Every lactation consultant is going to incorporate some tech into their private practice infrastructure. Unless you are only using a landline, paper forms, and a physically locked cabinet, you are naturally going to be implementing some digital and/or cloud-based systems. Email is paperless, and so is an internet phone line.
It is possible to have a completely paperless workflow in your private practice. That means that from the moment you make first contact with a client through sending them their care plans, no physical paper is ever used or generated.
There are clear benefits to being paperless:
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It generates no paper waste
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It requires no physical storage
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It’s efficient
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It’s client-friendly
But there can be challenges, too:
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You must understand digital threats to client privacy
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You must know the applicable laws related to electronic health information in your country, state, region, or province
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You must be willing to learn a new way of doing things
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You will need to pay for many of these services
I believe that any IBCLC has what it takes to go paperless. It may not be as exciting as learning about tongue ties or cleft palates or hypoplasia, but you’ve demonstrated that you can master complicated concepts. Tech may not come naturally to you, so give yourself time and grace in the learning process and you’ll get there.
