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Ipads Improve Patient Services; Protect Those Ipads And The Information They Carry With Bug Tags
As the benefits of using mobile medical devices are becoming more apparent, it is interesting to see the ways various doctors’ offices are employing them. I was combing the internet and came across an interesting article on the use of iPads in the optometry field. In his article in Optometry Time, April 22, 2015, “iPads in the optometry office How I put technology to use on a day to day basis”, Chief Optometric Editor Ernie Bowling, OD, FAOO, writes about his transition to the use of iPads to improve service to his customers and improve office efficiency. He states, “In our office, use of the iPad begins when the patient enters the office if not before. The iPad has, as intended, completely replaced the clipboard in our office.” He writes that his patients can complete intake forms, “…once at the office, complete them on the iPad. We have several iPads dedicated to patient registration.” In my opinion, the option of going digital is a welcome change to the hassle of paper. My concern is that as I looked at the picture of his patients in the office completing the forms on the iPads, I see no protections for the devices to prevent someone from running off with one. The security professional in me sees this as a major concern but one that could be addressed with the use of an Alpha Security Bug Tag on each device and a Classic N10 Checkpoint antenna at the doors.
The Bug Tag has an adhesive sled attached to the body of the tag itself. The sled is stuck to whatever item the medical facility needs to protect and if the time comes the device is to be taken out of service, the body is detached from the sled and reused on a new item. The sled is disposable and therefore is simply thrown away. Before being removed from the device, the body of the tag must be detached from the sled with a detachment tool acquired from Alpha Security. Without the removal tool, any attempt to take the tag off will result in a tamper alarm being activated (bad news for criminals with the intent of an iPad theft). An additional protection the tag has is when it is used with electronic article surveillance towers at the front doors to a business. With towers like the Checkpoint Classic N10 system in place, a mobile device with a Bug Tag on it will be picked up by the towers and this sets off alarms and lights built in the tower. The alarms provide warning to employees that a theft attempt is taking place and they can recover the iPad or tablet before it leaves the building.
Aside from patient’s filling out new patient information on iPads, the doctor mentions several other uses he has for the mobile devices in his practice. His, “…technician has a dedicated iPad for patient preliminaries…I carry the iPad with me from room to room, accessing and reviewing the patient’s chart before entering the exam room.” The doctor goes on to mention that his practice uses the camera on the iPad to take pictures of the patient to help prevent insurance fraud and to avoid chart errors. They complete prescriptions on the iPads and reduce the potential errors they may have had when staff had to interpret his handwriting. He names a number of other functions they have used to improve their services but it is clear that with all of the patient data being stored, the risk of client information being compromised in the event of an iPad theft is significant.
Improving processes, reducing paperwork and finding ways to prevent medical errors and fraud are advantages that iPads can offer to healthcare providers. It is important to protect patient privacy and protected information and the Alpha Security Bug Tag can provide that security by preventing iPad theft.
Need information on Bug Tags? Give us a call at 1.770.426.0547 now.
As the benefits of using mobile medical devices are becoming more apparent, it is interesting to see the ways various doctors’ offices are employing them. I was combing the internet and came across an interesting article on the use of i-pads in the optometry field. In his article in Optometry Time, April 22, 2015, “i-pads in the optometry office How I put technology to use on a day to day basis”, Chief Optometric Editor Ernie Bowling, OD, FAOO, writes about his transition to the use of i-pads to improve service to his customers and improve office efficiency. He states, “In our office, use of the i-pad begins when the patient enters the office if not before. The i-pad has, as intended, completely replaced the clipboard in our office.” He writes that his patients can complete intake forms, “…once at the office, complete them on the i-pad. We have several i-pads dedicated to patient registration.” In my opinion, the option of going digital is a welcome change to the hassle of paper. My concern is that as I looked at the picture of his patients in the office completing the forms on the i-pads, I see no protections for the devices to prevent someone from running off with one. The security professional in me sees this as a major concern but one that could be addressed with the use of an Alpha Security Bug Tag on each device and a Classic N10 Checkpoint antenna at the doors.
