Rincon India Solutions Pvt. Ltd.

Tag: Archive

  • Archive and retrieve Business SMS, MMS, Voice calls, WhatsApp and WeChat

    With WhatsApp prevalent everywhere,

    are you able to archive and retrieve messages?

    Features

    • SMS, MMS, Voice call & WhatsApp & WeChat archiving: Keep electronic records of text messages and phone calls ahead of regulatory audits
    • Archive BYOD and Corporate devices, Any carrier & country
    • Store and search for mobile messages in enterprise archive
    • Archive On-Premise or in the Cloud
    • Seamless integration and onboarding
    • Meet Regulatory Compliance & Standards: FOIA, Public Records, GDPR, MiFID II, FINRA, SEC, NFA etc.
    • Secure: ISO 27001, ISO 27799 & ISO 9001 certification and SOC II datacenters
    • Administration, Policy enforcement, Reporting & eDiscovery

  • Repost: GST may add to India Inc’s documentation burden

    India gears up for GST to be rolled out from July 1. However, have we thought of the documentation needed for compliance? Here is an interesting article.

    Industry is worried it might face increased compliance burden due to rules under the proposed goods and services tax (GST) regime.

    Companies would have to upload three returns every month – by the 10th, 15th and 20th of the month after a sale happens, said M S Mani, senior director, indirect tax, Deloitte.

    According to rules on returns, companies would have to submit details of its supplies or invoices by the 10th of the subsequent month. They have to upload details of purchases of inputs by the 15th of the subsequent month.

    GST returns, carrying details of taxes paid and input credit taken, have to be filed by the 20th of the next month, said Mani. Besides, by the next year-end, companies would have to upload annual returns as well.

    This would burden industry with too much compliance. Service companies such as Infosys, Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) and Airtel, among others, would be particularly hit.

    Service providers would have to file 37 returns each a year, said Mani, from two returns – one every six months – now.

    Besides, service tax is a central duty. So service providers do not have to file returns in each of the state where they have offices. This will, however, change under the GST regime and they would have to file 37 returns for each state they have an office in, besides the central government.

    Currently, goods companies, on their part, have to file returns every month for value-added tax (VAT) and excise duties.

    The GST Council is to discuss pending rules and changes to the already approved norms this month-end. The Council will work out rules on composition, valuation, input tax credit and transitions on March 31.

    It has already approved rules on refunds, invoices, returns, payments and registration. The government had made public rules on five categories before taking these to the Council. But it would not do so in case of pending rules, said officials.

    Industry is worried that online marketplace players such as Flipkart and Amazon will have to pay up to one per cent tax collected at source (TCS) – rules for which have not yet come — on behalf of vendors and this would add too much procedural work.

    S S Gupta of Taxmann said these marketplaces have thousands of vendors and to exactly match TCS of each would be extremely difficult. If anything goes wrong while matching, the input credit would go to another and the vendor would be asked to pay more, he said.

    If a customer returns a product purchased via an online marketplace, it will take time to reach the supplier. By then, TCS might have been paid by the online company. If that vendor does not supply to the online company again, the marketplace would have to bear the burden, explained Gupta.

    Though a cap on TCS has been reduced from two per cent in draft GST Bills to one per cent in the revised drafts approved by the Council, the tax is not aimed at revenue generation but to keep a track of vendors by the tax authorities.

    The government’s logic has been that as it can’t go after every vendor, it would ask the marketplace to deduct TCS. Keeping track of the vendors and not revenues was the concern here, said the expert with Taxmann.

    Mani said the government was basically burdening industry with compliance, even in areas where the authorities should take the responsibility.

    The other issue relates to input tax credit, rules on which are yet to come. However, rules would not contradict the Bills. A buyer would not get input tax credit unless the supplier concerned paid tax. In state-level VAT, input tax credit would be given as soon as the invoice was uploaded, he added.

    Archit Gupta, founder & chief executive officer of ClearTax.com, said there might be issues around pre-existing VAT credit in the earlier regime when these goods are exempted in GST. “So we hope this is covered under the inputs credit and transition rules.”

    For a truly unified structure, he said, the government must focus on greater fungibility of credit.

    “Exempted excise manufacturers and exempted VAT manufactures may have to face GST rates and taxes, and most of these are state-specific exemptions. So it needs to be seen how these concerns can be uniformly addressed,” added Gupta.

    The Council has cleared all GST Bills and most of these will go to the Cabinet and be tabled in Parliament. Similarly, state GST Bills will be moved to the respective state Cabinets and Assemblies. Only rules and item-wise rates have to be decided.

    While we would have electronic filing, we still have to maintain the pdf files for records. Do give a thought to managing so many files which may be pdfs or maybe hard copy. A Document Management System can help overcome these challenges. Contact sales@rincon.co.in on how we can help achieve your goals and overcome your obstacles.

