Speak to any manager at any mass retailer/electronics retailer, and they will all tell you the same thing; iPads are a hot item for thieves! There’s a particular set of reasons why in just about every store you go in, they are deploying some serious security measures just to keep the product on the shelf. This comes in the form of glass cases, alarms attached to the product, RF monitoring and the list can go on and on. What about companies, or even folks in the medical field that are using iPads to get their jobs done? Surely these have to be targets as well?
Water follows the path of least resistance. So does a thief. If they can’t steal a tablet at one (or any) retailer, they will look for other ways to swipe them. Whether it be stealing them from unlocked cars, or out of the purses of restaurant patrons, they will do whatever it takes to make a quick buck. So, if you are in the medical field, and you’re using an iPad, or similar device for your job, you should take notice to this growing theft trend. Not only do you have a duty to protect your financial assets, but also an obligation to your patients to preserve their confidential medical records. This can be accomplished with something as simple as an Alpha Thunder Tag.
What is a Thunder Tag?
Chances are, you’ve never heard of one, however they are well known in the retail industry. They are a form of EAS (Electronic Article Surveillance), which coupled with an antenna, such as the N10 antenna, can help you reduce the chances of a theft incident.
Key features:
The Thunder Tag is a small device that attaches to the back of an iPad, or similar item. The custom adhesive makes it incredible difficult to remove. If the tag is removed, there is a plunger type mechanism on the back that will sound a 95dba alarm.
How it works:
The tag works just like you would see at any retail store. In a store, if the tag is not removed from an item at the point of purchase, it will cause an alarm to go off at the exit door. The N10 antenna, which are an incredibly small and unobstructed version of the retail store towers, can be placed just about anywhere you want. Once the tag passes through here, an alarm would sound, allowing staff to react accordingly.
Practical applications:
In a private practice setting, you can set the N10 antennas at the points of exit, which in most situations and offices, there is only one (the front entrance). If one of your iPads, or tablets that are secured with a thunder tag, passes through the antenna, it will sound an audible alert. If a dishonest patient, vendor, maintenance person, or staff member attempts to steal your equipment, your front office staff will know immediately.
Additional info:
The tags can also be disarmed, with a key such as the Alpha S3 key. The S3 key should be kept in a secured place and only accessible to the office manager, or other trusted administrator. They key can stop an active alarm from sounding, as well as disarming a tag, which would allow it to pass through the antenna without sounding the alarm.
This simple tagging solution, which is the gold standard in the retail community, could very well be the most cost efficient solution to securing your technological investments. With very minimal effort and money, you can ensure that your practice is providing your patients with a level of security that is unmatched. Not only are you protecting that financial investment you’ve made in the technology, you are also ensuring that patient data remains safe and secure. All this while using a simple tool retailers have been using for years!
For more information about Alpha Thunder Tags contact us or call 1.770.426.0547.