The Bug Tag has an adhesive sled attached to the body of the tag itself. The sled is stuck to whatever item the medical facility needs to protect and if the time comes the device is to be taken out of service, the body is detached from the sled and reused on a new item. The sled is disposable and therefore is simply thrown away. Before being removed from the device, the body of the tag must be detached from the sled with a detachment tool acquired from Alpha Security. Without the removal tool, any attempt to take the tag off will result in a tamper alarm being activated (bad news for criminals with the intent of an i-pad theft). An additional protection the tag has is when it is used with electronic article surveillance towers at the front doors to a business. With towers like the Checkpoint Classic N10 system in place, a mobile device with a Bug Tag on it will be picked up by the towers and this sets off alarms and lights built in the tower. The alarms provide warning to employees that a theft attempt is taking place and they can recover the iPad or tablet before it leaves the building.
Aside from patient’s filling out new patient information on i-pads, the doctor mentions several other uses he has for the mobile devices in his practice. His, “…technician has a dedicated i-pad for patient preliminaries…I carry the i-pad with me from room to room, accessing and reviewing the patient’s chart before entering the exam room.” The doctor goes on to mention that his practice uses the camera on the i-pad to take pictures of the patient to help prevent insurance fraud and to avoid chart errors. They complete prescriptions on the i-pads and reduce the potential errors they may have had when staff had to interpret his handwriting. He names a number of other functions they have used to improve their services but it is clear that with all of the patient data being stored, the risk of client information being compromised in the event of an i-pad theft is significant.
Improving processes, reducing paperwork and finding ways to prevent medical errors and fraud are advantages that i-pads can offer to healthcare providers. It is important to protect patient privacy and protected information and the Alpha Security Bug Tag can provide that security by preventing i-pad theft.
Need information on Bug Tags? Give us a call at 1.770.426.0547 now.
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i-pads In Neonatal Care Units Keep Moms In Touch With Their Babies; Keep Those i-pads Secure With Bug Tags
Having your baby in a neonatal intensive care unit is stressful and scary. I know this because 21 years ago my wife and I went through the experience and not with just one baby, but with our twins who were born prematurely. I remember those days like they were yesterday. For the first week my wife was in her hospital room recovering, our twins were in the NICU and we could only briefly go in and see them in their incubators and then we would have to go back in the hall and my wife had to eventually get back to her bed. I was torn between visiting my wife and our infants, going back and forth between the two rooms. After the first week I had to return to work. My wife was released from the hospital but could not drive so before and after work I would drive us up and we would spend every available minute at the hospital visiting. Some days my wife would stay at the hospital while I worked then I would pick her up late at night and return home. This went on for approximately five weeks until our babies were eventually healthy enough to take home. It was difficult to not be with our little ones. We knew they were getting great care, but the unknowns and the separation weighed heavily on us. Today, hospitals are using i-pads in NICU units to help connect mothers and fathers to their newborns. I would have loved to have this technology available to us twenty-one years ago. It would have been a relief for me to be able to peek in on my children while I was at work or my wife could have checked in on them from her hospital room or from home until we could get to the hospital to visit. While this technology is great for hospitals, knowing criminals don’t concern themselves with who might be impacted by their crimes, I have to wonder what hospitals are doing to prevent i-pad theft in these neonatal care units.
Medical i-pad theft is a real concern not only because of the value of the i-pads but also many of these mobile devices carry patient information. Patient information is protected under HIPPA laws and when a data breach takes place the agency that experienced the breach is required to report it to the Department of Health and Human Services. The best method to protect against i-pad theft is to keep a device from leaving the building in the first place. An Alpha Bug Tag used with electronic article surveillance (EAS) pedestals provides protection against attempted theft by activating a pedestal alarm if a mobile device is carried into the pedestal detection range. The alarm alerts staff someone is trying to take an i-pad out of the building and they can recover it. The Bug Tag is attached directly to the mobile unit and has tamper protections that create an alarm if there is an attempt to forcibly remove the tag, again giving employees an opportunity to respond and prevent a theft.
