and maintenance, retention, and disposition or archival preservation.

Indeed, the line of custody between these two groups often confuses upper management, prompting either a more intense focus than necessary or complete disregard for the subject. A plan to educate the senior level, driven by the records manager, is recommended to integrate the two groups into a single working function. This was addressed in Part 1 of this series, which was published in the November-December issue of Information Management. Part 2 will expand on the idea of document control as a sub- set of RIM.

At a time when the economy is weak, there may be little money for any new initiatives. As a result, integrating document control and records management will require a strong case to demonstrate to the organization the better management of risk, what the changes will mean to the organization, what the new processes will look like, and how to train and motivate employees to make good use of the combined functions.”

The article continues on to outline how to achieve such a plan with all players working together on a cohesive, streamlined and productive Records and Information Management Program. This article served to validate our objectives within 2-20.  Why should a records and information management company not serve as a true extension of such well thought out programs working to ensure these policies are enforced once the information is
sent off site?  I should note that it is each customer’s decision to what SmartDoc level they would like to implement with 2-20’s family of companies.  Some customers feel general box level tracking is more than enough . Other customers want our highest level of SmartDoc tracking on everything from Document Storage, Data Protection, Document Shredding and Digital Solutions.   Some customers use SmartDoc Management tools because they do not have the systems and technology on-site that we can provide.  They also can use these  tools to access our systems for updates, orders and more via any web connection. This SMART document storage is the value-add that many businesses need.

The world has gotten more and more sophisticated with email management and so many electronic mediums entering the ‘records management’ umbrella.  This requires not just management, but quality management of new data forms allowing for retrieval when needed all the way to destruction when the appropriate retention date arrives.   With this in mind, managing information therefore has become far more than a barcode on a box, but retrieval of a document or a piece of text within an imaged document.  At 2-20 our Smart Storage Solutions^® address this level of management down to data entry enforcement.  This is an operational and infrastructure investment in sophistication, but then again Smart Storage Solutions^® is more than just a corporate slogan.   Our philosophy is to use balanced management to provide the value-add increasing communication, management and keep costs within budgets.  Customers know what and where
they are spending their resources on and eliminate all costs associated with simply finding information once it leaves their offices.   The gain here is in compliance, control and ultimately savings.

Now I pose the question: should RIM policy management be that of the Business entity, i.e lawyer, architect, accountant, physician etc., alone to manage their information or should the record center be a partner to enforce their RIM policies and procedures?   Is communication a critical role with the record center or should the record center stick to storing information?

1.  I think part of a best friend’s job should be to immediately clear your computer history if you die.

2.  Nothing is worse than that moment during an argument when you realize you’re wrong.

3.  I totally take back all those times I didn’t want to nap when I was younger.

4.  There is great need for a sarcasm font.

5.  How are you supposed to fold a fitted sheet?

6.  Was learning cursive really necessary?

7.  Map Quest really needs to start their directions on # 5. I’m pretty sure I know how to get out of my neighborhood.

8.  Obituaries would be a lot more interesting if they told you how the person died.

9.  I can’t remember the last time I wasn’t at least kind of tired.

10.  Bad decisions make good stories.

11.  You never know when it will strike, but there comes a moment at work when you know that you just aren’t going to do anything productive for the rest of the day.

12.  Can we all just agree to ignore whatever comes after Blue Ray? I don’t want to have to restart my collection…again.

13.  I’m always slightly terrified when I exit out of Word and it asks me if I want to save any changes to my ten-page technical report that I swear I did not make any changes to.

14.  “Do not machine wash or tumble dry” means I will never wash this – ever.

15.   I hate when I just miss a call by the last ring (Hello? Hello? Darn it!), but when I immediately call back, it rings nine times and goes to voice mail. What did you do after I didn’t answer? Drop the phone and run away?

16.  I would rather try to carry 10 over-loaded plastic bags in each hand than take 2 trips to bring my groceries in.

17.  The only time I look forward to a red light is when I’m trying to finish a text.

18.  I have a hard time deciphering the fine line between boredom and hunger.

19.  How many times is it appropriate to say “What?” before you just nod and smile because you still didn’t hear or understand a word they said?

20.  I love the sense of camaraderie when an entire line of cars team up to prevent a jerk from cutting in at the front. Stay strong, brothers and sisters!

