eBridge Clients Utilize Web-Based Document Management Technology to Work Remotely
September 10, 2020
The year 2020 has presented challenges that very few, if any, have ever had to contend with. At times it feels like the world we live in has been turned upside down. Businesses have been forced to rethink their work structures and many have sent all or part of their workforce home to work remotely just to stay alive. The need for the ability to share and access documents from wherever employees are located has never been more crucial.

eBridge has been providing users web-based anytime, anywhere access to their vital business documents for over 18 years. This gave our clients a hedge against the uncertainty that many other companies faced when physical workplaces were forced to shut down earlier this year due to Covid-19. They were already equipped to deploy at-home workers during the lockdown because their files were stored securely in the eBridge cloud all along.

As organizations began setting up their remote operations, our staff was kept busy helping users with setting up their scanners and configuring eBridge on their home PC’s. It was a hectic few months but it felt good to know that our clients would not need to cease operations because of lack of access to their files.

The shutdown caused some to completely re-think their work spaces. Rather than leasing or purchasing more office space, many will keep at least a partial remote workforce in place even after the shutdown ends. Leveraging web-based document management software like eBridge, and meeting technology such as Zoom, can be the keys to success. There’s much less of a need for employees to gather in one place when affordable high tech tools like these are within reach.

eBridge is a fully web-based document management solution and our clients’ data is stored for the life of their account. OCR technology allows users to search the text on their files and retrieve patient records from within large batches, eliminating the need to manually flip through all pages of the batch to find the one record they need. We undergo a rigorous audit every year and are certified HIPAA and SOC2 compliant by a 3rd party auditing firm, giving our clients peace of mind that their PHI is securely stored.
Top Ten Reasons You Should Implement Document Management
November 4, 2019
Are you still unsure about going paperless? Are you storing electronic files locally on a server or PC hard drive? There are a lot of great reasons to consider document management and using a Cloud-based system to organize and keep your files safe and secure.

If you are considering a move to a document management system, here are 10 reasons to get scanning.
  1. Get Your Organization Ready for the Future
    Implementing digital document management increases efficiency within an organization. Inaddition to this, laws like Federal Information Processing Standards (FIPS) andHITECH for healthcare now legally require the meaningful use of health information technology. Document management can bring the organization more in line with current statutory requirements.

  2. Gain Office Space
    Over the years, paper records can consume more and more of your valuable office real estate. Scanning your documents can free up office space to be used for more effective and practical purposes.

  3. Better Data Security
    Document management systems can allow you to encrypt, password-protect, and store your files securely in the Cloud. Users can be assigned access to only specific documents or types of documents, and all activity can be tracked for auditing and security purposes.

  4. Better Preservation of Information
    Many important historical documents require preservation for several years. Paper documents degrade every time they are handled, and climate can also affect how long the paper lasts. Scanning important files protects the vital information from physical deterioration and can sometimes enhance the legibility of old paper files.

  5. Compliance With Regulations
    Privacy laws, including HIPAA, GLB, and FCRA, require businesses to keep control over private and protected information. Electronic records make it easier to maintain that control, protecting sensitive information and keeping the business compliant with applicable laws.

  6. Easier Disaster Recovery
    Fire, flood, hurricanes, earthquakes, theft, and vandalism pose a very real threat to hard copy documents and electronic files stored locally on hard drives and servers. Scanned documents within a Cloud-based document management system are hosted in remote locations, with availability even when your office is not habitable.

  7. Get More Time & Better Employee Collaboration
    An AIIM survey found it can takes an average of 37 minutes to find one paper file. Document management affords employees in different areas, even different cities and states, instant access to all records across the organization. Files can be retrieved without even leaving one’s desk.

  8. Make Distribution More Efficient
    Using document management, in addition to email, will eliminate the time and cost involved with sending and receiving correspondence. The time needed to send and receive is greatly reduced, which will benefit the organization as well as their customers.

  9. Go Green
    Although paper is recyclable, not using paper at all means it’s not needed. The energy needed for recycling is saved, and to top it off the ink and toner cartridges used for printing don’t end up in the landfill.

