Massage & Bodywork

NOVEMBER | DECEMBER 2019

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Does HIPAA Matter? Yes. Probably. The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPA A) sets the standard for sensitive patient data protection. It may seem overwhelming to make your devices and storage options compliant, but it just takes common sense, smart passwords, and using services that understand your business. Google's G Suite is our favorite option for online storage, and a business account can be made HIPA A compliant. Also, most major online scheduling systems have compliance built in or as an add-on feature. See "HIPA A Privacy Laws and Protected Health Information" in the July/August 2019 issue of Massage & Bodywork for the specifics on HIPA A for massage therapists. 3 HOW DO I START? The best way to start going paperless is to consider what's taking up space in your file cabinet. Following are some examples. Owner's Manuals Most owner's manuals for office equipment and tools can be found online. Pull out your paper version and search online for that same manual. When you find it, download it to your desktop or upload it to your preferred cloud storage service and recycle the paper manual. Be sure to name your file accurately so it'll be easy to find when you need it. Bills and Receipts If you use an online accounting system, there may be a built-in feature to store images of receipts and bills. If not, paper receipts and bills can be easily scanned with a mobile device and stored in a file on your desktop or in cloud storage. When you get receipts or bills via email, save that email as a PDF file and save it with your others. When you name files well—and consistently store them in the same place—staying organized is simple. Online Intake Forms and Charts When you're used to paper charts, it can be jarring to switch to digital intake forms and record keeping. Start by exploring your options. If you already use online scheduling, see if your program has a feature for intake forms or record keeping. There are programs built just for massage therapists, like Hands Heal EHR (www.handshealehr.com) and SOAP Vault (www.soapvault.com). You can also build your own intake forms and records within Google's G Suite (https://gsuite.google.com). If the transition to digital seems overwhelming, you could start using the online forms and charts just for new clients. Once you get the hang of it, you can transition current client charts to the online format. You can scan old paper files and store them online for easy access. If storage space isn't an issue for you, hold on to the paper records until it's time to shred them. Additional Documents Continuing education records, insurance policies, inventory of your office contents, copies of licensure and permit applications, old calendars, and more can all be scanned and stored digitally. Sure, you may want to keep your original massage school certificate, but you probably don't need the paper certificate for the CPR class you took 12 years ago and have since retaken twice. TOOLS TO USE Our favorite and most versatile tool for going paperless is Google's G Suite. Within G Suite you can create forms, documents, spreadsheets, and more. You can also store all kinds of files for easy reference and sharing. It's easy to learn and use, and it's free or very affordable ($6/month), depending on the features you need. For scanning receipts and paper documents to store digitally, we love the Scannable app (www.scannable.com) for iOS and JotNot (www.jotnot.com) for iOS and Android. YOUR OWN PAPERLESS PLAN Going paperless should represent your business style and priorities. Find a combination that works for you and makes you comfortable. As an example, Allissa got rid of every manual, and loves online scheduling, intake forms, and charts. All her important paperwork can be stored in one locked drawer. She uses Scannable and G Suite for storing all documents, contracts, and receipts, but she uses a paper journal to capture random ideas and to-do lists. Alternately, Michael is full-on digital. He scans every receipt right away and disposes of the original immediately. He uses an app to organize his to-do lists and hates Post-it notes. Remember, there is no right or wrong way to reduce or eliminate your paper use. Use our systems as examples, but feel free to allow your paperless system to represent your own priorities and style! Notes 1. Audrey Sherman, "The Link Between Disorganization, Depression and Anxiety," Psych Central, accessed October 2019, https://blogs.psychcentral. com/dysfunction/2016/06/the-link-between- disorganization-depression-and-anxiety. 2. Sherry Bourg Carter, "Why Mess Causes Stress: 8 Reasons, 8 Remedies," Psychology Today, accessed October 2019, www.psychologytoday. com/us/blog/high-octane-women/201203/why- mess-causes-stress-8-reasons-8-remedies. 3. Lisa Bakewell, "HIPAA Privacy Laws and Protected Health Information," Massage & Bodywork 34, no. 4 (July/August 2019): 73–7. Allissa Haines and Michael Reynolds can be found at www.massagebusinessblueprint.com, a member-based community designed to help you attract more clients, make more money, and improve your quality of life. BLUEPRINT FOR SUCCESS Ta k e 5 a n d t r y A B M P F i v e - M i n u t e M u s c l e s a t w w w. a b m p . c o m / f i v e - m i n u t e - m u s c l e s . 21

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