Overview
This article provides insight to the most frequently asked questions regarding faxing in Cerbo.
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Details
How can I check my current fax usage?
Your clinic’s monthly fax usage is based on the number of pages, and can be tracked by utilizing the Inbound and Outbound Fax Report tools located under Reporting > Non-Financial Reports > Communication Reports. Please note that these reports can only be run for one month (31 days) at a time, and may run slowly if your usage is high.
Keep in mind these reports can only be run by users assigned a permission level that includes access to Non-Financial Reports. Details about what each permission level includes can be reviewed at https://www.cer.bo/permissions-matrix.
For outbound usage, reference the total pages sent:
For inbound usage, reference the total inbound pages:
Outbound Faxing
What is my page allowance for outbound faxing?
Outbound fax service includes a monthly allowance of 250 pages, per paid provider license. This applies to both Primary and Supporting Providers. Additional pages are billed at $0.10/page. For multi-provider clinics, the total page allowance is pooled, and all outbound faxes are pulled from that pool regardless of which users send them.
How can I fax large documents?
A great way to reduce your outbound fax usage is by sending large documents as an electronic package. This feature condenses the entire fax into just one page, which means fewer transmissions and a faster, more efficient delivery process. For further information on how to utilize this feature, see Faxing Patient Documents.
I fax a lot because I use a bespoke lab that isn't integrated. Can my lab be added to the integration list/queue?
We understand that using non-integrated labs can lead to higher fax usage. While we are open to exploring additional integrations in the future, we are not able to add new lab integrations at this time.
However, we currently partner with over 40 labs that offer integration with our system. You can view the full list of our integration partners here: Cerbo Integrations and Partners. We encourage you to consider utilizing one of our integrated lab partners to help reduce your fax usage.
If an outbound fax is unsuccessful, will I still be charged?
Outbound fax attempts that are not successfully transmitted do not count toward your monthly page allowance.
Inbound Faxing
What is my page allowance for inbound faxing?
Integrated inbound faxing is an optional add-on service that includes a total allowance of 500 pages per month and is not impacted by the number of providers. Additional pages are billed at $0.10/page.
How can I control the number of pages received when an outside provider/clinic faxes over patient charts?
We understand that managing fax usage can be challenging, especially when receiving patient charts from outside providers. However, please note that we are not responsible for the number of pages received from external sources. The total number of pages received, regardless of their origin, will count towards your usage and be subject to overage charges.
We recommend communicating your fax rules and preferences directly with your outside providers to help manage the number of pages they send. This can help ensure that only necessary information is faxed, potentially reducing your overall fax usage.
Do charges still apply for spam/empty pages?
Please note that all fax pages, including those that are considered spam or empty, will still count towards your usage and be subject to overage charges. This is because our system tracks the total number of pages sent and received, regardless of their content. For more information on how to handle spam faxes, see How to Deal with Junk or Spam Faxes.
I don't want to use Cerbo's integrated fax feature. What's an alternative?
We understand that using our integrated inbound fax service may not be feasible for everyone. As an alternative, you can use another fax carrier and manually upload the faxes into Cerbo. This option allows you to continue using your preferred fax service while still maintaining your records within our system.
Please note that this approach may require additional time to download faxes from your external carrier and then upload them into Cerbo. This extra step will likely result in increased administrative time and costs.
Will I be charged for scanning pages into Cerbo?
If you need to scan documents into Cerbo that were received via an external fax service, you will not be charged. Inbound fax usage is specific to the integrated fax feature in Cerbo, and applies only to faxes that feed into the Received Faxes block in the EHR. If you are not using Cerbo's integrated inbound fax service, the Received Faxes block will not be present in your Cerbo system.
Fax Billing
How can I tell what (and when) I will be charged?
If you have an integrated inbound fax line, the base fee for that service is included in your recurring monthly subscription invoice. Charges for fax overage are invoiced ~2 weeks following the end of the usage month. For example, overages accumulated in May will be invoiced in mid-June. All charges are billed to the payment method associated with your monthly autopayments.
Below are a few examples of what overage might look like for clinic with moderate fax usage:
Clinic A has 1 provider. During May's usage period, they sent 180 outbound pages and received 368 inbound pages. This clinic's fax usage did not exceed their outbound or inbound page allowance, so they will not be charged overage fees.
Clinic B has 2 providers. During May's usage period, they sent 513 outbound pages and received 477 inbound pages. This clinic's fax usage exceeded their outbound page allowance, but did not exceed their inbound page allowance, so they will be charged overage fees for the outbound excess. Overage charges will be invoiced in mid-June.
Outbound excess: 13 pages x $0.10 = $1.30
Clinic C has 3 providers. During May's usage period, they sent 822 outbound pages and received 803 inbound pages. This clinic's fax usage exceeded their page allowance for both outbound and inbound faxing, so they will be charged overage fees. Overage charges will be invoiced in mid-June.
Outbound excess: 72 pages x $0.10 = $7.20
Inbound excess: 303 pages x $0.10 = $30.30
Total excess: 375 pages x $0.10 = $37.50
Do you offer packages for clinics with a higher frequency of fax usage?
We offer an add-on fax page bundle of 500 inbound/outbound pages for $25/mo, providing 50% cost savings compared to the standard overage rate of $0.10 per page. There is no limit to the number of bundles you can request. Keep in mind that the standard overage charges will apply for pages exceeding the pre-paid bundle limit.
Example (referencing Clinic C from the example above): If one bundle is added to their subscription, their excess of 375 pages would be covered by the bundle. Compared to the prior example, they would save $12.50 on May's fax charges.
Additional notes about bundle & overage invoicing:
Fax page bundles can be requested by users with Superadmin access by reaching out to [email protected]. The $25/bundle charge will be included in your recurring subscription invoice each month.
When you request a fax bundle (or change your existing bundle quantity), the change won't be immediate. It will apply to your fax usage starting the following month. For example, a bundle requested in March will be invoiced in April and apply to your April fax usage.
Bundle pages apply on a month-to-month basis, and unused pages do not roll over to the following month. The recommended approach for determining the necessary quantity of bundles for your clinic is to make a reasoned estimate based on your clinic's historical fax usage and trends.
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