[Hidden-tech] To keep records or not to keep records...

[Shel Horowitz]

At 2:10 PM -0500 12/16/08, DAVID F. FARKAS wrote:
>    ** Be sure to fill out the survey/skills inventory in the member's area.
>    ** If you did, we all thank you.
>
>
>... that is the question.
>
>	I have a rather unusual consulting business. I take intake 
>notes. I take notes on the work I do. Then write a report that is 
>emailed to the client.
>
>	Filing is not my forte and I do not have staff, so there is a 
>pile of Jurassicly filed notes (oldest sediment is more or less on 
>the bottom... except for that pesky ice age that churned things 
>us...)
>
>	What I'd like is input on is whether there is any need to 
>keep the detailed notes at all. Perhaps just capturing the client 
>info in a CRM database with minimal notes would suffice? That let's 
>me have an overview and do follow up without paper that is not 
>likely to be reviewed, assuming I actually put it all into a dB.
>
>	The other concern is privacy / confidentiality. I am not 
>legally bound by licensure to maintain confidentiality, but I do. 
>Having notes creates the potential for violations of that privacy. 
>The less I keep the less it's an issue.
>
>	Thoughts? Experiences? Comments? Idea? Best practices that 
>have worked for you or others?
>
>	As always, thanx for being this wonderful resource and think tank.
>
>	 Blissings,
>	David

If you choose not to keep the paper, I'd make sure to have multiple 
electronic copies, including at least one offsite.
-- 

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