What Happens to My Paper Documents After Scanning? A Behind-the-Scenes Look
By USA IMAGING, Inc.
Digitizing your paper records is a major step toward efficiency, compliance, and peace of mind—but what happens to the physical documents after they’re scanned?
At USA IMAGING, Inc., we believe that transparency isn’t optional—it’s essential. Here’s a behind-the-scenes look at how we handle your documents once they’ve been scanned, ensuring security, traceability, and compliance every step of the way.
🔄 Step 1: Chain of Custody Begins at Pickup
From the moment we take possession of your files, your records are tracked:
Barcode-labeled boxes
Itemized inventory sheets
Secure transport logs
This ensures full traceability from pickup to scanning and beyond.
🛡️ Step 2: Secure Storage During Processing
While in our facility:
Documents are stored in a restricted-access area
Only authorized personnel handle your files
Surveillance systems record all activity
Active projects are segregated from unrelated jobs to prevent mix-ups
🖥️ Step 3: Scanning and Quality Assurance
Each file is scanned under strict controls:
Page-by-page tracking
Real-time audit logs
Multi-point quality checks to ensure accuracy and completeness
Once verified, your digital files are encrypted and delivered via secure drive, cloud upload, or custom delivery method.
🗃️ Step 4: What Happens to the Physical Paper?
You have three options:
✅ Option 1: Return the Originals
We can return all physical documents, boxed and organized. This is common for legal or medical clients needing to retain hard copies for a specified period.
🔒 Option 2: Secure Storage
Need a safe place for temporary or long-term storage? We offer:
Climate-controlled offsite storage
Indexed retrieval services
Periodic inventory audits
This is ideal if your retention policies require holding records but you don’t want them cluttering your space.
🧨 Option 3: Certified Destruction
Once you approve your digital copies:
We request authorization to proceed with confidential shredding
Shredding is done in compliance with HIPAA, FACTA, and NIST 800-88
You receive a Certificate of Destruction for your records
Destruction typically occurs 30 days after final digital delivery, giving you time to review and request any rescans or rechecks.
📋 Client-Controlled, Always
Nothing is shredded, stored, or discarded without your explicit authorization. Every step is documented, and you always have full access to chain-of-custody records.
🔍 Why It Matters
Proper post-scan handling is critical for:
Legal compliance
Client confidentiality
Audit readiness
Peace of mind
Many companies overlook this part—but at USA IMAGING, Inc., it’s part of our commitment to integrity and excellence.
📞 Let’s Talk Transparency
If you’re considering a scanning project and want to understand the full lifecycle of your documents—from paper to pixel and beyond—we’re here to walk you through it.
USA IMAGING, Inc.
📍 12923-D Pomerado Road, Poway, CA 92064
📞 858-513-6565
✉️ [email protected]
🌐 www.usa-imaging.com