While one hospital that uses video chat for parents with an infant in the NICU states in an article that they erase the memory after each chat, it does imply that there is stored data on their i-pads. I would imagine that they do a pretty good job of erasing data, but I also know that with any human element there is a chance of error. NICU’s can get hectic, I’ve been there and observed it. In the course of dealing with critical situations cleaning a mobile device of information is going to be relatively low on the priority list. That makes it all the more important to take steps to prevent i-pad theft.
Health care providers are doing a wonderful service for parents that have a baby in the NICU by providing video viewing with mobile devices. Making sure that the devices are secure and preventing HIPPA violations can be done easily by using Alpha’s Bug Tag and installing EAS towers at the doors.
Get more information on Bug Tags, contact us or call 1.770.426.0547 today.
Having your baby in a neonatal intensive care unit is stressful and scary. I know this because 21 years ago my wife and I went through the experience and not with just one baby, but with our twins who were born prematurely. I remember those days like they were yesterday. For the first week my wife was in her hospital room recovering, our twins were in the NICU and we could only briefly go in and see them in their incubators and then we would have to go back in the hall and my wife had to eventually get back to her bed. I was torn between visiting my wife and our infants, going back and forth between the two rooms. After the first week I had to return to work. My wife was released from the hospital but could not drive so before and after work I would drive us up and we would spend every available minute at the hospital visiting. Some days my wife would stay at the hospital while I worked then I would pick her up late at night and return home. This went on for approximately five weeks until our babies were eventually healthy enough to take home. It was difficult to not be with our little ones. We knew they were getting great care, but the unknowns and the separation weighed heavily on us. Today, hospitals are using i-pads in NICU units to help connect mothers and fathers to their newborns. I would have loved to have this technology available to us twenty-one years ago. It would have been a relief for me to be able to peek in on my children while I was at work or my wife could have checked in on them from her hospital room or from home until we could get to the hospital to visit. While this technology is great for hospitals, knowing criminals don’t concern themselves with who might be impacted by their crimes, I have to wonder what hospitals are doing to prevent i-pad theft in these neonatal care units.
Medical i-pad theft is a real concern not only because of the value of the i-pads but also many of these mobile devices carry patient information. Patient information is protected under HIPPA laws and when a data breach takes place the agency that experienced the breach is required to report it to the Department of Health and Human Services. The best method to protect against i-pad theft is to keep a device from leaving the building in the first place. An Alpha Bug Tag used with electronic article surveillance (EAS) pedestals provides protection against attempted theft by activating a pedestal alarm if a mobile device is carried into the pedestal detection range. The alarm alerts staff that someone is trying to take an i-pad out of the building and they can recover it. The Bug Tag is attached directly to the mobile unit and has tamper protections that create an alarm if there is an attempt to forcibly remove the tag, again giving employees an opportunity to respond and prevent a theft.
While one hospital that uses video chat for parents with an infant in the NICU states in an article that they erase the memory after each chat, it does imply that there is stored data on their i-pads. I would imagine that they do a pretty good job of erasing data, but I also know that with any human element there is a chance of error. NICU’s can get hectic, I’ve been there and observed it. In the course of dealing with critical situations cleaning a mobile device of information is going to be relatively low on the priority list. That makes it all the more important to take steps to prevent i-pad theft.
Health care providers are doing a wonderful service for parents that have a baby in the NICU by providing video viewing with mobile devices. Making sure that the devices are secure and preventing HIPPA violations can be done easily by using Alpha’s Bug Tag and installing EAS towers at the doors.
Get more information on Bug Tags, contact us or call 1.770.426.0547 today.