  10. Save Money and Time
    One of the biggest benefits of going paperless is cost savings. Implementing document management can cut the costs of storage, materials for printing, copying, and postage and/or courier costs. The initial investment can pay for itself in very little time.
Best Practices for Document Management
August 23, 2019
Over the years, businesses and organizations have accumulated mountains of paper, compelling them to store their files in file cabinets and file rooms, even off-site locations, to meet records retention requirements. This method of filing paper is costly and inefficient at best, and exposes the organization to liability in the event of fire, flood, theft, or a host of other disasters.

Thanks to technology, going paperless with an electronic Document Management System can help streamline your processes and secure your files, if implemented and maintained properly.

What is Document Management?
A document management system is software that helps your organization effectively index, store and easily retrieve its vast array of documents. With the right document management system, your organization can reduce costs, free up office space, improve service, and increase productivity. More importantly, it can help your organization comply with a growing number of regulatory requirements.

Keys to Effective Document Management
  1. Document Naming Convention – Establish a consistent naming convention by utilizing drop-down lists where possible. Additionally, instituting a standard date format (i.e. MMDDYYYY or MM/DD/YYYY) and requiring users to enter the information accordingly, will help the users to find their files much more easily.
  2. Index Structure Replaces Folder Structure– With folders, you must remember “where” you put your documents. Index values make it much easier to find the documents because they store the document based on what it is, rather than where it is located. A logical structure for categorizing documents is the best way to ensure that information can easily be retrieved. Some basic index fields are:
    1. Name
    2. Date
    3. Document Type
    4. Category/Description
    5. Notes
  3. File Size and Format – Saving files in the proper size and format is vital to the ability to quickly search for information. Documents should be scanned in black and white at 200 to 300 dpi, in .PDF format for optimum OCR text search results.
  4. Proper User Access and Permission – A document management system should include document access restrictions per user. This ensures that users can only access documents that they are authorized to view, based on their role.
  5. Workflow – Setting up a workflow which follows a document’s progress from start to finish will streamline your processes, allowing users to know when they have work to do and managers to monitor the steps within workflows. It helps automate complicated processes and prevent documents from “falling through the cracks”.
  6. Security – Because of a growing multitude of privacy laws, it is vitally important that the document management system meet the highest security standards:
    • Encryption
      • Data transfer: Transport Layer Security should be used for mutual authentication, data encryption, and data integrity.
      • Data storage:  Documents should be stored using complex encryption methods.
    • Redundancy
      • Data should be backed up in more than one location, in real time.
      • Encrypted data should be backed up to a secure, off-site location daily.
    • The Document Management company should also maintain the following:
      • Access and event monitoring.
      • Passwords stored salted/hashed.
      • Physical security.
Conclusion
In the end, the right system is the one that works for your business. Spending a bit of time and effort up front to establish best practices can save a great deal of time and frustration once your document management system is implemented.
Is Your Organization Prepared for the Unexpected?
August 21, 2019
Anyone who watches or reads the news knows that disaster can strike without warning. Having a plan is essential to bringing your organization back to fully operational quickly and with as little inconvenience to clients and employees as possible. Not sure where to start? The checklist below will help.

Example Checklist for Disaster Recovery Plans

-Identify who does what in the event of a disaster. Ensure that each assigned person knows what their role is, and what is expected of them in case of emergency.


-Have a backup “office”. If the office or facility is unavailable, are your employees equipped to work remotely? The backup does not need to be a physical office if they are.

-Determine equipment needs. If working with minimal staff, how many computers, phones, mobile phones, etc. are needed?

-Data Recovery. Data is most likely your organization's most valuable asset. How and where are you backing up your data? Is it on-site (paper or digital)? In the Cloud (ideal)?

-Make communication easy. How will you communicate with your staff? A list of mobile phone numbers for all staff members should be available, especially for mission-critical personnel.  

-Establish a hierarchy for communications during disaster. A point of contact with minimum 2 back-up staff should be made responsible for communicating with the entire staff.

-Protect your documents. If you still have paper files, you may consider going paperless. If you are paperless and store the files locally, at the very least a backup should be made regularly and stored somewhere safe. A secure, cloud-based document storage system would prevent loss of important documents.