21.  Shirts get dirty. Underwear gets dirty. Pants? Pants never get dirty, and you can wear them forever.

23.  There’s no worse feeling than that millisecond you’re sure you are going to die after leaning your chair back a little too far.

24.  Sometimes I’ll look down at my watch 3 consecutive times and still not know what time it is.

25.  Even under ideal conditions people have trouble locating their car keys in a pocket, finding their cell phone, and Pinning the Tail on the Donkey – but I’d bet everyone can find and push the snooze button from 3 feet away, in about 1.7 seconds, eyes closed, first time, every time!

The Ten Essential Elements to a Successful EMR Installation

1.   Project Planning

There is one unanimous sentiment for those who have installed and implemented EMR systems in their offices regardless of the specialty, ultimate success is a factor of pre-installation planning, team commitment and goal setting. Any and all EMR systems, regardless of the price tag or the sophistication of their functionality will fail without proper preparation.  The first step in every office should be to ask the following: 

1. What are you looking to achieve in your office specifically? 
2. Review your current workflows.  Review how you would like them to work in an electronic mode.  What steps can you reduce, eliminate, or do you need to add.  These workflow reviews need to be covered from all aspects of the practice.
3. What problems exist today?  How can you affect change in those areas?

Your internal team is a critical success factor. How will changes you are anticipating affect staff?  It is critical that staff is involved during all reviews.  They need to understand what changes are coming so they have time to prepare.  Staff can ensure a project succeeds or ultimately fails. 

2.   Workflow, Workflow, Workflow

Workflow is the core component of the operation of an office.   What changes can you make to work better, smarter?  What changes may be forced on you by a new solution?  Test the workflows.  Does it match what you are trying to accomplish?  Many times theory and reality are two different things.  Before you design your system around what you think is a new and improved workflow, make sure it doesn’t adversely impact another part of your practice.  Attention to detail will help you for years to come, take the time to do it right.

In workflow processes you need to think integration.  What orders do you currently write and how will you interact with various suppliers in an electronic world?  Communication to referring physicians and information you currently send and/or received needs to carefully reviewed.   What forms do you currently use?  Consider which of these are needed in the electronic world, which should be revised before the transition and which can be eliminated?

3.   Needs Assessment

Once you have your goals established and workflows reviewed you can identify your organizations specific needs.  Include everything from basic infrastructure and resources, to changes in communication with partners or related organizations.

4.   Select a EMR Project Director and Physician advocate

Each implementation needs a leader, a Project Director; a single individual from within the organization responsible for directing the implementation and working in cooperation with the Solutions Team Manager.  The Project Director must have a thorough understanding of how the office currently functions, and have a clear vision of the organizations goals moving forward.  Timing is critical during the implementation phase.  The Project Director must be given authority to make decisions and have access to people and information needed during the implementation phase.  The Physician Advocate is generally the Managing Practice Partner and will work hand and hand with the Project Director.  Decisions made by the implementation team should be reviewed periodically to make sure the project is in line with the desires of the physician community.  A team approach and buy in is imperative. 

The EMR Project Director also needs to spread enthusiasm about the project through the staff community.  Get staff involved in the project early so they feel part of the project.  Give them some ownership over specific, small items, to get them involved and excited about the coming changes.

5.   Process Assessment

Analyze current processes within the practice.  This goes beyond just workflow to individual roles and duties, to specific processes that lie within scheduling, administration, and clinical parts of the organization.  Who does what, and how may that change in an electronic world?  Use the EMR implementation to include a review of all systems and processes.

6.   Gain Buy In

You need to gain support.  Staff buy-in is critical to the success of any major project.  Team meetings should occur early and often during the project planning and transition process.  Some roles, functions and responsibilities will inevitably have to change.  Staff will need to change to meet the needs of the changing practice.  Your organization may consider working with individuals or organizations that specialize in change management.  These organizations can help your management identify obstacles and can help staff work through concerns, fears, and hesitancies related to the transition.  It is best to know early in the process if specific personnel aren’t suited to the new vision for the company – it does happen.  When identified, it is important to acknowledge, and address the issue quickly and work to reassign the individual to other duties in the organization or assist them in finding a more suitable working environment.  Maintaining a positive environment in the team is an important requirement.

There will be times when frustrations will occur.  This is common in almost every implementation regardless of size.  Know that it will occur and work with your partners and staff to address issues as they occur – not at some later date.

