Sometimes a software solution just doesn't work out the way it was supposed to (or at least the way you thought it would). You can point fingers, complain about your partners, or even go to court. Or you can go out and find another software solution that does work. FutureVision Technologies, a service bureau specializing in document and information management solutions, found itself in that unenviable position. It processes medical claims forms for third party administrators and HMOs, converting Health Care Financing Administration forms into EDI data for claims systems.

FutureVision has been in business for seven years, according to Devin Cox, vice president of marketing, and appeared to be an overnight success story. But that quick success also brought workflow problems. Claims forms overwhelmed the company and its initial response, hiring more data entry people, brought more issues such as quality control.

Unfortunately, the next step also went in the wrong direction. An automated claims processing system that it purchased did not achieve the results that FutureVision visualized.