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An Increase In i-pads In Hospitals Could Mean More i-pad Thefts; The Alpha Bug Tags Prevent Pilfering and Protect Patient Information
Apple is eyeing the prospects of becoming more involved in the growing healthcare market. The computer giant already has a number of medical apps available on the i-pad for health care professionals and even medical students. Additionally i-pads and tablets have been found to be useful in “remote viewing of medical imaging scans”, “Mobile devices have been proven to improve contact between HCP’s (Health Care Providers) and their colleagues”, “Mobile devices are invaluable tools for HCP’s to use to search or access medical literature, as other informational sources.” P&T, May 2014, 39(5): 356-364, “Mobile Devices and Apps for Health Care Professionals: Uses and Benefits”, C. Lee Ventola, MS, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4029126/ In a story in fastcompany.com titled, “ipads in Every Hospital: Apple’s Plan to Crack the $3 Trillion Health Care Sector, by Christina Farr, 03/18/17, “For Apple, the $3 trillion health care sector offers a lot of potential for growth for its ipad.” The article adds, “iPhones and iPads have been used by some hospitals for more than five years, but it is only recently the company went public about its interest in healthcare.” https://www.fastcompany.com/3068773/ipads-in-every-hospital-apples-plan-to-crack-the-3-trillion-health-care-se With this anticipated growth of more i-pads in the healthcare market, there has to be an increased concern over the protection of these devices. i-pad theft has already taken place in medical facilities. Just recently an incident took place in Leamington, Ontario, a thief stole “several” ipads from the Leamington District Memorial Hospital’s main lobby. http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/windsor/leamington-hospital-ipads-1.3973889 . i-pad theft is going to balloon as a result of this increased footprint but it can be curtailed if hospitals take the time to install Classic N10 towers at the entry/exit doors and places a Bug Tag 2 on each mobile device.
The Bug Tag 2 by Alpha Security is an electronic article surveillance (EAS) tag that is attached directly to mobile devices. The tags are a two-piece design, part is an adhesive that holds the tag on the item to be protected and the other is the housing unit held in place by the adhesive. The housing unit has the alarm and radio frequency (rf) coil that is the heart of the device. The tag emits a rf signal that can be picked up by a Checkpoint Classic N10 EAS tower when carried within the detection range of the tower. When that happens, the tower sounds an alarm and flashes LED lights that serve to warn employees a tagged mobile device has been detected. Employees responding to the alarm determine the cause of the alarm and recover the unit. You might be wondering what would prevent a determined thief from simply pulling a Bug Tag off and conducting an i-pad theft that way. First, the rounded edges of the tag ensure the device fits flush with the i-pad making it difficult for a thief to pry it off. Second, there is a tamper alarm built into the tag that causes it to activate an internal alarm if a person were to attempt to pry it off of a mobile device.
There may also be concern by some that EAS pedestals would be too big for the entrances and exits of hospitals and clinics that want to use Bug Tags to protect i-pads. Most people are familiar with the large pedestals that are encountered in retail store doorways. The solution to that problem is to install the Checkpoint Classic N10 pedestal. This tower has a small profile that was first designed with very small retail stores in mind that have limited space. The tower provides practically the same power and detection range as the bigger units while taking up a fraction of the floor and entryway space.
So why am I concerned about i-pad theft or any other mobile medical device, for that matter? Because the use of any medical device that stores patient information must be protected. Whether the device is used for check-ins in a hospital waiting room or registration at a pharmacy minute-clinic, patient information has to be protected from addresses to date of births. Theft of such devices exposes the patient to identity theft or it can lead to prescription fraud and insurance fraud. Significant breaches of patient information can also lead to massive fines from the Department of Health and Human Services.
We’ve all seen the contributions that Apple products have made in our society, so it is exciting to think about what they may add to medical advancements in the future. As hospitals increase the number of i-pads in their facilities it is important that appropriate security measures be taken to keep them safe. The Alpha Bug Tag 2 and Classic N10 pedestals offer the optimal security benefits to protect patients and property.
Need information on Bug Tags? Give us a call at 1.770.426.0547 now.
