Department of human services saves $7.8 million with Lexmark technology and solutions
, Government – State and Local
Printers & Multifunction Devices, Managed Print Services (MPS)
This DHS operated 51 different models of printers, faxes, copiers and scanners from 12 manufacturers—a total of 2,500 devices. Just 38% of the devices were networked and with no way to track usage or manage assets, an uneconomical employee-to-device ratio of 2-to-1 evolved. With only modest security measures for printing and scanning available, there was concern about the possibility of client document security being compromised. With advice from Lexmark, they recognized that by replacing DHS’s single-function printers, faxes, copiers and scanners with integrated multifunction devices, the department could cut its device count by more than half, improve productivity and enhance security while saving millions of dollars.
In addition to modernizing its output infrastructure, the department had a vision for new, secure, near-paperless workflows for several of its core legacy applications, including Medicaid identification and citizenship verification, biennial family-assistance benefits re-application, adult protective services and vocational rehabilitation. At the same time, DHS also wanted to streamline two administrative paper-bound workflows, travel-related expense reporting and vendor invoice processing, and have those integrate directly into the state’s ERP system.
Citizen demands on DHS services intensified by more than 20% as a result of the economic downturn. The forward-looking output optimization and custom workflow applications it had previously implemented, enabled DHS to maintain its high service levels and pre-empt the need for additional personnel and equipment acquisition, thereby saving precious budget dollars.
DHS chose to implement Lexmark output technology and solutions. Working in partnership with DHS, Lexmark’s consulting team visited DHS headquarters and branch offices to analyze usage levels and study floor plans, recommending specific multifunction products (MFPs) and locations best suited to each site’s requirements. Adopting a phased deployment strategy, DHS was able to retire aging single-function devices, install Lexmark MFPs and train statewide employees over the course of two months. With installation complete, DHS embarked on its second phase, leveraging Lexmark’s powerful scripting tools to develop a series of custom applications that can be initiated with the tap of an icon on the MFP’s full-color touchscreen operator panel.
DHS also implemented Lexmark Print Release to address its document security and paper waste concerns. Print Release queues print jobs centrally, releasing them only when job owners authenticate themselves at any Lexmark device connected to DHS’s network. Using an employee’s credentials or identification card swipe for authentication, Print Release guarantees that confidential jobs do not print without the document owner present. By eliminating the time gap between job submission and pickup, Print Release ensures that forgotten print jobs do not pile up, avoiding paper and toner waste. Jobs not printed within a specified timeframe are deleted from the queue automatically. By enabling Lexmark Print Release with authentication, employees were also able to utilize the Lexmark MFPs to scan easily and securely via email.
The Medicaid citizenship application eliminates the need to fax or mail supporting documents to DHS’s central processing facility for scanning and indexing, slashing the processing cycle from months to minutes. With biennial family-assistance benefits re-application, caseworkers gain faster access to vital information, allowing DHS to approve benefits more quickly. Similarly, the adult protective services application provides for near-instantaneous routing, archiving and retrieval of client information. DHS also developed an application to scan vocational rehabilitation documents and convert them to into editable text. These four applications, developed by DHS’s own IT staff, have already saved the state more than $3 million.
With its Lexmark output infrastructure and solutions, DHS has achieved savings of nearly $8 million, including more than $4.1 million over five years by virtue of its smaller, consolidated fleet; $3.4 million through productivity enhancements associated with its MFP-based custom applications and additional hardware avoidance; and $239,000 saved annually through print avoidance with Lexmark Print Release. DHS now operates a single-vendor fleet of MFPs that is fully networked, centrally managed and maintained under a single service agreement.
By trimming its output fleet from 2,500 to 1,000 devices, its employee-to-device ratio improved to 5-to-1, while paper consumption dropped simultaneously by 17%.
By trimming its output fleet from 2,500 to 1,000 devices, its employee to-device ratio improved to 5-to-1 while paper consumption dropped simultaneously by 17%, to 46.2 million pages from 55.1 million. Electrical consumption was lowered by 19%. With Lexmark Print Release, DHS can now view usage metrics by device or user with aggregation by region or program to aid in future expense planning. Lexmark’s industry-leading security maintains the privacy of clients’ sensitive information as paper documents are scanned, encrypted and transmitted electronically.
For this state’s department of human services, the decision to modernize its output infrastructure with Lexmark technology has helped it cut costs and improve worker productivity, all while maintaining high client service levels in an era of increasing demand.
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