UAMS Mail Preparation

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	Last Updated March 17, 2005
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Sending Patient Mail to UAMS

When addressing mail to patients here at the hospital, please follow this format...

FORMAT	EXAMPLE
Patient Name	Robert Johnson
"Patient" and Room Number	Patient Room # 228
Street Address	4301 W. Markham St.
City, State Zip	Little Rock, AR 72205

Please make sure to include a room number to help speed efficiency and accuracy of the mail.
If you are not sure of the room number, simply specify 'patient' on the mail so that we can properly direct the mail piece.

Sending Business Mail to UAMS

When addressing mail to employees or departments here at the hospital, please follow this format...

FORMAT	EXAMPLE
Individual or Department Name	Patient Billing Services
UAMS Mail Stop Number	UAMS, MS 614
Street Address	4301 W. Markham St.
City, State Zip	Little Rock, AR 72205

Please try to list the Employee Name or Department Name in addition to the Mail Stop number. Also, when possible, list the complete employee name. Any of these pieces of information can help to insure proper and quick delivery.

Employees or Patients sending Out Personal Mail

Prepare the mail just as you would any personal mail. Outgoing mail shipments are delivered to the US Postal Service and postmarked the same day. The final delivery of outgoing mail leaves UAMS between 4:30 and 5:00 PM daily.
Postage stamps are available for sale at the Mail Processing Center between the hours of 8:00 AM and 4:00 PM. Please make sure you have a stamp on any mail that requires it.

Employees and Patients sending International and Overseas Mail

When sending packages to foreign countries, be aware that any piece sent through this university will require a customs declaration form to be attached.
A Mail Center employee can provide the form for you to fill out and help you with any questions.

Departments Preparing Regular Outgoing Business Mail

When bringing your mail to the Mail Processing Center for processing, we ask that you...

Separate all letter and postcard size pieces into three categories

Any and all pieces that are going out of the country.
Those that have handwritten addresses.
Those that have typed addresses or machine printed addresses.

Place rubber bands around each collection of letter size mail that has two or more pieces coming from the same department or slot number.
If the a category of mail is too large for one rubber band to secure it, you may break it into smaller groupings and rubber band each group.

This will help speed the processing of the mail and help maintain accuracy when charging the postage to your department.
Mail that does not meet these requirements may be returned to the department that sent it so that it may be properly prepared for processing.

Non-Machinable Mail

Most of the mail processed by the U.S. Postal Service is sent through automated machines. There are some pieces that can not be sent through these machines due to shape, content, or other factors. These are known as 'non-machinable' mail pieces. The non-machinable mail are subject to an additional surcharge per piece.

To help keep the cost of your department's postage down, please avoid the following types of 'non-machinable' mail whenever possible.

NON-MACHINABLE MAIL CRITERIA:

If the mail piece has an aspect ratio (length divided by height) of less than 1.3 or more than 2.5 it is considered non-machinable.
This is only for LETTER-SIZE MAIL, (pieces larger than 6 1/8 inches by 11 1/2 inches are considered non-letter).
Polybagged or polywrapped pieces; or mail pieces enclosed in any plastic material are non-machinable.
Mail pieces with clasps, strings, buttons, or similar closure devices, or self-mailers that are stapled shut are all non-machinable. It is preferred that you use tape or adhesive tabs to close these mail pieces. Envelopes with clasps or similar closure devices are acceptable for campus or interdepartmental mail but not US Mail.
If the mail piece contains items such as pens, pencils, loose keys, or coins that cause the thickness of the mail piece to be uneven it will be classified as non-machinable.
If the mail piece is too rigid it will be non-machinable (It is considered too rigid if it does not bend easily when subjected to a transport belt tension of 40 pounds around an 11-inch diameter turn).
If the mail piece is more than 4 1/4 inches high or more than 6 inches long, the thickness is should not be less than 0.009 inch. If it is less than 0.009 inch, it will be non-machinable.
- (The maximum permissible size of a postcard is 4 1/4 by 6 and may be 0.007 inches thick).
- If your 'Postcard' mail piece goes over the maximum postcard size, you will need to use a heavier weight paper 0.009 inches thick.
- When using regular 20# paper for a folded self-mailer, if the piece is only folded in half, it does not get to 0.009 inches thick. Tri-folding a piece of 20# paper does.
- Use of a heavier weight paper is always encouraged because it travels better through the USPS's automation equipment.
If the mail piece has a delivery address parallel to the shorter dimension of the mail piece it is non-machinable. The delivery address needs to be parallel to the longer dimension. This applies only for postcards or letter-size pieces, on flat (non-letter) and parcel mail there is more flexibility.
For folded self-mailers, if the folded edge is perpendicular to the address it is non-machinable. Regardless of the use of tabs, wafer seals, or other fasteners.
For booklet-type pieces, the bound edge (spine) is the shorter dimension of the piece or is at the top, regardless of the use of tabs, wafer seals, or other fasteners, this is non-machinable.

