TRUST SERVICES IMPLEMENTS DOCUMENT MANAGEMENT SOLUTION FOR
ASBESTOS CLAIM FILE PROCESSING
New System from Business Imaging Systems Reduces Headcount, Storage Space
OKLAHOMA CITY, Aug. 11, 2004 -
Trust Services, Inc., a trust-owned service company that acts as the management arm for asbestos settlement trusts, has automated the collection and indexing of claim file documents through a system implemented by Business Imaging Systems, Inc., a provider of document management systems, software and consulting services. The system includes products from Böwe Bell+Howell, Kofax Image Products, Inc., and Business Imaging Systems. It converts paper documents in a claim file - which averages between 35 and 50 pages - into digital format for faster processing, ease of distribution and the ability to truncate paper within a day or two of scanning.
"Approximately 70 percent of each claim file consists of paper documents, so the manual methods previously used for processing these documents were extremely time-consuming," said Doug Fowler, chief operating officer for Trust Services. "With the new automated system, we have been able to free up personnel for more important tasks. We have been able to reduce headcount by hiring fewer people than we would have otherwise required, and we have eliminated thousands of cubic feet of storage space. Through these cost-saving benefits, we expect the new system to have paid for itself well within the first two years."
The system at Trust Services, which has been fully functional since February, processes all claim-related paperwork, including claim forms and supporting documentation that claimants and/or their attorneys send in from all over the country. Such supporting documentation may include information on product exposure, depositions and answers to interrogatories, social security records, medical records, etc.
All paper claim forms and supporting documents are scanned into a Bell+Howell Spectrum 8125 high-volume scanner and passed through Kofax Ascent Capture for document capture. Capture functions are provided for both paper documents, using the scanner, and electronic documents, using MasterScan Data Transformation from Business Imaging Systems. All documents - paper and electronic - are processed and cataloged using Trust Services' intelligent data capture system and retention database with custom components integrated into Ascent Capture by Business Imaging Systems' development team.
The custom application provides proper indexing and queuing of documents for processing. It attempts to automatically match documents with an existing claim file in the database, and if a match is found, the images are immediately captured. It can conduct pattern matching functions using such data as social security number, name, claim number, etc. If the application cannot intuitively match the documents with an existing claim file - usually resulting from incompatible file naming conventions - the documents are placed in a holding queue to be reviewed by Trust Services' research analysts, who perform cross-indexing functions to find a match.
"The retention data helps Trust Services keep track of documents that can be disposed of once they are scanned and validated," said David Annis, vice president and chief technology officer for Business Imaging Systems. For each document, a box number and a page position within the box are tracked by the system. Once all claim file documents are scanned and properly indexed, a custom Ascent Capture release script then outputs the documents into Trust Services' legacy trust management system. Each file is then assigned to an analyst for claim processing.
Most original documents, with the exception of certain release forms, can be destroyed. Documents are typically indexed and boxed for temporary storage and then cycled for destruction within days of scanning. For each document, a box number and a page position within an innumerate box are tracked by the system. The indexing is a convenient way to locate and rebuild a day's work in the event of a hardware failure or data corruption that necessitated rescanning documents.
"Business Imaging Systems worked closely with our IT and Data Control staff to create custom components that capture and integrate scanned documents into our claim transaction systems," said Fowler. "The end product is a highly flexible and virtually seamless process that exceeded our expectations."
About Trust Services, Inc.
Trust Services, Inc., a national firm based in Greenville, Texas, is a trust-owned service company that acts as the management arm for asbestos settlement trusts. The firm manages asbestos and silica trusts created by Federal bankruptcy courts to liquidate claims filed by injured parties exposed to asbestos and silica products. Trust Services provides a full spectrum of services to trusts, including financial management, treasury, claims handling, insurance settlement negotiations and operations management.
About Business Imaging Systems, Inc.
Business Imaging Systems, Inc. was founded in 1986 as a systems integrations firm supplying specialized micrographics systems. They have grown to be a company that provides complete document management solutions, allowing their customers to work smarter, not harder. The company offers a variety of products and services, including consulting, software development, systems integration, professional services and data conversion services. Headquartered in Oklahoma City, Business Imaging Systems maintains regional sales offices in Dallas and Tulsa, Okla.. For more information, visit www.bisok.com.
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