Apple is eyeing the prospects of becoming more involved in the growing healthcare market. The computer giant already has a number of medical apps available on the i-pad for health care professionals and even medical students. Additionally i-pads and tablets have been found to be useful in “remote viewing of medical imaging scans”, “Mobile devices have been proven to improve contact between HCP’s (Health Care Providers) and their colleagues”, “Mobile devices are invaluable tools for HCP’s to use to search or access medical literature, as other informational sources.” P&T, May 2014, 39(5): 356-364, “Mobile Devices and Apps for Health Care Professionals: Uses and Benefits”, C. Lee Ventola, MS, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4029126/ In a story in fastcompany.com titled, “ipads in Every Hospital: Apple’s Plan to Crack the $3 Trillion Health Care Sector, by Christina Farr, 03/18/17, “For Apple, the $3 trillion health care sector offers a lot of potential for growth for its ipad.” The article adds, “iPhones and iPads have been used by some hospitals for more than five years, but it is only recently the company went public about its interest in healthcare.” https://www.fastcompany.com/3068773/ipads-in-every-hospital-apples-plan-to-crack-the-3-trillion-health-care-se With this anticipated growth of more i-pads in the healthcare market, there has to be an increased concern over the protection of these devices. i-pad theft has already taken place in medical facilities. Just recently an incident took place in Leamington, Ontario, a thief stole “several” ipads from the Leamington District Memorial Hospital’s main lobby. http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/windsor/leamington-hospital-ipads-1.3973889 . i-pad theft is going to balloon as a result of this increased footprint but it can be curtailed if hospitals take the time to install Classic N10 towers at the entry/exit doors and places a Bug Tag 2 on each mobile device.
The Bug Tag 2 by Alpha Security is an electronic article surveillance (EAS) tag that is attached directly to mobile devices. The tags are a two-piece design, part is an adhesive that holds the tag on the item to be protected and the other is the housing unit held in place by the adhesive. The housing unit has the alarm and radio frequency (rf) coil that is the heart of the device. The tag emits a rf signal that can be picked up by a Checkpoint Classic N10 EAS tower when carried within the detection range of the tower. When that happens, the tower sounds an alarm and flashes LED lights that serve to warn employees a tagged mobile device has been detected. Employees responding to the alarm determine the cause of the alarm and recover the unit. You might be wondering what would prevent a determined thief from simply pulling a Bug Tag off and conducting an i-pad theft that way. First, the rounded edges of the tag ensure the device fits flush with the i-pad making it difficult for a thief to pry it off. Second, there is a tamper alarm built into the tag that causes it to activate an internal alarm if a person were to attempt to pry it off of a mobile device.
There may also be concern by some that EAS pedestals would be too big for the entrances and exits of hospitals and clinics that want to use Bug Tags to protect i-pads. Most people are familiar with the large pedestals that are encountered in retail store doorways. The solution to that problem is to install the Checkpoint Classic N10 pedestal. This tower has a small profile that was first designed with very small retail stores in mind that have limited space. The tower provides practically the same power and detection range as the bigger units while taking up a fraction of the floor and entryway space.
So why am I concerned about i-pad theft or any other mobile medical device, for that matter? Because the use of any medical device that stores patient information must be protected. Whether the device is used for check-ins in a hospital waiting room or registration at a pharmacy minute-clinic, patient information has to be protected from addresses to date of births. Theft of such devices exposes the patient to identity theft or it can lead to prescription fraud and insurance fraud. Significant breaches of patient information can also lead to massive fines from the Department of Health and Human Services.
We’ve all seen the contributions that Apple products have made in our society, so it is exciting to think about what they may add to medical advancements in the future. As hospitals increase the number of i-pads in their facilities it is important that appropriate security measures be taken to keep them safe. The Alpha Bug Tag 2 and Classic N10 pedestals offer the optimal security benefits to protect patients and property.
Need information on Bug Tags? Give us a call at 1.770.426.0547 now.