-Know what you'll say to the outside world. Many organizations need to communicate with clients and members, media, and vendors in addition to their internal staff. Planning ahead and having a pre-written template will save stress and time during a crisis. Assign this duty to a pre-determined staff member who will be responsible for communicating with internal staff and external customers and vendors.

-Constantly reassess and test. New technology comes out so frequently that it is important to reevaluate your organization's disaster recovery plan regularly. The information contained in your plan is likely to become outdated within even just a few months. Part of your plan should be to outline a timeline for how often it is updated and the person or persons responsible for such updates.

Sadly it's not a question of "if" but "when" a disaster will strike. Having a solid plan that is communicated to your staff in advance is the best way to keep damages and recovery time to a minimum.
2018 HBMA Healthcare Revenue Cycle Conference
June 22, 2018
Since 2002, eBridge has been partnered with HBMA, sponsoring and attending their conferences each year. We have provided HBMA members a secure, simple hosted document management solution, ideal for medical billing professionals from the beginning. We're proud to continue this tradition as a Silver sponsor at this year's conference September 12-14th in Charlotte, North Carolina. Stop by our booth to see how eBridge can take your business into the digital age, giving you greater process efficiency, increased productivity, and improved workflow.
2018 South Carolina Human Service Providers Association (SCHSP) Conference
February 13, 2018
eBridge will attend for its first time a conference for SCHSP March 12th-14th, to discuss how our web-based document imaging solution can help the various boards save time, space, labor, and resources. The SCHSP consists of a network of providers who support individuals with intellectual, head and spinal cord injuries and autism throughout South Carolina. eBridge is excited to have the privilege of participating in this annual conference, and we hope this will be the beginning of a long-lasting affiliation.
2018 Healthpac User Conference
February 9, 2018
For 10 of the 14 years it’s been held, eBridge has attended the annual Healthpac User Conference. This year we will again be attending the User Conference on February 22-24 in beautiful Savannah, Georgia. eBridge provides a cost-saving workflow and document management solution that will help your business grow, and the best part is that eBridge is fully integrated with Healthpac. We look forward to many years of collaboration and success together, and are thrilled to have developed a partnership with such a dedicated group. We are always delighted to meet new customers, and catch up with existing customers, so please be sure to stop by to say Hello.
eBridge Passes 2017 Security Audit With Flying Colors
December 23, 2017
For the fifth year in a row, eBridge has completed a rigorous security audit by a national, multi-service, licensed CPA firm 360 Advanced, P.A. eBridge has been certified a HIPAA and SOC2 compliant organization by the auditing firm, affirming our total commitment to security and reliability.
eBridge to Attend Healthpac User Conference
February 8, 2017
For the past ten years, eBridge has attended the annual Healthpac conference. Looking forward to keeping that tradition, we will be attending the annual Healthpac's User Conference on February 9th-11th in Savannah, Georgia. eBridge is fully integrated with Healthpac's practice management systems, providing a cost-saving document management solution that will help your business grow. We look forward to many years of success together, and are thrilled to have developed a partnership with such a dedicated group. Please stop by, as we are always happy to see new and existing customers.
eBridge to Attend the HBMA Revenue Cycle Conference September 21-23, 2016
July 12, 2016
eBridge has been partnered with HBMA, sponsoring and attending their annual conferences, since 2002. Since the beginning, simple, secure document management services have been provided to many of its members, improving their workflow and increasing productivity.
eBridge Presentation at the UMITA conference September 20, 2016
June 8, 2016
UMITA is an association of information technology professionals working to improve the technological connectedness of the United Methodist Church. Since 2006, eBridge has been providing secure document management solutions to many of the UMC conferences, and we look forward to doing so for many years to come.
eBridge is Named One of the Best Places to Work in Tampa Bay
March 23, 2016
Sixty local businesses made the cut as finalists for the Tampa Bay Business Journal's 2016 Best Places to Work Awards. eBridge placed in the top 15 for the “Nearly Big” category. The word used to best describe our workplace by the employees was “Fun”, and here is what some of the employees had to say:

“I have never worked for any company that goes above and behind to show how much their employees mean to them.