Departments Using Business Reply Mail

Some departments utilize Business Reply Mail.
In order for this university to continue to qualify for the US Postal service's business mail discounts, all business reply mail from this campus must remain within the qualification guidelines set by the US Postal Service. The UAMS Mail Processing Center is working in cooperation with the UAMS Creative Services department to ensure that all Business Reply Mail pieces used on campus meet the proper guidelines.

To view the latest Business Reply Policy (April 1st, 2001)
and Business Reply Mail Request Form,
please click here.

If you have any questions on any of these matters please contact our office at 296-1419.

Preparing Outgoing Bulk Mail

All Bulk Mailings must be accompanied by a Job Request Form

Any Bulk mailing delivered to the Mail Processing Center without a request form
will not be processed until such a time as a completed request form is submitted.
This form is available for viewing, printing, or download Here
If you have any questions -
Contact the mail room at 296-1419 or 686-5517 for more information.

For mail to qualify as standard (bulk) mail it must have these qualifications:

A minimum of 200 pieces of mail
All pieces must be addressed to locations within the United States
All pieces must be the same weight
The content of the mail must be generic in nature
The Mail must be placed entirely in ZIP CODE order
A Return Address (necessary for Non-Profit discounted rates)
A Return Mail Endorsement (-optional-)
- Without any endorsement the mail will not be forwarded or returned.
A Permit Imprint Indicia (-optional-)
- City and State

If your mail does not meet all of the above conditions you will most likely be contacted and presented with the option of correcting the problem or having the mail sent out as first-class mail (If possible).

If you have any questions on any of these matters please contact our office at 296-1419.

Postcard mail pieces must also meet these qualifications:

- Minimum of 3 ½” height by 5” length
- Maximum of 4 ¼” by 6” (Larger sizes are considered oversized – see below)
- Minimum length 30% greater than its height
- No less than .007 inches thick (Approximately 40 lb. bond or 55 lb. cover)
- Maximum of 6” by 11 ½”
- Minimum length 30% greater than its height
- Maximum length 150% greater than its height
- Minimum of .009 inches thick (Approximately 48 lb. bond or 80 lb. cover)

If a postcard mailing consists of pieces that do not meet the requirements as detailed above, it may be assessed an additional $0.17 per piece surcharge or it may be declined bulk mail rates and be sent out at regular first-class rate.

If you have any questions on any of these matters please contact our office at 296-1419.

Common Mistakes or Problems with Bulk Mail

The mail is sorted by zip code only in each tray, instead of from beginning to end

Out of state mail not being sorted by zip code

Less than 200 pieces of mail in the Bulk

Mail addressed to locations outside of the United States

Difficulties with Gloss Paper or Card Stock

Although high gloss card stock or paper has some desirable qualities, it does present problems when used for bulk mailings. The UAMS Mail Processing Center prefers that gloss paper not be used for these mailings. If your department plans to use a gloss finish paper, please be aware of the following.

Printing: Very high gloss materials do not hold the ink very well, in such a situation the Mail Processing Center may be unable to address the mail pieces at all.

Barcodes: Because the ink used to print barcodes easily smears or smudges on gloss paper, the UAMS Mail Processing Center can not always print readable barcodes with the addresses element. Without the barcodes the mail piece can still be sent out, but the U.S. Postal Service will require that an area of the mail piece be reserved for their own barcoding machines. This area is a strip 5/8” high across the entire bottom edge of the mail piece. Please be sure to leave this area clear when using gloss finish paper. Failure to do so may result in the mail piece failing to qualify for the discounted rate and further incurring up to an additional $0.04 surcharge per piece.

Postcard Thickness: When preparing a postcard bulk mailing the thickness of the mail piece must meet the minimum requirments for postcard mailings. (.007 inches for regular postcards or .009 inches thick for oversized postcards) Be sure to request the proper thickness when having your cards printed.

If you have any questions regarding preparation of your bulk mail, please contact one of our bulk mail officers at 296-1419. We also offer services such as folding, tabbing, and addressing of large mail jobs.

Located in Little Rock, Arkansas