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Don’t Trust In Encryption Alone To Protect Your Mobile Medical Devices; Use The Alpha Bug Tag 2 To Boost Security
I don’t like to cry wolf and I don’t like to unnecessarily scare people. On the flip side of that, I do believe being too nonchalant about some things, like data security on computer devices can lead to harmful situations. Take for instance mobile medical devices, some web sites seem to suggest that encryption protects computing devices from hacking so there is not a lot to be concerned with in terms of protecting patient’s personal information. I will grant you that encryption is a powerful tool, but I would not be confident in it as my only defense should an ipad theft take place in my hospital, clinic or practice. Medical facilities MUST protect all patient data even if it only seems to be harmless on the surface, like an address. There are thieves trying to gain access to patient information be it addresses, credit billing information, names, prescription drug data, etc. They use the information to obtain prescription medications, file fraudulent medical bills with insurers, obtain credit information and so on. Medical providers must do more to protect mobile devices than depend on encryption. One effective method is to physically protect devices with the Alpha Bug Tag 2.
The Bug Tag is an electronic article surveillance (EAS) anti-theft device that works using a radio frequency (rf) signal in concert with an EAS pedestal, such as the Checkpoint Classic N10 unit. It has rounded edges that give it a flush fit with a device such as a tablet computer or i-pad. The design of the tag makes it nearly impossible for a criminal to pry it off of whatever item it is attached to. The built in tamper alarm ensures that even if it were pried off, the tag will sound a 95 decibel squealing alarm alerting employees to an attempted i-pad theft or tablet theft. With Classic N10 pedestals set in place at entrances and exits to a building, any attempt to smuggle a protected item out the door will result in an alarm from the tower. Again, staffs are alerted and can respond to the event and recover the item before a thief gets away.
Why would someone completely trust in encryption to protect their devices? For starters on their iOS security white paper, March 2017, Apple includes the statement on page 10, “iOS has additional encryption and data protection features to safeguard user data even in cases where other parts of the security infrastructure have been compromised…This provides benefits for both users and IT administrators protecting personal and corporate information at all times and providing methods for instant and complete remote wipe in the case of device theft or loss.” https://www.apple.com/business/docs/iOS_Security_Guide.pdf I am not an expert in encryption and I know that the people at Apple are great at what they do. I only point out that one is left with the impression that there is no need to worry should a device be stolen. I would like to suggest that IF a breach were to take place, fines from the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) can be hefty. On top of the fines that could be levied, there is also the loss of public confidence in the facility where the breach has occurred and that can impact profitability.
Do portable devices get stolen from facilities? According to the hhs.gov website, in 2017 alone there have been four reported thefts or losses of “other portable electronic devices” and four “thefts of laptops” https://ocrportal.hhs.gov/ocr/breach/breach_report.jsf This does not include all the breaches due to paper losses or thefts, network server hackings, unauthorized email disclosures and so on. In one case of theft, “A computer and storage device have been discovered to have been stolen from San Diego-based healthcare provider Sharp Healthcare. The devices were taken from a locked cabinet in an access-controlled patient treatment area of the Sharp Memorial Outpatient Pavilion in Kearney Mesa in San Diego, CA.” (emphasis mine). The article goes on to report that, “750 current and former patients are understood to have been impacted by the incident.” http://www.hipaajournal.com/sharp-healthcare-says-stolen-devices-contained-phi-of-patients-8718/ The story does not indicate the type of storage device or computer and it may or may not have been an i-pad theft but with the increased use of mobile devices in medicine the necessary precautions are the same.
Using the Bug Tag 2 on mobile medical devices and having Classic N10 pedestals installed in doorways is an additional security step you can take to protect your business and clients. Don’t allow i-pad theft or tablet theft to take your reputation or result in astronomical fines.
Get more information on the Bug Tag, contact us or call 1.770.426.0547today.
