The Paper Chase

Two Clinics Achieve The Impossible And Create A Truly Paperless Office . By Nancy Groves. Optimists have claimed for years that the growing popularity of computers would soon make paper in the workplace a thing of the past. Yet, despite the presence of PCs on nearly every desk, paper still proliferates in most offices. Physician practices are certainly no exception. Electronic billing may be making a dent in the paper chase, but the goal of eliminating all paper is elusive. . In Georgia, however, a clinic about 90 miles outside of Atlanta seems to have proven that a truly paperless office is attainable with persistence and, in this case, favorable circumstances. At Acute Care Express in Columbus, the only piece of paper that changes hands during a patient visit is a record of the patient's insurance, on which state regulations require an original patient signature. At the end of the visit, patients receive a copy of their bill and printed aftercare instructions, if needed. All other clinical and administrative functions take place via computer. . David McMicken, M.D., F.A.C.E.P., the clinic's founder and primary physician, is quick to note that Acute Care Express had several advantages many practices lack -- the primary one being that the clinic is brand new. It opened its doors in late August and was designed to be paperless. . It would ...

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