7.   Hardware Assessment

The solution you decide on will dictate some of your computer hardware needs.  You will need in-house servers, access to some offsite hosting facility, or simple high speed internet access to utilize the EMR from within the office.  Main system access is generally available through PC’s in each exam room or tablet PC’s assigned to key individuals who will carry them from room to room.  PC’s on carts is also common, giving physicians the ability to ‘wheel’ their PC around the office.  The goal is that the hardware not come between the interaction between the physician and patient, but actually enhances the interaction.  Look back to your workflow and discuss with your team how the hardware can best be used as a communication tool between staff and the patient.

8.   Disaster Recovery

Develop a disaster recovery plan around your new EMR.  The disaster recovery plan needs to include processes that get you back and running as soon as possible after a hardware, software, or natural disaster.  Disaster recovery can include copying each days data onto a separate machine in a separate office or running redundant systems in separate data centers or ‘co-locations’.  Develop a plan and put processes in place that force you to periodically test your back-up processes. The best case is you will never need it – the worst case is you will be prepared.

9.   How will you implement:  Phased Approach or the Big Bang Approach

The approach best for your practice will depend on your specific situation and the complete ‘solution set’ you are implementing.  In some cases, an all at once just isn’t possible due to the complexity of your organization.  The complete suite planned for implementation should be reviewed and analyzed to identify the best approach for your staff and your patient’s.

• The Phased Approach allows a system to be phased in over a period of time.  This allows a transition through a series of go-lives and training specific to areas being used.  Each phase is planned and staff buy-in is obtained as each section of the system is implemented.  This allows users to get used the system over time.  A phased approach creates its own set of complexity because for a period of time you will be running a hybrid paper/electronic system.  In addition, a phased approach generally costs more money because it takes longer to get from start to finish.

• An ‘Big Bang Approach’ implementation is where all facets and functions of the EMR go live at the same time.  Of course the implementation time frame via this method is quicker.  The team will very quickly see the value of the fully operational system.  This method has a smaller period of adjustment for staff and requires a higher commitment to initial training as many capabilities will be put into use simultaneously.

IMPORTANT:  Regardless of your transition methodology, you must decide ultimately what to do with your paper records.  Some physicians have had all their records scanned to CDs and stored off-site.  Others have sent their files to off-site storage with associated retention schedules and destruction dates noted.  Charts must be kept for varying periods often from 7 years for adults to 25 years for children.  Laws differ from state to state, age of patient, type of record and so on.  All of this information can be captured electronically and a document management company can notify you when your charts can be destroyed according to the destruction dates you have established.  This is an important, necessary step in any and all transitions. 

10.   Training

The last but probably most important step is training the Project Director should have extensive training on the system, including administration functions to understand the full power of the EMR solution.  The Project Director must know all aspects of the practice and marry the practice needs and goals with the capabilities of the system.  The Project Director becomes your champion in communications with your staff and coordination/cooperation with partners.  The Project Director will lead or participate in all staff training sessions.  In many cases training occurs in phases so areas of the practice are not left ‘unmanned’.

It is extremely important that clinicians spend time with hardware prior to go-live.  They must commit to knowing how to use a system before putting it in front of patients.  Assuming all PC’s work exactly the same is a mistake.  Create test scenarios and require all users to practice.  It is also important to train your patients.  Inform them of the coming change, let them know why and provide patients a list of short-term and long-term benefits you expect to make available to them. 

Note:  In any transition it is always good to inform your patients.  They can complete forms on-line prior to visit and assist in the effort.  Patients will know the office is investing in their future and will appreciate features such as eprescribing.  Equally important, it will give them some insight as to why things have changed or may be not as they have been on their prior visits.  Don’t forget this variable as in the end that is whom are there to serve.   

Summary

Implementations have high failure rates due to one variable:  PREPARATION.  With the proper planning and workflow analysis you invest in your success both short term and long term.  There are no short cuts.  If a vendor sells you on a quick fix, there simply isn’t one.  You must study your needs, goals and workflow without exception. This front end investment of time equates to a greater ROI on your EMR/EHR as well as increased patient satisfaction.  Implementation is a process, a plan to create positive change for both patient and practice. Done correctly, an EHR represents enormous progress for providers and their ability to improve safety and patient care for years to come. Ultimately a successful EMR outcome can be defined by the ability to improve the way a physician practices medicine, it is then you can consider the implementation a success.

