These devices provide printing, copying, scanning and faxing all in one compact machine and Rob refers to them as the “Swiss Army knife of the office”.

Xerox offers the Phaser 6180 & 6128 units to give smaller offices what Rob refers to as “power in a small package“. Similarly, Lexmark offers several multi-function devices under their X65 line including the X651 & X658 units.

These devices are perfect for day-to-day printing, scanning and faxing and their sizes range from table or desktop to free standing.

Features
Since, it is standard for a multi-function device to print, copy, fax and scan the only real variables are the size of the unit, how fast it prints and how much paper the paper trays hold.

In terms of output speed, take a minute to consider where the unit is located. A machine with a slower per page output might work great in the back office, while a machine with a higher output would keep the front desk workflow running smoothly.

The Xerox Phaser 6180 prints 20pages per min color and 31pages per black and white while the Lexmark X65 series offers 55 pages per minute black and white. Lyle McMillian from Lexmark believes the X65x line is perfect for doctor’s offices. Its fast monochrome output makes updating files and printing forms a breeze.

In terms of mechanics, look for a single pass printer, meaning the paper doesn’t pass through the machine multiple times. This allows for faster printing and it means less moving parts. And less moving parts means less pieces that can wear out or break.

For the paper trays, most machines offer the standard 8.5x11 or 8.5x14 paper trays. It is possible to buy an additional 11x17 drawer, but Lyle stresses only getting trays for the sizes most commonly used, as he says, “why pay for something you won’t use”.

How much paper the tray holds is another thing to consider. Lexmark offers high volume trays that can hold an entire ream of paper.

Set Up
Both the Lexmark and Xerox lines offer easy set up, making them perfect for small offices with no dedicated IT personnel, but they also offer set up and technical assistance.

Look for a device with a built in network card, that way the device can be plugged into the existing Ethernet or router. An optional wireless network card is available from Lexmark and Xerox offers the ability to set up the device to scan to email.

Faxing
A machine with LAN fax capabilities is a great paper and step saver. It works similar to sending print job from computer; it gives users the ability to send a form from the computer as fax. Multi-function devices keep incoming faxes secure. Incoming faxes queue in memory, only those with the pin code can print them.

Security
Keeping patient data confidential is important, and Lexmark takes security very seriously. They have several security features on their multi function devices including confidential printing and the ability to turn off features such as the fax on individual units. Both Xerox and Lexmark offer PIN based printing. With this system, each user has a pin number and punches it in to retrieve sent print jobs.

For scanned items, Lexmark lets you limit what domains emails go to, so the only acceptable domains might be pharmacies or inter office.

Additional Features
Both Lexmark and Xerox offer ID copy. A great step saver for the doctor’s offices; it makes it simple to photocopy ID and insurance cards. The copier prompts the user to lay out the card, tells when to flip etc. The printer lays out the ID so it is one side of the paper without having to reload the paper.

Toner
Replacing toner often causes sticker shock, but Xerox has a solution. They offer two toner options, one is a lower capacity toner, which is less out of pocket but may require more frequent changing or a higher volume toner that is more expensive but lasts longer.

Additional Features
A few additional features to consider, Lexmark offers an easy to use color touch screen.In addition, Lexmark offers, for certain electronic medical record systems, the ability to scan documents to electronic medical record. It works just like scanning to a folder, but instead of going to a folder, it goes to an electronic medical record.

With abundant features, the multi-function device is a great tool for the physician’s office.