Like many industries, hospitals and other healthcare organizations spend an enormous portion of their revenue annually on printing and print-related costs. Not surprisingly, Healthcare Finance reported that the average 1,500-bed hospital prints over 8 million pages each month.
With an estimated cost of four cents per page, that amounts to an incredible $3.8 million annually – not even factoring in the cost of printers and maintenance.
Much of this printing is related to administrative documents and financial reports. However, clinical areas and other patient care functions certainly generate a large variety of documents and printed records as well.
Gaining control of printing costs is one of the main reasons hospitals are considering and implementing sophisticated managed print services and document management solutions.
How MPS Works
Managed Print Services (MPS) begins with a complete analysis of documents being printed, who is printing them, and what is done with the printed pages.
Along with a document review, printing infrastructure is inventoried for a thorough understanding of:
- What devices are installed? printers, copiers, scanners, and fax machines
- How are they being used, who orders supplies, and how are they maintained?
- What documents are being printed, and how are they processed after printing?
Cost is also a vital element of this analysis. The result is a comprehensive study of printing infrastructure and business processes associated with printed documents.
With this valuable information in hand, healthcare facilities can take the next step toward cost control of printing functions throughout the organization.
Benefits of MPS
Managed print services offer many significant benefits for hospitals:
1. Visibility of Printing Infrastructure and Associated Costs
Over time many hospitals add printers and other devices for specific needs that may no longer be appropriate or cost-effective. Desktop printers, fax machines, and copiers may be underutilized, inadequate for changing business needs or no longer used at all.
Taking inventory of all devices – and the cost of supplies and maintenance – often reveals that printing needs can be managed more productively with modern multifunction printers (MFPs) that take the place of existing devices.
MPS right-sizes the fleet of printers throughout the healthcare facility so that the right equipment is in the right place to improve printing productivity.
Some devices may also be located in areas that are potential security vulnerabilities, which leads to the next benefit of MPS – security.
2. Security and Compliance
Managed print services go hand-in-hand with organizational business processes and integrated workflow. Printed documents can be routed electronically to distribution lists maintained in MFPs so that they are delivered reliably only to the authorized recipients.
As documents are sent to the printer, security can be implemented to prevent actual printing until the associate doing the printing arrives. A simple ID card swipe or PIN authorizes printing. This prevents access to confidential information and reduces the potential loss of documents from other employees, picking them up at the printer – even accidentally.
Hospitals have very specific compliance concerns such as HIPAA regulations regarding the protection of patient information and privacy. Storing and routing documents electronically with fewer points of printing improves security and helps ensure regulatory compliance.
3. Productivity Boost
MPS includes consolidating management of supplies, maintenance, and service under a single source – your MPS provider. Many hospitals rely on individual departments or areas to order supplies such as ink, toner, and maintenance kits, as well as for scheduling service and maintenance functions. For healthcare professionals, this consumes valuable time that could be put to better use.
MPS providers provide a single point of contact for maintenance, service, and supplies. This boosts employee morale and productivity.
By monitoring print volumes and printer status, MPS can keep printers running smoothly, avoiding downtime that can impact hospital operations.
Overburdened IT resources will also benefit from MPS. With installation, maintenance, and support of the printer fleet managed through MPS, IT technicians can focus on tasks more critical to business systems and operations.
4. Improve Environmental Sustainability
Outdated printing equipment is more costly to operate than modern, energy-efficient MFP devices. Replacing multiple inefficient units with one machine capable of handling all your printing and copying needs saves desk and office space while also saving money on supplies, energy, and maintenance.
Lowering energy consumption has a positive impact on the carbon footprint of hospital operations. Managing documents electronically minimizes paper utilization and reduces the use of ink, toner, and other consumables. This contributes to the organization’s green initiatives.
5. Availability
Implementing MPS with updated printing equipment provides a stable printing infrastructure. Printers are monitored and maintained by printing professionals, ensuring maximum uptime and availability of printers.
Printer device downtime can have a significant impact on clinical operations. After implementing MPS, downtime is minimized with scheduled maintenance and regular service by technicians trained in your specific equipment.
Managed Print Services from Cartridge World Quad Cities
Cartridge World Quad Cities is your full-service connection for innovative printing solutions and managed print services. We provide our healthcare clients with a complete range of services:
- Analysis of printing requirements, infrastructure, and workflow
- Proposal for equipment to improve operational efficiency and improve sustainability
- Install and service MFPs from leading manufacturers such as Ricoh, Lexmark, and more
- Provide cost-effective supplies such as ink, toner, and maintenance kits
- Reduce costs while improving productivity and information security
Contact the professionals at Cartridge World Quad Cities to learn how we can make your operation more efficient while lowering your cost of printing.