——————————————————————————————-

Pick a skill … any skill. Let’s take Sales as an example.

There is no such thing as a “Born Salesman”, just like there is no such thing as a “Born Doctor”. It takes time, effort, education and experience to be either of these. Yes, it is true that there are individuals who have some personality traits that might make them more qualified to be a particular profession but there is much work to do to insure that you get to your goal.

Every class in medical school has a Doctor who finished last in his class. The same is true at Xerox and IBM and every other sales organization in the world. Everyone wants to go to the Doctor who is the best but is it always the one who finished first in his class academically? Not necessarily so … as a matter of fact there is rarely a correlation between education and success. So what makes a good doctor? Could it be care and concern for his patience, could it be hard work that keeps him sharp, could it be a passion for his trade? Perhaps, it is all of these.

Every Company wants the best salesman that they can hire. Is it the one who just graduated first in his class in communications?  Could it be the one who has worked hard to overcome growing up poor? Is it the one with the most desire? So what makes a good salesman? Is it a quest for excellence? Is it hard work? Is it a desire to make money? Perhaps, it is all of these.

No one is granted three magic wishes from a Genie. No one is enlightened all at once?

Everyone wants to be something in life. That “something” is usually their passion. Ask anyone what they would be if there were no obstacles to consider. What would make you Happy? A better word is fulfilled in life? I can tell you from personal experience that the most difficult thing in life is to come to grips with this challenge … What do I want to be?

If you are serious about this there are proven methods that work and have been written about for decades. My favorite book that will start you on the path is, “Think and Grow Rich” by Napoleon Hill. This book written in the 1930’s has been on the best sellers list since it was written. It is not technically a “success” book. It is a mindset. Hill studied what made individuals successful and documented it from an observer’s point of view.

In our world it works like this!

First, determine what you love to do

This may well be the hardest part. It takes time and effort. There are ways that you can use to assist you. Take a personality test or two and find out how you score on typical personality traits. Then go on a weekend retreat, take yourself out of the humdrum of the world. It could be a spiritual retreat or just a time in a cabin in the woods. Make a list of the activities that you love and those that you hate. Clarify the ones that are most important to you. Research and understand what it will take to learn that skill and to become an expert at it. Write a one page essay on what it would mean to you if you could do this. Do not let any obstacles get in the way at this time, simply articulate your dream. Joseph Campbell wrote, “One of the principals of human life is to follow you Bliss. “We will take care of the obstacles later in the process.

Determine what you need to do to become an Expert at your Passion

Read books, do Internet searches. Learn what is available free and at a cost of Time, Talent and Treasure. In some cases it will take more education. In some cases it will take an apprenticeship. In others it may require a Mentor. Napoleon Hill has written about forming what he calls a “Master Mind Group”. These are friend who have no interest in you other than to help you. They should be positive people that can help you visualize your dream. This may take some time to sort through. Find a Mentor who you can count on to grow and keep on path. The Buddhist have a saying; “When the Student is ready the Teacher appears”. Write a life action plan. It will not be finished until you reach the end of your path. The longest journey starts with the first step. Take your first step.

Make your Passion Valuable to the Marketplace

When you do what you Love … you become a Master at it. The whole idea of the Mentor-Protégé relationship is that the student eventually passes the teacher … and that is good. Whatever you have chosen as your passion or delight, take another look at it and determine what is valuable about it and how you can make it valuable to other people or companies. Peter Drucker the sage of Management said in one of his last books before he passed away a few years ago, “Have a Myopic Skill”. The more you hone your skill the more valuable it becomes. Take the example of a Medical Doctor who specializes in Cancer Treatment. Then he specialized further in Pediatric Cancer. This is a skill within a skill within a skill. The more myopic you make it the more valuable you become. It doesn’t matter what you choose it always happens because that is a primary rule of life. “Find out what you Love and Do It … but make it Valuable to the Marketplace”. All spiritualities speak of “using your talents”.

The Model of Mastering Anything

Unconsciously Incompetent – We all start in life at this step. We don’t know what we don’t know. I don’t know anything about Nuclear Fission. I don’t even know what I don’t know about it.

Consciously Incompetent – If we want to understand anything, we can read about it or search the Internet. Perhaps we can read a general book or two about it. This then allows us to at least understand what we don’t know. So we now are conscious of what we are incompetent of.

