A huge time waster in any office is disorganization. If you’re spending even 5% of your day looking for misplaced documents, that’s 8 hours of an entire month spent doing nothing but searching! Imagine what you and your team could actually get done in those 8 hours if office documents were more organized.
Start Early
Organization is easiest if implemented from day one. Once things are already a mess, it’s hard and time-consuming to go through everything to straighten it out. So, do your agency a favor and make sure every asset, paper or digital, has a place to go before you ever open your doors. Make a place for everything and avoid any catch-all areas, as these just fuel the fire of disorganization. We cannot stress the utility of a good label machine for making office organization so much easier.
Go Digital
Digital organization is becoming increasingly important as more state and local governments shift to digital documentation requirements. A shared company network drive is a great tool to encourage digital organization. By organizing all digital files in one place and giving all employees secure access to view them, you can be sure that everyone in your office is on the same page. Also, modern operating systems all have the functionality to search shared drives, even searching through the text of scanned documents to find query matches. We highly recommend using digital assets over paper when possible.
Convert Existing Paper Documents to Digital Files
Scan existing paper files and documents onto the shared drive with an internet or cloud-enabled scanner, then organize the scanned files into folders on the drive as appropriate. When organizing digital files, use logical folder trees and descriptive file names to make searching easier. For example, naming a file “Policy 563 - Human Rights Committee Procedures” is much better than naming it just “Policy 563”.
Transition Data Collection to Digital
Since service documentation is one of the biggest uses of paper for any agency that provides healthcare services, finding ways to collect that documentation digitally is a great way to reduce paper use and clutter, reclaim office space back from gigantic file cabinets, eliminate costly storage facility fees, and improve office organization.
If your agency is looking for a simple digital documentation solution for IDD and ABA agencies, look no further! ConnectCare is a cloud-based, mobile-friendly, intelligently designed solution focused on making service documentation fast, easy, and accurate…because documentation is the foundation of how agencies get paid! Made for small to medium-sized agencies who don’t need a huge, one-size-fits-all software package, ConnectCare has an easy-to-use staff interface, practical administrator functions, streamlined reporting, and can be accessed from anywhere with an internet connection. To find out how ConnectCare can change the way your agency collects and uses service documentation, download our free ebook, then contact us for a demo.
Stick to a System
For paper documents, a well-executed physical filing system is in order. Use tried-and-true sorting methods, such as alphabetical or chronological, to keep documents in order and easily accessible. Be sure everyone in the office is on the same page (no pun intended) about how to file paper documents or designate all filing tasks to one specific person.
An Organized Office is a Happy Office
Organized offices are more productive and less stressful. Stop wasting time shuffling through unorganized papers trying to find a document that could be easily searched and shared in digital form. By implementing these simple office organization tips, IDD and ABA therapy service providers can focus on positive client outcomes instead of messy piles of paperwork.
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