Allcare Administrators, consistently rated SA`s leader in the medical aid administration market, has contracted Metrofile to run an insourced document imaging bureau.
With close on 200 medical schemes operating in SA, competition is fierce, making running a successful, reliable medical aid a complex task. To improve efficiencies and customer service levels, Allcare needed to bring its document imaging under tight control.
"Allcare`s dedication to quality and service has seen it growing above expectations with even more expansion expected in future," says Sam Gelbart, IT manager, Allcare Administrators. "We currently have eight schemes under administration, with 72 000 principal members. If we are to manage existing and new clients efficiently, we need to ensure we deliver unparalleled service in everything we do - and Metrofile`s scanning bureau is a component of this service."
Allcare had already been outsourcing the conversion of its claims documentation into electronic format to Metrofile. Every day new claims and other paper documents would arrive at the Allcare offices, from where they would be transferred to Metrofile`s bureau for scanning. The documents would be barcoded, scanned and returned to Allcare along with a CD containing the indexed images 24 hours later.
"This arrangement worked for years, but as the number of members increased, it became clear we would need a more productive system that would allow us to exercise more control over our documents and move them through our processes faster," adds Gelbart. "Metrofile had performed its outsourcing role as it promised and its best practices served us well, but we needed more."
Allcare and Metrofile then decided the medical administrator`s needs would be better served by an insourced solution, run by Metrofile, in which the documents would not leave the company`s premises.
Antoinette Zlatarov, sales executive at Metrofile, says: "The new deal sees Allcare providing the image repository and the space, while Metrofile provides the staff, equipment and expertise to run a scanning bureau at Allcare. This ensures the documents are never out of Allcare`s possession and can be processed sooner."
"We have now shortened the loop in terms of our paper flow and have more control over the whole process to ensure everything works the way we want," adds Gelbart. "New compliance rules and the ECT Act regulations have compelled all companies to take better care of their documents. By preventing our records from leaving the premises, Allcare ensures there is a minimal risk of loss and damage to our documents."
To ensure the claim documents are easy to find electronically, the bureau attaches a pre-printed barcode to each document. It is then scanned and the image stored and indexed on Allcare`s imaging server. The paper documents with their barcodes are then forwarded to the logging department where details are captured before being sent to the assessing department.
"We quickly finish dealing with paper claims and destroy them within four weeks of receiving them," Gelbart says. "From then on, the imaging system is our resource for changes, queries or adjustments. Staff can call up the images according to the barcode number and have immediate access to the document`s image. There is no searching for paper documents that may have been misfiled or lost, everything is available on the system at the touch of a button."
The results of the insourced bureau are a shorter time from arrival to having Allcare staff working on claims, and consequently, improved client service. Should a member call in at a later stage, their information is immediately available and Allcare`s staff can effectively assist them.
The administrative manager can also have hands-on control of the process as it all happens in the same building. Should there be an emergency or if a VIP needs claims processed immediately, it can be slotted into the process at any stage and dealt with immediately, instead of having to wait for 24 hours.
"Metrofile has many years` experience serving the medical aid industry and we understand our clients` needs," says Zlatarov. "Allcare`s insourced bureau is an example of Metrofile meeting the changing needs of our clients and adapting to better suit their requirements."
Allcare is focused on delivering superior service by streamlining processes and installing cost-effective administration procedures. It has been recognised as such by being awarded the PMR magazine Diamond Arrow award as SA`s leading medical aid administrator as voted for by corporates for four years running. Metrofile`s assistance in implementing and running the insourced scanning bureau is helping to achieve this vision and deliver the quality of service that differentiates Allcare from the rest of the industry`s administrators.
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Metrofile, an Empowerdex BBB-rated empowerment company, is the South African market leader in the management of business documents, and is committed to help customers reduce costs and improve productivity in processes that are centred on documents and corporate records.
All companies have a combination of paper and electronic documents, and are forced by law and customer requirements to secure the availability of the documents for the duration of their lifecycle. For most organisations, the volume of documents is growing at an exponential rate, and is becoming increasingly difficult to manage.
Metrofile is uniquely positioned to provide consulting and implementation of full lifecycle paper and electronic records management solutions from storage and conversion through to destruction.
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