Digitise your records to ensure compliance

There are many things schools have to do in order to remain compliant. Often, small tasks can cause real administrative challenges for already overworked staff. Canada’s government has set down certain standards for how things should run in schools. This article will focus on one of the more important but time consuming process of records management.

Records contain confidential data, such as students’ health records and other personal information. If compliance standards are not met, there can be serious consequences ranging from angry parents to legal fines and, possibly, even school closures. 

At the heart of many non-compliance issues are paper-based or siloed record management systems. Challenges include:

• Time delays searching for paper copies in big stacks of files or cabinets. In some cases, documents may even be maintained in off-site storage, meaning additional travel time to find and access important information.
• Lost documents. It is very easy for a paper document to be lost, especially when it is stored without an intuitive filing system. In some cases, staff may shred items, in order to save space, before the end of a mandated retention period. 
• Inaccuracy in captured data or lack of appropriate sign-off from required personnel for certain workflows and/or processes. 
• Missed deadlines due to a lack of clarity on workflow and project management.
• Non-functional or out-of-date items that require updates or deletions within the system, but have been overlooked due to lack of a central communication system and accountability. Post-it notes don’t count!
• Forms being submitted incorrectly due to lack of an electronic validation process. 
• Data being incorrectly copied from source files

These items can cause serious problems, including a bad public image for the school and the school board. But Ricoh can help identify the appropriate solution to meet these challenges.

• We design systems that can store all important data electronically, such that maintaining paper copies is no longer a primary factor.
• We’ve spent a lot of time doing our own homework, so we are aware of the similarities and differences in school compliance requirements for different regions across Canada. That makes it easier for us to help you integrate relevant solutions into your system (g., If your province requires documents relating to student health be removed three years after they graduate, we can put a lock in the system so that it is impossible to delete these documents before then).
• Our system is eminently recoverable.If something is accidentally deleted, it is easy to recover it. 
• Electronic forms can be created within the system. These forms can be customized for different purposes. Validation can be set up to ensure that all information is entered correctly. Where required, these forms can also be sent directly to parents, electronically. 
• Automated business processes can be set up to notify people when their input is required, so that things don’t get forgotten and there is accountability. Deadlines can be integrated into the system such that notifications are automatically sent out to the identified people when deadlines are approaching. 
• We integrate our system with existing software and hardware, so that there is less work for your IT department. We also provide extensive support after deployment. 

By implementing such a system, a school can not only meet compliance requirements, but also receive several operational and administrative benefits that save time and money.

Finally,
please do keep in mind that Ricoh is not providing legal advice or ensuring
legal compliance with any law, regulation, by-law or any other legislative
requirement with respect to the content of this communication. It is the
customer’s responsibility to obtain advice of competent legal counsel to ensure
its compliance with such requirements.