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Chris Pearson, president of Chicago-based Vanguard Archives, has taken his post as president of PRISM International, the trade association serving the records and information services management industry, amid an environment characterized by uncertainty and change.
Many records management firms are still grappling with the impact that the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health (HITECH) Act, which was passed as part of the Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, is having on the industry. And industry professionals, including Pearson, say they expect further regulation of personal information in the years to come.
This environment puts the emphasis on compliance. As Pearson says, “In the most basic sense this is still a storage business, but every day it becomes more about helping our customers with privacy and compliance.”
In the brochure for the 2011 PRISM Annual Conference, which is scheduled for May 10-12, Pearson writes in his letter to prospective attendees, “Privacy laws and regulations are dramatically changing the risk profile of the records and information management business while at the same time raising our clients’ expectations of us and increasing the scrutiny our clients put us under.”
He adds, “These and other changes are raising the bar in terms of what it means to be successful in the records and information management industry. To be a beneficiary of change, rather than a casualty, requires staying informed and taking action to stay one step ahead of both the competition and our customers’ expectations.”
Pearson shares his goals for his term as president of PRISM as well as his outlook for the information management industry in the following Q&A.
Storage & Destruction Business (SDB): What are your goals for PRISM as you prepare to take the presidency in 2011?
Chris Pearson: To increase the amount of support PRISM provides members to stay updated and in compliance with new privacy laws and regulations. Also to begin moving PRISM toward a geographic governance model, where company members in different regions of the world have more direct say in how PRISM serves their needs.
SDB: What do you find to be the most challenging aspect of being involved with the PRISM board? The most rewarding?
Pearson: The most challenging aspect is that PRISM serves such a diverse range of members. We have small company members and big company members, companies in developed markets and companies in growth markets, companies that offer only one service and companies that offer many services. The challenge is in making sure that PRISM remains a valuable resource for all of these members.
The most rewarding aspect is seeing real progress being made and seeing PRISM continue to evolve and improve each year. This wouldn’t be possible without the camaraderie, mutual respect and openness to change that exists among the board of directors and staff.
| Outside The Box Thinking |
| The PRISM International 2011 Annual Conference, scheduled for May 10-12 at the Doral Golf Resort and Spa, Miami, includes a session scheduled for 4 to 5 p.m. Tuesday, May 10, called “Thinking Outside the Box! Electronic Medical Records Open New Doors for Record Centers.” Larry Juliano, president of EMR in the Cloud, St. Louis, presents this session, which takes a closer look at electronic medical records (EMR) and services records centers can add to help offset declining paper records from health care customers. “As most record centers are already servicing [the health care industry] and have developed strong relationships, electronic records management is simply the next step in continuing your outstanding service to this lucrative market,” according to the session description in the 2011 conference brochure. “Don’t look at this as a reduction in the paper you currently store. Look at this as an opportunity to offer an EMR solution and value-added service to help your clients manage their transition to EMR.” The conference also offers sessions on HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act) compliance presented by Gail Bisbee of Confidential Records Management, New Bern, N.C., as well as sessions on other topics of interest to the records and information management industry. More information is available at www.prismintl.org. |
SDB: What PRISM initiatives are you most excited about as the association embarks on a new year?
Pearson: We have begun to explore the feasibility of a PRISM Privacy Certification Program that would serve the purpose of helping member companies stay updated on the changing privacy landscape while also helping members meet the increasing demands of clients related to keeping their information private.
SDB: Is there anything in particular you’re looking forward to as the organization’s members prepare to convene in Miami for the annual conference in May?
Pearson: Mostly I am looking forward to the warm weather and golf. Oh, and of course the terrific lineup of speakers and networking events that our conference planning committee has put together.
SDB: To what extent do you think HITECH and the conversion to electronic medical records will affect records and information management companies?
Pearson: HITECH is already having a dramatic impact on records management companies because of the potential financial exposures it imposes on both us and our clients. It is clearly raising the bar in terms of what our clients expect from us and what we need to do as records centers in order to keep our existing clients and attract new ones.
The conversion to electronic medical records (EMRs) will be felt more gradually over time. Most large hospitals have already converted to EMR systems, but they still have a lot of records from the past and they still are producing new hardcopy documents, albeit in lower quantities.
SDB: What advice do you have for PRISM members regarding HITECH and the effect it will have on their businesses and the industry as a whole?
Pearson: Get ahead on this issue. Get ahead of your customers and your competitors. Get educated and make changes to your business before you lose a big customer or a big opportunity owing to lack of preparedness.
Improve your control environment. Put in place standard operating procedures and make sure your employees know them and follow them. Patch any potential “holes” in your operations that could lead to accidental privacy breach. Train your employees on privacy.
And understand the contractual risks you are taking on and insure against them. Data breach penalties are no longer a remote risk.
SDB: How would you characterize the current regulatory climate regarding data security and records retention? Do you foresee any additional legislation or regulation that will affect records management firms?
Pearson: Regulation relating to privacy is only going to increase. This seems like a no-brainer for politicians—punish greedy corporations that care only about profit and fail to put in place reasonable controls to protect the personal information they collect from innocent citizens. We will soon have HITECH-like regulation covering all personal information, not just medical.
SDB: What do you feel will be the biggest challenge for the records and information management industry in 2011?
Pearson: Continuing to adjust to the new privacy landscape. Companies that adjust proactively will thrive and see more opportunities, while companies that fail to stay educated and raise their standards will have a hard time retaining clients.
In the most basic sense this is still a storage business, but every day it becomes more about helping our customers with privacy and compliance.