i-pad theft – 3                                                                                                                    WC blog 73
tablet theft-3
Alpha Thunder Tags -5
Stolen Patient Information Creates Chaos – Protect Clients With Alpha Thunder Tags
     What happens to a patient in the event their medical record information is stolen?  Should a patient’s medical information be compromised due to a medical tablet theft or a medical i-pad theft, or through other meanst, here are a number of potential issues that can arise.  According to insurancefraud.org, patients whose information is stolen may become victims of scams.  The website reports that dishonest doctors and medical personnel file fraudulent claims using stolen patient information.  Organized theft rings will open fake clinics after purchasing patient information on the black market and then make bogus claims against health insurance policies.  Additionally, using stolen medical information, thieves will receive free treatment from medical providers. Aside from fraud, the website also lists the costs to patients when their information is stolen.  The results can be ruined credit; the potential loss of healthcare coverage, medical history can become inaccurate as criminals have posed as the patient.  False insurance claims can drive up the premiums of the victim’s insurance policy.  Medical record theft has a ripple effect that can go on for a significant length of time.  This is why it is so important that steps are taken to minimize the opportunities for medical record information to be stolen.  Preventing medical tablet theft and i-pad theft by using Alpha Thunder Tags is one way to start controlling your office devices.
       The Alpha Thunder Tag is simply secured to a mobile device with an adhesive backing.  It is designed to be tamper proof so it can’t be removed by unauthorized persons without activating an audible alarm built into the tag.  The protection afforded by the Alpha Thunder Tag is when it is used in conjunction with an electronic article surveillance system (EAS).  The way it works is when someone walks out of a door that is protected with an EAS antenna the antenna emits a loud alarm and built in lights flash.  These tags have their own built in alarm that will also activate if the protected device is carried within range of the antenna, giving another layer of protection.  With alarms sounding staff and employees are immediately made aware that a device is being removed from the building and they can respond accordingly.  The device can be recovered before any damage is done. 
       Some medical providers may be reluctant to install electronic article surveillance antennas out of concern that they may pose risks to patients with pacemakers.  According to the American Heart Association (heart.org) “Interactions with EAS systems are unlikely to cause significant symptoms in most patients.”  They do caution patients with heart pacemakers not to stay near an EAS system longer than necessary and not to lean against them.  Similar cautions are provided for interactions with metal detectors for these patients so there should be no cause for concern to invest in an EAS system.  In fact, it appears from the website there could be more concern with newer cell phones interrupting pacemakers than an EAS antenna.  With such a low risk of concern, installing EAS antennas and investing in Alpha Thunder Tags is a smart way to reduce the risk for patient information theft due to i-pad theft or tablet theft. 
      Protecting patient information is a high priority for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.  Enormous fines are being levied against medical providers and agencies that have had patient information stolen, either through hacking or from stolen medical devices.  It only makes sense that companies take practical steps to protect patients whenever possible.  Investing in Alpha Thunder Tags and electronic article surveillance antennas is one sound measure to ensure patient information is not compromised.
For more information on Alpha Thunder Tags, contact us or call 1.770.426.0547

What happens to a patient in the event their medical record information is stolen? Should a patient’s medical information be compromised due to a medical tablet theft or a medical i-pad theft, or through other meanst, here are a number of potential issues that can arise. According to insurancefraud.org, patients whose information is stolen may become victims of scams. The website reports that dishonest doctors and medical personnel file fraudulent claims using stolen patient information. Organized theft rings will open fake clinics after purchasing patient information on the black market and then make bogus claims against health insurance policies. Additionally, using stolen medical information, thieves will receive free treatment from medical providers. Aside from fraud, the website also lists the costs to patients when their information is stolen. The results can be ruined credit; the potential loss of healthcare coverage, medical history can become inaccurate as criminals have posed as the patient. False insurance claims can drive up the premiums of the victim’s insurance policy. Medical record theft has a ripple effect that can go on for a significant length of time. This is why it is so important that steps are taken to minimize the opportunities for medical record information to be stolen. Preventing medical tablet theft and i-pad theft by using Alpha Thunder Tags is one way to start controlling your office devices.

The Alpha Thunder Tag is simply secured to a mobile device with an adhesive backing. It is designed to be tamper proof so it can’t be removed by unauthorized persons without activating an audible alarm built into the tag. The protection afforded by the Alpha Thunder Tag is when it is used in conjunction with an electronic article surveillance system (EAS). The way it works is when someone walks out of a door that is protected with an EAS antenna the antenna emits a loud alarm and built in lights flash. These tags have their own built in alarm that will also activate if the protected device is carried within range of the antenna, giving another layer of protection. With alarms sounding staff and employees are immediately made aware that a device is being removed from the building and they can respond accordingly. The device can be recovered before any damage is done. 

Some medical providers may be reluctant to install electronic article surveillance antennas out of concern that they may pose risks to patients with pacemakers. According to the American Heart Association (heart.org) “Interactions with EAS systems are unlikely to cause significant symptoms in most patients.” They do caution patients with heart pacemakers not to stay near an EAS system longer than necessary and not to lean against them. Similar cautions are provided for interactions with metal detectors for these patients so there should be no cause for concern to invest in an EAS system. In fact, it appears from the website there could be more concern with newer cell phones interrupting pacemakers than an EAS antenna. With such a low risk of concern, installing EAS antennas and investing in Alpha Thunder Tags is a smart way to reduce the risk for patient information theft due to i-pad theft or tablet theft. 

 

Protecting patient information is a high priority for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Enormous fines are being levied against medical providers and agencies that have had patient information stolen, either through hacking or from stolen medical devices. It only makes sense that companies take practical steps to protect patients whenever possible. Investing in Alpha Thunder Tags and electronic article surveillance antennas is one sound measure to ensure patient information is not compromised.


For more information on Alpha Thunder Tags, contact us or call 1.770.426.0547