On the Data Collection & Integration page earlier in this section, we describe how we gather readership information for our medical publishing clients. Why? To save them lots of money. By proving that at least 51% of their controlled circulation has requested the journal, the publisher can mail at the less expensive, second-class “periodical rate.”

The Importance of Physical Storage

That 51% figure is a U.S. Postal Service requirement for second-class qualification. There are other requirements, too. Chief among them is the stipulation that physical records verifying the readership rates must be kept for three years until the next re-qualification occurs. For publications with circulations in the tens or hundreds of thousands, this storage requirement can become a major obstacle blocking the way to significant cost savings. Not to mention the fact that the AMA does not allow any publisher to own their physicians’ data. What do publishers do?

They rely on DMD.

Over 70 medical publishers use our Document Management services today to fulfill their physical storage needs and comply with the AMA’s guidelines. For each client, we:

• Scan the readers’ business reply cards (BRCs) to create a digital image.
• Maintain one copy of the image file at our in-house facility and a second copy at an off-site location.
• Store the physical BRCs.
• Collect and store data about the cards so clients can track response rates and other performance metrics by campaign.
• Produce a continuously updated statement each month.

Hassle-Free Audits

In the publishing world, audits are a normal and necessary part of doing business. BPA examines a magazine’s records once a year in order to verify audience data (i.e., the publication is actually going to the people you tell advertisers it’s going to) and to provide 3rd-party validation for media buyers. US Postal Service audits are done in a more unpredictable/random fashion (and their penalties can be severe).

But just because audits are commonplace doesn’t make them any easier. Gathering documents and compiling data in the proper formats can become an incredible corporate headache. Or, it can be as easy as calling DMD. Our Document Services are comprehensive in scope and specifically designed to comply with all BPA and USPS regulations. So give us a call—and put your audit fears to rest.