Gilmore Blog https://www.gilmoreservices.com/blog/topic/records-management

As an office manager, you have a lot on your plate: preparing payroll, developing and enforcing office policies, returning emails, ordering supplies, assisting with recruiting, and more.

One key responsibility that shouldn’t be overlooked is filing and storage. You need to store your company’s records properly to ensure compliance, efficiency and security.

Nurses are tasked with gathering patient information; thus, they are at the front of patient privacy and information security. Even with the extensive safety protocols in place in most doctors’ offices, hospitals, and other medical establishments, the staff must stay on top of information security to guard against the identity theft of medical records. It is doubly important for those working in smaller medical establishments, as many identity thieves believe – and hope – that information security is not as strong as in larger medical establishments.

Spring, what a wonderful time of year. The birds are chirping, the flowers are blooming and the sun’s shining just a little bit brighter. But the season isn’t all rainbows and butterflies. It’s also the time of year when many successful businesses start cleaning up the office.

It’s nearly the end of the year, which means the year-end paper purge is upon you. Now is the time you should start going through the stacks of paper you saved over the year. If this is the first time doing a paper purge, start with separating documents that are past their retention time and those that you need to keep longer. You can then file those you need to keep to make the year-end paper purge easier next year.

Identity theft is a draw for criminals, one that allows them to wreak havoc on people’s lives while being shrouded in secrecy. When tax season pops up, the stakes get even higher. All the information, from your Social Security number to your transcript, is often relatively easy to both intercept and capitalize on. The best thing for anyone to do right now is to be aware of how criminals function and who they target — because it’s not always the wealthiest people. In fact, it’s more likely to be an everyday person who just got a little careless about security. 

Using a company for RIM services significantly decreases the risk of losing important information. You not only know where all of your business records are but they are also kept safe from prying eyes. And, when combined with a retention schedule, your business records won't ever take over digital or physical storage.

Dealing with inclement weather any time of year can be hectic, but knowing how to protect paper from weather conditions that can affect your operations is critical. Businesses that use document storage methods to keep paper records intact face an uphill battle, especially because certain conditions can damage those documents. Too much moisture, too much heat, and water damage are all factors to consider.

If you are starting a new job working from a home office, you need to get the office ready before the first day of work. Being prepared is the best way to start and be successful in a new venture. Part of getting ready – other than furnishing the office – is to organize the services you will need, including document shredding. An office deals with many documents and digital media that contain others' private information.

It’s the time of year when it’s time to review and reflect on what’s occurred throughout the year. It’s also a time where purging should be at an all-time high. Document shredding should be on schedule for the final weeks of the year, in addition to document scanning for documents and data that can’t be disposed of. Knowing which records to retain and which ones can be destroyed can make or break an organization that deals with sensitive data. An effective plan must be in place and carried out on a consistent basis.

Data breaches can happen to anyone, regardless of the size of the company. A breach, whether of physical or digital documents, can cost you a lot of money. You could be fined, and the person whose identity was stolen could sue you. You can take steps to minimize the chances of a data breach. Combining document destruction, document scanning, records storage, cloud storage and implementing a strong security system for your computers are all things you can do to minimize a data breach.

Trusting a company to handle scanning your records, whether they are your HR records or your clients' files, is a big step for some businesses. When it comes to scanning and storage, you want to make sure that the company you choose scans every document and that the document storage facility is secure.

You’re ready to get back in the swing of things and are considering downsizing your home office. There are tons of things you can do, but first, determine why you are downsizing. Have your needs changed? Are you going back to the office? Businesses have a few challenges ahead as they determine whether they will start employing a full staff at the office, keep a rotating hybrid of employees, or want to go entirely remote. For employees, as you’re contemplating what’s next, consider the following:

People are often at one end of the spectrum or another – they either keep tax records forever or throw them away as soon as they do their taxes. If you're in the former category, it's time to go through all of those old records and shred those you don't need to keep. If you're in the latter category, you need to keep your tax record for up to seven years.

Data protection is a priority for small businesses. A single data breach can cost thousands of dollars in revenue and do irreparable damage to your company’s reputation.

The new reality created by the COVID-19 pandemic has led many businesses to embrace the idea of employees working remotely. As the crisis continues, we expect to see more business consolidating their workspace to reduce overhead expenses.

Small businesses have been hit hard by the mandatory closures and changes mandated during the COVID-19 pandemic. One way to get relief is to apply for an emergency loan as provided for in the CARES Act.

Spring is rapidly approaching and for many companies, it’s the ideal time to do some spring cleaning by clearing out and shredding old documents.

Tax season is here. For a lot of small business owners in Florida, it’s a stressful and busy time. With the pressure of tax filing deadlines and documentation requirements, it’s easy to get overwhelmed.

Records management is a crucial concern for every healthcare practice. Not only do you have a moral obligation to your patients to manage their records responsibly, but you also have a legal responsibility under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) to have a secure health record management system in place.

Do you have too many things or too much space? If you do, then you may want to consider becoming a minimalist. It’s a big step but one that can bring a great deal of harmony and peace to your life.

Managing a big project can be stressful, and it can also present an organizational challenge. In addition to bringing groups of people together, you also need to share access to important documents and other resources.

Complying with HIPAA law is a requirement for all companies in the healthcare industry as well as all medical providers. If you’re starting your own business and HIPAA law affects you, you might be feeling overwhelmed at the thought of adhering to HIPAA regulations.

Storing customer data puts you in the position of being responsible for protecting your customers’ personal information. Whether you’re storing financial data such as credit card numbers, bank account numbers and Social Security numbers, or personal healthcare information, you have a moral and legal responsibility to act responsibly.

HIPAA privacy policies exist to protect patients’ personal health information. The responsibility of complying with HIPAA regulations falls with healthcare providers, insurance companies, and any other organization that collects and stores health records.

Even if your finances and personal affairs are uncomplicated, you still have personal documents that you must retain for legal purposes. But you might not be clear about which documents you need to keep and how long you need to retain them.

Every company should be concerned with information security. The average data breach costs $3.9 million and can do irreparable damage to your company’s reputation. The same is true with compliance missteps, which can cost thousands of dollars in fines and lost trust.

Record retention is important for every business. Depending on the industry, enterprises are required to retain a variety of documents in adherence with regulations and destroy them on a schedule. Individuals also need to think about record retention and dispose of personal information properly.

Every organization that stores health and medical records on behalf of patients must adhere to HIPAA regulations. The regulations specify which records must be stored, which security measures must be taken, and when records must be destroyed.

Every company has a responsibility to keep accurate accounts. The Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 dictates specific record-keeping and accounting requirements. Failure to comply with them can lead to legal penalties as well as damage to your reputation.

Properly indexing, storing, and destroying documents according to regulations can be a time-consuming task. Many companies struggle to keep up, and yet, the cost of improperly storing and destroying documents can be astronomical.