To calculate just the storage is one thing, but calculating the total cost
is another ballgame because of the complicated long list of service fees
that some offsite records management companies have, i.e. Drop Charge,
Transportation Handling Charge, Fuel Charge, Report Charge, Administrative
Fee, etc, etc, etc, etc. With some vendors, the list is endless and it makes
it very difficult for the customer to understand their invoices with all the
various codes with no explanation for the charges.
But the really big issue to watch out for are the PERM OUT CHARGES, CLOSE
ACCOUNT FEES, I.E. "HOSTAGE FEES" that some--NOT ALL--vendors have. The
total can run as high as $6-$8 per box to remove a carton from their system.
This figure must be calculate in the total cost of doing a business in
determining how much is it going to cost you. And, you can count on these
fees to increase almost every year with some vendors. If you have had
service issues with their being late with your deliveries or even if they
have lost some of your boxes, they still expect you to pay the Perm Out
charges, thus the charges have come to be known within the industry as
HOSTAGE FEES.
I would suggest you meet with 3 or 4 vendors in your area and ask them your
questions. Also, provide them with details regarding your service
requirements, i.e. number of retrievals and re-files per month, number of
standard trips per month, number of rush deliveries per month, number of
interfiles per month (if any) and all other specific details pertinent to
your requirement. In the total picture, just the storage charge is a small
factor.
Buyer beware!
John Peden
Director of Business Development
Pioneer Records & Information Management
-----Original Message-----
From: Records Management Program [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf
Of Brouillette, Deanna L.
Sent: Friday, April 14, 2006 9:02 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: [RM] Cost of storage
Hi all,
Someone in our organization has posed a question to my manager, and as
neither of them is on the listserv, I'm posting this question for them.
I know it may be too general a question (especially when you consider
all of the costs that go along with storage vendors, like retrieval,
etc. & I may wind up doing more research for them, but they asked that I
post it to the listserv first:
Do you know the avg. cost of storing paper/medical records (like X
amount per foot)? I know that years ago you knew that it was more cost
effective to convert paper to film if the data was retained for 9 or
more years. So, we thought that you may know the cost of storing paper.
Any info will be greatly appreciated!
Thanks,
Deanna
Deanna L. Brouillette, CRM
Senior Records Specialist
University of Texas Medical Branch
(409) 747-5906
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