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Document storage is about more than just finding a place to keep records. It’s about preservation. One of the most important factors in keeping records safe is the condition of the storage environment. Monitoring provides a more comprehensive picture of the conditions within a storage space and the effectiveness of its climate control system, allowing your organization to make decisions about the space’s management.

Healthcare facilities, regardless of their size, are responsible for keeping patient information private in the real and digital world to remain in compliance with Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). The act states that an individual’s health information should be protected with physical, technical and administrative safeguards to ensure its integrity, confidentiality and availability, as well as to thwart unauthorized or inappropriate disclosure, use or access. When it comes to the electronic processing of patient health information, healthcare facilities and document scanning companies must have specific safeguards in place to protect the privacy of the patients served. When selecting a contractor for your everyday or emergency scanning needs, it’s important to review its practices or procedures to ensure compliance and avoid hefty fines.

Each type of document has its own unique needs in regards to storage and preservation. Photographic materials are particularly challenging because of the variety of techniques used to preserve images on film and the different ways that they change with time and deteriorate. While photographic prints are more resilient, the film requires special storage and handling. Cold storage for the film is a popular preventive conservation measure that extends the life of historic film and averts the need for costly restorations.

There is only one Rosetta Stone, but photographs have helped preserve the myriad of languages carved into it. Similarly, libraries across the world are looking to document scanning to preserve historical and rare texts in their collections so that future generations can study and enjoy them. Along with texts, libraries are digitizing audio and video recordings, and transcribing oral histories. With the help of grants and the right equipment, librarians and archivists have the means to modernize their collections and make it accessible to the public.

As technologies advance and the rules under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPPA) tighten, more health care facilities are using document scanning solutions and electronic health records (EHRs) systems to ensure compliance and remain competitive. While it may seem simpler to continue using paper-based patient charts, it’s important to remember that practices have limited storage space and it only takes one disaster to wipe out irreplaceable patient information.