Posted by laurielnc on 3/11/10 11:57pm
Msg #326783

Medical record scanning....

This was discussed by Cari message #318760. Has anyone tried to do this to fill in when it's slow? If so, how did they find work and who do you contact? I have a laptop and a portable scanner, but looks like you have to work for companies that do this full time. Do they look for people part time? Just wondering.

Reply by BobbiCT on 3/12/10 6:55am
Msg #326798

Reply: Medical record scanning....

I think you'll have to do some direct marketing.

The medical offices I know of (including my own and relatives' doctors) have their receptionist or bookkeeper scan records at the doctor's office. Obviously, they don't need a notary for scanning and they don't feel the need to hire outside help (HIPPA & privacy issues plus their salaried staff has time available to do this [no additional out-of-pocket expense]).

I know of two Connecticut IT companies that set up the hardware and software for medical offices to have everything on laptops, including scanning of any existing records. This week I learned that my lab results, hospital records, including X-rays, are available on-line INSTANTLY for my doctor and many records from specialists are also on-line (no scanning needed), during my doctor's visit everything at that appointment was entered into the laptop ... including a prescription that was e-faxed with the click of a mouse directly to my pharmacy. Cool: No paper during the entire process and my records are available at EVERY office of the medical practice; i.e., I can go to any doctor at any of the practice's offices and s/he has my records available at the click of a mouse.

I say this because you may need to do direct marketing to small medical offices to scan their existing records as they convert to e-records. Perhaps the smaller companies don't have the staff time and the IT company hired to set the system up doesn't have staff or is beyond the e-file transfer budget (i.e., your fee to scan will be less that the IT company).

Reply by CF on 3/12/10 7:58am
Msg #326815

Re: Reply: Medical record scanning....

You may have some success with small independent practices. My Dentist office just converted everything on-line last year. They operate independently of any of medical company. They have a small staff and have a large patient base....they may have outsourced if it would have presented itself.

I would suggest doing your research in small medical building...any company that is part of an integrated health management company will not be able to use your services...they handle that for them.

I would then use page-maker or something to design a real nice marketing flyer.. a one pager with your services and your contact information and 3 key points why outsourcing would make sense to them. Independent Dr offices still make a lot of money....and if they have only a 2-3 person office team ....they may be likely candidates.

In my example....my Dentist used his son that was home from college for the summer and paid him to do the scanning b/c they only have 2 office assistants.

I would figure out an hourly rate that would make sense and figure out how many you can do per hour....and then you will need to work out a flat rate. I suspect that they will want to pay $ blank for the whole service. I doubt they will want you invoicing them. One thing to keep in mind....most office's, even small, have 1000's of patients that they will want scanned. Can you really do this on a part time basis? Do you really have the know how and the software to be successful? Do you know what software to suggest to them for them to purchase....it seems like to me there is a more of a consultative phase of this as well.....and you need to have resources.

Just showing up with a scanner and lap top....is not going to get a medical office on-line. I am not being negative....but it sounds like to me that a solid business plan needs to be in place.

I worked in several medical office for a co-op job during high school and for a couple of years during college...before realizing that I could make bank waiting tables at high end restaurants; that started my quest for sales and entreneurship.

Reply by cawest/PA on 3/12/10 8:00am
Msg #326817

What you could do is what I did ... I contacted all the Nurses Associations and Hospitals in my area and let them know I was available 24/7 (that part has it's ups and downs ... had a call a 2am last night). I have been getting quite a bit of work thru the Visiting Nurses Association.
Just make sure that if you go that way, the patient is lucid and alert ...
I charge a flat fee for the services and if over 10 miles I add some for the mileage.

Reply by MW/VA on 3/12/10 8:21am
Msg #326820

Visiting Nurses Assoc. is very active in PA & Hospice is part of their scope, right?

Reply by cawest/PA on 3/12/10 9:11am
Msg #326831

Yes and the reason I came to know them is when of our dear friends that had no family took ill with cancer and we took him in till the end.
I was not willing to notarize for him due to the fact that he lived in our house and one evening when he started to go down he needed a document notarized and oh boy did we have a hard time getting a Notary to come in. I finally got a friend to come in from Wilkes Barre.
So I got the idea : why not offering my services?
Like nursing homes have a notary in place from 9am till around 4pm ... before and after they have to rely on us.

Reply by jba/fl on 3/12/10 9:31am
Msg #326835

Carpe diem - another point to emphasize

Out of all bad comes good; it is whether we are able to embrace the moment of adversity and get our little minds whirring.

I'm glad you are posting here cawest - you have opened my mind to something. It is startling where we find inspiration.

Reply by cawest/PA on 3/12/10 9:44am
Msg #326840

Re: Carpe diem - another point to emphasize

Well I feel that if we all gear up together we might come up with some ideas to fill in the blanks while we wait for the market to rebound
And nice to see you here as well

Reply by MW/VA on 3/12/10 4:12pm
Msg #326975

Nursing homes & rehab centers here do not have a notary on

duty--conflict of interest.