    The original article appears on rediff.com and is available here. 

  • ISO Certification – Can a Document Management System help?

    iso9001

    ISO 9001 certification is a must-have for most manufacturing and service companies.  The certification is increasingly required in subcontracts, especially by European multinationals.
    It helps in:
    • Increased marketability
    • Reduction of operational expenses
    • Better management control
    • Increased customer satisfaction
    • Improved internal communication
    • Improved customer service
    • Reduction of product-liability risks
    • Increased attractiveness to investors
    To achieve ISO 9001 certification, a manufacturer must collect, update and share its large library of ISO documents with single point access to the latest documentation.  This is a humongous task using paper-based documents and processes. Digitising the document processes would help simplify and streamline the certification process.
    Some of the processes that must be standardized and documented in ISO 9001 include:
    • Quality Manual – The quality manual defines how each requirement of the rather generic ISO 9001:2008 standard is applied at the company.
    • Quality Procedures – The quality procedures are the essence of the ISO 9001 documentation. The ISO 9001 quality procedures explicitly describe how certain key processes within the company must be performed and who is responsible for them.
    • Quality Policy – The quality policy is the company’s policy defining its stance towards quality and customer satisfaction.
    • Quality Objectives – The quality objectives define measurable goals relative to the company’s quality management system.
    • Process Flowchart – The process flowchart is a description of how the various processes of the ISO 9001 QMS interact with each other.
    • Work Instructions – Work instructions are the most detailed and most company-specific of all ISO 9001 documents. Work instructions describe in detail how particular tasks must be performed. Work instructions are typically written by the people who perform the actual work.
    • Records – Records are different from the above documents, all of which provide directions on how to conduct business. Records, on the other hand, are evidence of things done. ISO 9001:2008 contains numerous explicit requirements on records plus requirements for many more undefined records.
    Most organizations are unaware that even if they previously went through the ISO 9001 certification process, things are changing. A new ISO 9001 standard has been published in September 2015. This means that the ISO 9001:2008 standard will become obsolete on September 14, 2018, and that all ISO 9001:2008 certifications issued in late 2015 and beyond bear an expiry date of September 14, 2018.
    There has never been a better opportunity than now to examine the underlying document management practices associated with ISO 9001 certification. Certifying against the new standard provides an opportunity to view ISO 9001 not only as a paper documentation exercise, but as an opportunity for digitizing document processes – and in the process transforming the business. Leading organizations are increasingly realising that if approached strategically through a document management system, compliance-mandated digital documents can provide a foundation for more effective processes throughout the business and provide insights that are critical to digital transformation.
    If you are considering the implementation of a document management system for your business, but you are still on the fence when it comes to selecting the right solution, please e-mail us on sales@rincon.co.in and we will be glad to assist you.

  • Why do Housing Finance Companies use Document Management Systems?

    mortgagedocuments

    A Housing Finance Company (HFC) processes loans at multiple locations, and retains all related documents at the local / zonal office. Each files received consists of multiple documents and should be filed and processed swiftly considering the competitive environment.
    In the manual process, documents need to be stored physically in the office resulting in wastage of expensive real estate. Additional paperwork needs to be stored in the right place with the other documents so as to make it easily accessible. This results in a lot of time and money spent on handling paper. Finding the correct document is akin to finding a needle in a haystack especially at the time of audits or at the time of a default.
    With a document management system in place,
    • All documents are scanned and archived on a central server thereby making it available to users anywhere (provided they have the requisite rights and permissions).
    • Expensive real estate can be put to better use and documents can be stored off site.
    • The concerned people have access to the records from anywhere they work using the web or mobile interface.
    • Improve workflow, response times and efficiency
    • Reduce costs
    If you are considering the implementation of a document management system for your business, but you are still on the fence when it comes to selecting the right solution, please e-mail us on sales@rincon.co.in and we will be glad to assist you.

  • Document Management System for Accounts Payable

    Accounts Payable (AP) is a basic function of every organisation. Whatever be your business, you will have invoices to pay, processes to adhere to and accountability to document. Missed early payment discounts, late fees, lost invoices, dozens of calls, emails, faxes, and other inefficiencies can substantially drive up your operating costs.

    Beyond invoices and payments, there are compliance issues surrounding accounting. Auditors require an ability to keep track of and report all aspects of your accounting system and processes including Accounts Payable. Failed audits resulting from lost documents or poor documentation can result in large fines, or a range of other penalties.

    With a Document Management System (DMS) in place, you can ensure processes are being adhered to and are fully auditable. It allows you to:

    • Secure and keep track of all incoming invoices and related documents (PO’s, notes, GRNs, etc.)
    • Ensure early payment discounts and eliminate late payment fees
    • Reduce data entry errors
    • Compare approved purchase order amounts to invoices and eliminate overpayment
    • Ensure all your accounting procedures and approvals are adhered to using automated routing for review, approvals, and processing

    If you are considering the implementation of a document management system for your business, but you are still on the fence when it comes to selecting the right solution, please e-mail us on sales@rincon.co.in and we will be glad to assist you.