"The survey pretty much says it all. There are great people here who work hard and enjoy what they do! The leadership is comprised of leaders who know what they are doing and they make sure everyone is taken care of."
New Features and Enhancements – Workflow
February 13, 2016
Use eBridge Workflow for greater process efficiency, expedited payments, and lower overhead. New workflow functionality allows you to automatically route files to individuals or groups to be worked. Users are notified automatically that they have new documents in their queue and administrators are able to monitor a document’s progress, start to finish.
eBridge Earns HIPAA and SOC2 Accreditation
January 29, 2016
eBridge has successfully completed a rigorous data and security management examination by a third-party compliance auditor, and has met the strict compliance requirements of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) and the Service Organization Control 2 (SOC2) process. The demanding, four-month assessment and final attestation was executed by 360 Advanced, P.A., a national, multi-service, licensed CPA firm. Completing HIPAA, SOC2, and other formal compliance examinations enhances our reputation for security, reliability and professionalism, and gives us a competitive advantage in an era where data breaches are becoming more frequent and costly.
eBridge Optimizes Viewer
July 8, 2015
eBridge's development team released an upgrade that has optimized user experience for the proprietary web-based eBridge Viewer by displaying images in their native format and enhancing delivery speed of images. All documents are not one size fits all, and the viewer now accomodates everything from business cards to blueprints. Additionally, the speed at which large batches of documents load into the viewer has been dramatically reduced so users can find what they are looking for quicker than ever before.
Rockin’ on the Green for the Heartbeat International Foundation
March 23, 2015
Heartbeat International's mission is to save lives globally by providing cardiovascular implantable devices and treatment to the needy people of the world. This year, eBridge is a proud sponsor for Heartbeat International's Annual Rockin' on the Green Golf Classic and is honored to contribute to this world class organization.
eBridge attends Healthpac User's Meeting
March 5, 2015
eBridge attended the annual Healthpac User's Meeting on March 5th - March 7th 2015 in Savannah, Georgia. eBridge is a gold sponsor for Healthpac and we are thrilled to have developed a partnership with such a dedicated group. eBridge has been attending Healthpac conferences for the past eight years, and has not only provided cost saving document managment services for many of its members, but has also been fully integrated with Healthpac's management systems, and looks forward to many years of sucess together.
eBridge Honors Military Personnel through Special Operations Warrior Foundation
January 4, 2015
The Special Operations Warrior Foundation ensures full financial assistance for the surviving children of our Armed Forces heroes who have made the ultimate sacrifice, which enables them to pursue a degree at university, trade, and technical schools. eBridge continues its backing for the four-star rated charity year after year, and is privileged to play a part in such a noble cause.
Sunshine Project Support for the Pediatric Cancer Foundation
December 20, 2014
eBridge continues its advocacy and support for the Pediatric Cancer Foundation this year. The Tampa-based nationally headquartered foundation funds clinical research, targeted therapies, and translational research with its Sunshine Project initiatives for those afflicted with childhood cancer.
eBridge releases new HTML5 PDF viewer
December 15, 2014
To stay ahead of the technology curve and prepare for the future, eBridge has created a new HTML5 PDF viewer. eBridge passes on the benefits of using HTML5 to it users. These benefits include: faster loading times, better auditing, mobile, Mac, and Linux accessibility and compatibility without the necessity of downloading add-ons. eBridge continues to stay on the cutting-edge by constantly scanning the technological landscape.
eBridge continues support for the American Cancer Society
October 8, 2014
Since 2003, eBridge has been donating to American Cancer Society’s Making Strides Against Breast Cancer campaign. eBridge became a silver level sponsor in 2010, and have been donating on that level ever since. The American Cancer Society is saving more than 490 lives a day and eBridge is proud to offer its continued support in the fight against cancer.
eBridge earns HIPAA and SOC2 accreditation
March 28, 2014
eBridge has successfully completed a rigorous data and security management examination by a third-party compliance auditor, and has met the strict compliance requirements of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) and the Service Organization Control 2 (SOC2) process. The demanding, four-month assessment and final attestation was executed by 360 Advanced, P.A., a national, multi-service, licensed CPA firm. Completing HIPAA, SOC2, and other formal compliance examinations enhances our reputation for security, reliability and professionalism, and gives us a competitive advantage in an era where data breaches are becoming more frequent and costly.
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