by Larry Nocella

Created on: March 17, 2008   Last Updated: May 20, 2008

Switching from a paper-based office to a paperless one is certain to feel unusual at first, but the benefits are plain. Paperless clinical document management has significant advantages over paper-based systems.

COST SAVINGS
Saving money on paper is the most obvious savings, but there are others benefits, too. You'll no longer need to track the printer ink, purchase it and recycle the old ones. The elimination of printers results in the reappearance of precious desk space, which can be used for a nice plant, or more likely, for more work.

TIME SAVINGS
Looking through paper files can be time-consuming, tedious and fruitless. A paperless office can have its entire holdings searched in seconds using a computerized search. Make sure to name your files descriptively names and the computer does the rest. Most searches can search for a single word in the content of thousands of files. No paper cuts required.

SPACE SAVINGS
While memory and backup software are an added cost, they offset any storage space expenses. Paper files can easily take up an entire room. Backup DVDs can take up a single shelf. Now you have a free shelf where you can store all your unread time management books!

ENVIRONMENTAL BRAGGING RIGHTS
Obviously computers don't grow on trees, but reducing any paper will be admired by customers and vendors alike. Brag about it, put it in your promotion materials. Post a sign, or better yet, put it at the bottom of your emails. Tell the world you're doing your part, you've gone paperless.

Going paperless is certainly not the easiest thing to do. Paper has been around for thousands of years and is ingrained in our way of thinking. Done right, a paperless office can save time and money and trees all at once. As always when implementing change, make sure you have the right tools (easy-to-read screens, software to search for and create documents.) Make sure the goals are clear to your staff and they all receive adequate training on using the software.

The first time your computer searches through years of documents in seconds and finds exactly what you need, you'll know you've made the right choice.

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