I don’t like to cry wolf and I don’t like to unnecessarily scare people. On the flip side of that, I do believe being too nonchalant about some things, like data security on computer devices can lead to harmful situations. Take for instance mobile medical devices, some web sites seem to suggest that encryption protects computing devices from hacking so there is not a lot to be concerned with in terms of protecting patient’s personal information. I will grant you that encryption is a powerful tool, but I would not be confident in it as my only defense should an ipad theft take place in my hospital, clinic or practice. Medical facilities MUST protect all patient data even if it only seems to be harmless on the surface, like an address. There are thieves trying to gain access to patient information be it addresses, credit billing information, names, prescription drug data, etc. They use the information to obtain prescription medications, file fraudulent medical bills with insurers, obtain credit information and so on. Medical providers must do more to protect mobile devices than depend on encryption. One effective method is to physically protect devices with the Alpha Bug Tag 2.
The Bug Tag is an electronic article surveillance (EAS) anti-theft device that works using a radio frequency (rf) signal in concert with an EAS pedestal, such as the Checkpoint Classic N10 unit. It has rounded edges that give it a flush fit with a device such as a tablet computer or i-pad. The design of the tag makes it nearly impossible for a criminal to pry it off of whatever item it is attached to. The built in tamper alarm ensures that even if it were pried off, the tag will sound a 95 decibel squealing alarm alerting employees to an attempted i-pad theft or tablet theft. With Classic N10 pedestals set in place at entrances and exits to a building, any attempt to smuggle a protected item out the door will result in an alarm from the tower. Again, staffs are alerted and can respond to the event and recover the item before a thief gets away.
Why would someone completely trust in encryption to protect their devices? For starters on their iOS security white paper, March 2017, Apple includes the statement on page 10, “iOS has additional encryption and data protection features to safeguard user data even in cases where other parts of the security infrastructure have been compromised…This provides benefits for both users and IT administrators protecting personal and corporate information at all times and providing methods for instant and complete remote wipe in the case of device theft or loss.” https://www.apple.com/business/docs/iOS_Security_Guide.pdf I am not an expert in encryption and I know that the people at Apple are great at what they do. I only point out that one is left with the impression that there is no need to worry should a device be stolen. I would like to suggest that IF a breach were to take place, fines from the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) can be hefty. On top of the fines that could be levied, there is also the loss of public confidence in the facility where the breach has occurred and that can impact profitability.
Do portable devices get stolen from facilities? According to the hhs.gov website, in 2017 alone there have been four reported thefts or losses of “other portable electronic devices” and four “thefts of laptops” https://ocrportal.hhs.gov/ocr/breach/breach_report.jsf This does not include all the breaches due to paper losses or thefts, network server hackings, unauthorized email disclosures and so on. In one case of theft, “A computer and storage device have been discovered to have been stolen from San Diego-based healthcare provider Sharp Healthcare. The devices were taken from a locked cabinet in an access-controlled patient treatment area of the Sharp Memorial Outpatient Pavilion in Kearney Mesa in San Diego, CA.” (emphasis mine). The article goes on to report that, “750 current and former patients are understood to have been impacted by the incident.” http://www.hipaajournal.com/sharp-healthcare-says-stolen-devices-contained-phi-of-patients-8718/ The story does not indicate the type of storage device or computer and it may or may not have been an i-pad theft but with the increased use of mobile devices in medicine the necessary precautions are the same.
Using the Bug Tag 2 on mobile medical devices and having Classic N10 pedestals installed in doorways is an additional security step you can take to protect your business and clients. Don’t allow i-pad theft or tablet theft to take your reputation or result in astronomical fines.
Get more information on the Bug Tag, contact us or call 1.770.426.0547today.
