Ever since the invention of the desktop computer, offices across the world have been making the slow transition away from paper-based operations towards a digitised paperless office environment. As time has passed, a number of key innovations have aided this transition – not least the birth of the internet, smart phone technology, and the launch of Apple’s iPad in 2010. All of which mean that now in 2013, the paperless office is very much within all our grasps.
As any technology analyst will tell you, going paperless is as much about mindset as it is about technological innovation. With computers, scanners, laptops and tablets all now widely available, the main factor holding back many businesses from going paperless is the company culture itself. Still people continue to print emails that don’t need printing, and still in meetings some presenters would rather print out handouts than provide information in
electronic form.
For dental practices, going paperless offers a number of advantages. Not only does it save money in the long run, but it also cuts down on waste and is good for the environment as a result. In a busy practice environment, the less clutter the better, and workflow will become simpler and smoother as a result.
Making meetings simple
One area that many practices would benefit from a paperless approach is in the practice meeting. For larger practices in particular, it can often money in the long run, but it also cuts down on waste and is good for the environment as a result. In a busy practice environment, the less clutter the better, and workflow will become simpler and smoother as a result.
Making meetings simple
One area that many practices would benefit from a paperless approach is in the practice meeting. For larger practices in particular, it can often be difficult to get the whole team together in one place at one time. Handouts can get lost and if someone is unable to attend, they may well miss out on vital information. There is also the issue of arranging the material needed for the meeting itself. In many instances it is not uncommon for the meeting preparation to sometimes last longer than the meeting itself. You may for instance find yourself scrambling for necessary papers, digging through files, or printing out emails or slides. What about note taking? How many times have you lost your meeting notes, or found that you didn’t take down an important piece of information?
Thankfully, mobile technology provides a quick and easy solution to even the
most disorganised meeting arrangements. In most cases, finding and arranging files for presentation will require just the click of a few buttons, and
even scheduling should become simpler through use of online calendar tools such as Microsoft Outlook (or Entourage on Macs).
If you intend to hold a paperless meeting it’s important that you prepare beforehand. After determining who should attend, you should send invitations
electronically, and so check the availability of attendees. In your meeting invitation you should attach links to online materials, or send them via an email attachment if the material needs to be distributed. You may also consider taking advantage of cloud-based software where all meeting participants have access to a shared folder.
Whatever approach you decide on, by ensuring attendees have information beforehand you will find that everyone present should be better prepared, and the meeting will flow more smoothly as a result. This doesn’t just apply to practice meetings, as meeting with clients and/or referring practices can also be greatly enhanced by adopting a paperless meeting approach. After all, time is precious, and the more time you can save by doing things quickly and efficiently the more time you will have to focus on other tasks.
Beyond face-to-face
Of course one of the major advantages of adopting a paperless approach to meetings is they don’t even have to be held face-to-face. With video conferencing readily available to anyone with a smart phone and an internet connection, meetings can be held at a time and location far more convenient to all parties involved. This means time can be used more efficiently by cutting down on travel, and money may also be saved as a result.
Doing more, with less
At the heart of the paperless ethos is the philosophy of ‘doing more, but with less’. With the right technology and a few wellchosen software applications,
paperless meetings can become a breeze. Not only that, but you can achieve a lot more, with a lot less effort. Apps such as Wunderlist for example allow you to share lists between users, while there are also numerous collaboration programmes on the market designed to help you and your team manage projects and work in a more efficient way.
Indeed, such are the wide range of benefits associated with going paperless, that almost everything we do now in dentistry can be done in a smarter, more efficient way with clever use of technology. This doesn’t just mean computerising paper-based office systems, it includes patient communications, online marketing and even CPD. With the latest mobile technology and a few wellchosen apps, you will not only make your working life a more efficient one, but you will also make it a more enjoyable one – giving you more time to spend on the things that really matter.