MALVERN, Pa.--April 12, 2005-- IKON Office Solutions, the world's largest independent channel for document management systems and services, has saved 10,000 employee work hours previously lost in time-consuming document management related activities at Manistee-Benzie Community Mental Health (MBCMH). A community mental health agency founded in 1972 that provides services to more than 2,000 consumers annually, MBCMH turned to IKON for a comprehensive document management system to solve the organization's specific requirements and challenges. MBCMH utilized a time-intensive, paper-based records management system that required more than 100 hardcopy forms to be completed and filed daily to meet state and federal Medicaid and HIPAA requirements. Due to the large amount of hardcopy forms and files, records were moved to off-site storage leading to limited access, difficulty in data gathering and a cumbersome consumer billing process. MBCMH's need to simplify the document management process was critical to increasing revenue and employee productivity, as well as ensuring the highest quality of consumer care and treatment. IKON's document management experts within IKON Enterprise Services--the company's global services organization--provide in-depth assessment services, and then work with customers to design, implement and support a document management solution to best meet their unique needs and drive document efficiency across the enterprise. Working with MBCMH leaders, IKON assessed the facility's medical records management process, from input and capture to storage and archival, and examined MBCMH's document forms to ascertain the unique information to be captured in each document. By completing a thorough evaluation of the facility's needs and leveraging the expertise of the organization's healthcare and administrative personnel, IKON created a customized web-based solution that eliminates redundant data entry and streamlines processes. The document management system supports all aspects of MBCMH's business, from consumer referrals and treatment to billing and reporting, and has improved revenue while meeting Medicaid and HIPAA requirements. In addition, MBCMH has repurposed 10,000 employee work hours annually, allowing five full time employees to be redeployed to other job functions and improving the organization's performance related to mission-critical consumer focused activities. "The ultimate outcome of the efficiencies gained will be better consumer care," said Michael Moran, CEO, Manistee-Benzie Community Mental Health. "Together with IKON, we are improving our document management processes, and therefore, our service," added Jeff Rose, chief administrative officer for MBCMH. "Consumers will ultimately be able to access and enter information on-site or at their home via the web, and their primary care physicians will be able to quickly coordinate treatment with other providers through the same system--without having to wait on paper files or input the same information into multiple systems." MBCMH's new document management system allows electronic forms to be completed online and held in a web-based repository allowing for secure, around-the-clock access and convenient distribution. Additionally, all paper documents can be scanned, and signatures immediately captured on a digital signature pad, accelerating patient care. Consumers, employees and partner organizations now have convenient and secure access to medical records and can submit, share and store information quickly and easily. "Through IKON Enterprise Services, IKON's document management experts are working with customers to assess their document workflow needs, and design solutions that effectively meet those needs while saving time and resources, and increasing productivity," said Michael E. Kohlsdorf, senior vice president of IKON Enterprise Services. "Working with Manistee-Benzie leadership, we turned our comprehensive document strategy assessment into a roadmap to meet their business requirements, which allows them to focus their efforts on fulfilling their mission of providing world-class services to their consumers."