Consciously Competent – The next step is to learn about your passion, take courses, get a degree, or take an apprenticeship. Become knowledgeable about your passion. Never stop learning about it … you love it so that won’t be very hard. There is never enough knowledge.

Unconsciously Competent – Just do it! This is when a skill becomes second nature to you. You know and understand it so well that you just do it. This takes experience and continued learning and a desire for excellence.

Cary McGov­ern known as File­Man is the mar­ket leader for Records and Infor­ma­tion Man­age­ment Train­ing Resources. Dur­ing his 34 year career, he has assisted in the devel­op­ment of 500+ Com­mer­cial Records Cen­ters in 38 coun­tries, trained more than 2,500+ stu­dents. File­Man train­ing resources are used by RIM com­pa­nies worldwide.

Tom Dumez of Kent Records discussed employee engagement at a recent conference.  Here is an excerpt from what he had to say:

Let me challenge you with some statistics that were taken from a recent survey. How well do you really know your employees?  Did you know that 46% of employees are either reactively or actively disengaged, have misguided loyalty, or are actually there mostly to negatively impact your business?  These employees cost us way too much money year after year, yet we usually keep them because “they have been here so long.”  Why do most companies historically hold onto the ‘fat’ for so long, instead of trimming it? We simply try moving the fat from one part of the body to another, which means we really didn’t lose any weight. We merely shifted it.

At 2-20 we believe it is our responsibility to constantly challenge employees to discover new ways to engage and serve the customer regardless of the service offering:  records storage, data protection, document shredding or digital solutions.  The question becomes how can an employee find improved work flow methods, promote individual strengths to serve the good of the whole? Complacency can become part of the culture.  If you have excellent employees and reward for new ideas this also becomes part of culture.  Remind your team, a job may remain the same, yet technology is evolving.  How can a position evolve with it?

Years ago, at my first record center experience we couldn’t hold on to Telemarketers.  It takes the right person to call and call, day after day.  We needed to make a change because no sooner had we invested in training our Telemarketer, they would leave.  We made a change in the way we executed the position.  We had our telemarketer spend part of the day calling new customers and part of the day visiting existing customers.  It worked.  Over time we also sent this person out with driver for one day each month.  They were a walking survey on how the pick-up and deliveries were going, asking the client for their feedback.  On the way out, they dropped off a bag of candy.  These visits were appreciated by the customer, were a great experience for our telemarketer to better understand the end-user they were calling, and kept them engaged in their position.  This was the ultimate win/win.

There is the tendency for complacency.  Perhaps it is the challenge of the corporation to think creatively and create a culture of consistent change.  Long term employees are extremely valuable and their intuitive nature of the business becomes a business asset.  Yet, it important to challenge your team to avoid:  ‘this is the way we have always done it.’ That doesn’t make it necessarily the best way.  How about companies who give time throughout the day for creative thinking.  Did you know if it weren’t for such allotted time the ‘post it’ note would never have been invented?   3M is sure glad they had this policy as this was the brainchild one team member discovered during such a period set aside for creative thinking.  At 2-20 we encourage and invest in the concept of consistent evolution, employee appreciation and a culture of innovation.

“There are so many cool things happening within the broader RIM industry that no one is actively integrating all the information across all the service focus areas in this kind of media format” said Tom. 

Thus a new show was born in July of 2010.

The RIMproReport is a weekly show dedicated to the RIM services industry featuring industry news as well as interviews with interesting industry business leaders, practitioners, suppliers  and experts. Tom always adds a unique element of fun and humor to the show as well. You have to listen to get it.  

This show is valuable to companies, owners and employed individuals in the following industry areas:

• records storage and management
• document management
• scanning and imaging
• shredding and destruction
• data protection
• media storage management

Be sure to tune in each and every Thursday for a new episode. The show can also be downloaded to your iPhone via an  iTunes subscription

The show can be found at http://RIMproReport.com

Listen and let us know what you think.  Also don’t forget to visit the 2-20 family of companies for our ever-changing home page.  We will welcome spring tomorrow.  We took a little longer because we wanted you to take time to enjoy the look of our new sites before making the change.  Like google our page will change for events, seasons and world happenings.  Our goal is to always give you a new reason to visit.  Happy Spring!

www.2-20rm.com

www.storetrieve.net

www.azfile.com

www.flacrm.com