  • Video: Millions of Medical Records lost in fire

    Video: Millions of Medical Records lost in fire

    [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rL7RQzBUMrM[/youtube]

    UNM hospitals based out of Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA lost medical records of 1 Lakh patients due to a fire in a warehouse complex. This was the warehouse where they had stored the records. This only goes to show how vulnerable hospitals are to such losses in the absence of a proper records management solution. Get smart. Get a good EDMS solution. Contact us on sales@rincon.co.in or call us on +91 22 61461616

  • Leaking health information may land you in prison

    Most of us believe that our medical and other health related information is private and is protected. As an individual we supposedly can decide who can look at and receive the information like our insurers, employers or any other government health care agency. In India even though there is no clear rule / law which states what information can be shared in the public domain. The Privacy Bill, 2011 could be the initial step from the government on implementing some privacy act. Here is the news article that appeared in The Deccan Herald.

    Getting this rule implemented calls the hospitals to review the existing security measures followed in safe guarding the patients’ health information. In short your health information shall be protected in a way that does not interfere with your health care. The health information cannot be shared without your written permission unless the law allows it but it is also necessary to keep a complete audit trail who has accessed the same to avoid any misuse. To view the analysis of the Privacy bill click here

  • Act before it’s too late! Documents are vital …

    A major telecom company warehouse in India had outsourced the storage and scanning of its Consumer Application Forms (CAFs) from 1996 onwards. This warehouse unfortunately caught fire in February this year. After this event, it was found that only 8 million forms had been scanned whereas 12 million unscanned forms had been destroyed. This was a major lapse. The incident not only highlighted the fact that important data had been lost completely, but also underscored the slow rate at which the digitisation of subscriber data was being carried out. Following this incident, the telecom service providers have been asked to ensure quick and time bound scanning of all CAFs, proper duplication of records with a mirror image in the archives, storage of the CAFs to have fireproof arrangements and secure from other hazards. (Refer to the news link http://bit.ly/hDH2MC and http://bit.ly/kh8MVP) Just ponder over the loss of imformation and the lack of records!! This would not have happened if all the documents were digitised regularly and stored in a good document management system.

    Security of documents isn’t just about access. You have to ensure that your documents do not get misplaced, lost or damaged. Who hasn’t looked for hours through file cabinets to find the document(s) needed? Sometimes documents are misfiled; other times they are left on someone’s desk or the worst case scenario it could be lost due to pest attack or some natural calamities like flood, fire etc. Many people believe storing documents on their computer or on the company network is considered a form of document management. If the files stored in computer are not backed up and something were to happen to the hard drive, all information is lost. A true document management system ensures that your organization’s information is protected at all times, from natural disaster, catastrophe and corruption.

    With a document management system, gone are the days of lost documents because they are all in a secure central electronic repository. Also gone are the days of wasted time because multiple people can retrieve documents from various locations and multiple file cabinets. With a document management system, the documents are immediately retrieved for the person looking for information. This not only makes them more productive for that one task, it shifts the focus from the document retrieval to solving the original issue. A good document management system’s aim is to provide everything you need to help your business run more efficiently, ensuring that you do not waste any unnecessary time and space maintaining your documents. It should also enable businesses to easily share and collaborate on documents in an efficient and productive way. A digital document management system is a great way to save time and take the first steps towards a paperless office.

    Along with convenient document sharing and data protection, businesses can take advantage of full audit control, reduced storage requirements, put an end to photocopying / misplaced / lost documents. Meeting regulatory requirements such as HIPAA, SEC and FINRA can be a headache. If you use an EDM, many of the regulatory requirements are built right in, helping you become compliant. No matter what your organization does, you find yourself liable to maintain documents. A document management solution secures the documents that are critical to your business so you can remain accountable to your clients.

    Contributed by Ashish Baby

  • Why should Hospitals have an EDMS?

    An Electronic Document management solution (EDMS) is a clear winner as a solution for challenges hospitals face when handling medical records. We are highlighting the top 5 reasons why any hospital should opt for an EDMS:

    1. To have an efficient and a cost effective solution
      To get the relevant documents and information when required without wasting time and effort is of paramount importance in the health care arena. By viewing a medical document, different doctors can take a consultative and collective decision in any critical situation irrespective of where he is. Paper archives are extremely time-consuming to be your source of information in the long run. Not only is it difficult to fetch information from a physical document library (especially an off-site one) but also causes a whole range of tasks connected to a business process to queue up, leading to activities getting delayed and possible cost escalations. You may not feel the pinch during good times; but during an economic downturn, having invested in an EDMS can mean lower costs when it matters most. In short for efficiency improvement and to provide a collaborative means of working an EDMS is a must.
    2. To avoid Data theft / Loss of data by securing the same
      Trust but verify – Knowing who accessed what and when, is a big deal when we talk of compliance.While this may sound complicated, the fact is that information management today is more accessible than ever. Keeping an audit trail and giving the correct level of access to the right people is mandatory for any EDMS. Access control for healthcare documents is a mandatory exercise which needs to be structured with utmost care. Specific modifications can be locked out for certain users based on the hospital’s requirement. Organisations should not only adhere to the compliance requirements but also should ensure that none of the documents / information is lost or misused. In the situations where patient insurance details are misused to avail false claims it is a must to protect the data / documents from falling into the wrong hands. Having documents in the soft form also helps in maintaining backups so that in case of natural calamities or systemic failure the data is protected.
    3. To avoid delinquencies in managing medical records
      The requirements for timely medical record completion are well established in the law and through industry accreditation standards. Insurance companies and governmental payment programs may generally deny reimbursement if medical records are not complete when a claim is processed for payment. Good patient care requires the timely completion of medical records. Unless the latest documentation is included in a patient’s chart, it is unlikely that the chart will reflect what the practitioner knows and the treatment that was provided on the day that he evaluated the patient. Patient care errors can occur if medical records are incomplete when additional care is required. The medical staff rules and regulations of most hospitals have provisions which allow for the warning and then take disciplinary actions on practitioners who do not comply with the requirements for the timely completion of medical records. By having a good EDMS solution in place the MRD person would easily able to identify if any important document is missing for a patient by simply glancing through the patient document details.
    4. To provide better patient satisfaction and have a competitive edge
      Having an EDMS in place will bring dramatic improvement to respond to any requests from patients or insurance companies efficiently and effectively. These benefits are derived from the fact that accurate information about each episode of care and related patient and financial information is organized and stored in the system and accessible within seconds. Relevant users can verify billing, dispute erroneous claims and respond to any other questions while the person is waiting on the phone because all of the information is right there at their finger tips. The organization derives straight-line return on investment from its ability to answer questions on a single call-saving the cost of returning telephone calls. Customer service will be improved substantially by using a EDMS without doubt.

      A few small lapses in levels of customer service may not be too detrimental. But when the hospital’s medical record management policy (or lack of it) leads to a serious strategic or tactical error, it could result in the hospital’s reputation being seriously tarnished. This can jeopardize the hospital’s position in the market in the long term and have a cascading effect on other areas of operation.

    5. To focus on your core business
      Being busy with the mundane work doesn’t give any employee job satisfaction nor learning. Enormous amount of effort and energy may currently be spent in finding the relevant document when a doctor asks for some reports or insurance company ask for some set of documents. Instead of spending that time on searching documents, employees could spend time on quality work like improving performance of the department, reduce the billing cycle, streamline TPA activities etc. By focusing on quality work, the overall efficiency of the organisation would be improved and employees would feel the pride of working for the organisation.

    To help manage the barrage of paper and medical records associated with patients, vendors etc. investing in a good EDMS software is the best option which could integrate with the existing software including the HIMS system in place. The last thing you want to do with your new document management system is spend precious staff time doing backfile conversion. Leave that to the professionals and focus on your business.

    Contributed by Ashish Baby

  • Medical Records – A legal point of view

    Clear documentation of every single transaction, process and action that takes place will allow you to have a clear reference point whenever anything is questioned. Medical Records are an important document meant basically for recording the treatment procedure meant for a patient. It is important both for the patient as well as for the doctor. It is important for doctors to realise that Medical Records have become the single most effective weapon in their hands to counter the claims of the patients, when they file a case for compensation. The law is very clear regarding the Medical Records and the value of it. The law requires proper maintenance of case sheets since they are the most important document that can be used in medico legal cases. In some cases these documents may serve as effective alibi for the patients too.

    Medical Records can help prove the innocence of the doctors concerned and under medical ethics, the case report is supposed to be given to the patient on demand. Accusation of malpractices and unethical codes of conduct can be made against the concerned doctor / consultant if he / she fails to provide the patient with all the details and the case sheets of his admission, operation and the postoperative medication along with the dosage. It is an important aspect of the written evidence. It is strictly confidential document & should be produced as and when asked by the law. Medical records are medico-legal documents and a doctor can be cross-examined against the same. The patient also has the right to get his medical records and cannot be denied the same when he has paid the doctor / hospital for his treatment and hired their services. Not maintaining a proper record amounts to deficiency in service.

    Medical Records are the backbone of any medical institution. With advancement in technology maintenance of medical records has become much easier and more efficient. Records and documents properly kept can become defence shields for the doctors / hospital in the court of law and is a good DMS Solution is highly recommended in hospital / clinics.
    Contributed by Ashish Baby