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Examining The Ability Of The Bug Tag To Protect Mobile Devices Used For Autopsies
The use of computer tablets and i-pads in healthcare has been growing rapidly. They have been used for entertaining children and alleviating their fear of being in an exam room. They are used by experts to meet with veterans who may be dealing with PTSD and don’t want to go into a hospital setting. They are being used to view x-rays and CT scans with patients. One use for i-pads and computer tablets I recently learned of is for conducting autopsies. As with any medical facility there still needs to be concern for the protection of patient information and privacy. Any patient information stored on a device is going to be potentially vulnerable to hacking and theft and could be used for fraudulent purposes. It is imperative that medical facilities take appropriate steps to prevent i-pad theft and tablet theft to protect patient privacy. The Alpha Bug Tag 2 and Classic N10 electronic article surveillance (EAS) tower are powerful tools to keep mobile medical devices safe from theft and potential patient information compromise.
How do the Bug Tag and Classic N10 tower work together to prevent theft? They operate as a radio frequency transmitter and receiver. The tag has a built in coil that is designed to send a signal out on a specific frequency. The tower is designed to pick up this radio frequency wave when the tag is carried into the receiver detection field. When a tag is detected alarms in the tower are activated and a loud, constant beeping noise sounds. LED lights in the antenna also flash and together they warn the employees of a facility that a tagged item is about to be carried out of the building. Staff then responds to the alarm and stop the person trying to walk out and prevent the tablet theft or i-pad theft from taking place. If a doctor or nurse has placed the device in a lab coat pocket and forgotten they have it as they are ready to leave, the alert reminds them to return it.
The next question you may be asking yourself is, “Couldn’t a thief simply remove the Bug Tag from the unit and then walk through the Classic N10 pedestal?” The tags can only be removed from a device with a special removal tool only available from Alpha Security. Any tampering or forced removal of a tag causes an internal alarm in the tag to be set off. The alert is loud enough to scare a thief and cause him/her to panic and leave the device.
So, how are mobile devices being used in autopsies? According to one website, they posted an article, “Sheffield Opens UK’s First Digital Autopsy Facility”, “Digital autopsy involves a scan of the body using a GE CT scanner, before iGene’s revolutionary, proprietary, software ‘INFOPSY®’ creates a 3D image of the body, enabling the pathologist to conduct a full, non-invasive digital post mortem using a large, touchscreen tablet computer.” http://digitalautopsy.co.uk/sheffield-opens-uks-first-digital-autopsy-facility/
The article goes on to list some of the benefits of the digital autopsy as, almost immediate results, less stress on the family since it is non-invasive, faster investigation so the body can be released for final disposition more quickly, and accuracy of results since traditional methods may miss some things during the procedure.
In addition to the digital autopsy, there are a number of coroner apps that are now available for mobile devices. Some of these apps are an ‘Autopsy Checklist’, ‘Autopsy Consent and Authorization Form’, and ‘Elder Care When Someone Dies Checklist’. The list of apps goes on, but the point is the apps exist and if they are in a digital format, private patient information is being stored that should be protected from possible breach.
Mobile devices and innovative, new applications can improve many aspects of the medical field. As the use of these personal handheld computers are used more it is imperative that steps are taken to prevent i-pad theft, tablet theft and the loss of patient data. The bug tag and Classic N10 pedestal are the protections you need to maintain that security.
The Bug Tag is important and we can help you with it. Call 1.770.426.0547 and let’s talk.
The use of computer tablets and i-pads in healthcare has been growing rapidly. They have been used for entertaining children and alleviating their fear of being in an exam room. They are used by experts to meet with veterans who may be dealing with PTSD and don’t want to go into a hospital setting. They are being used to view x-rays and CT scans with patients. One use for i-pads and computer tablets I recently learned of is for conducting autopsies. As with any medical facility there still needs to be concern for the protection of patient information and privacy. Any patient information stored on a device is going to be potentially vulnerable to hacking and theft and could be used for fraudulent purposes. It is imperative that medical facilities take appropriate steps to prevent i-pad theft and tablet theft to protect patient privacy. The Alpha Bug Tag 2 and Classic N10 electronic article surveillance (EAS) tower are powerful tools to keep mobile medical devices safe from theft and potential patient information compromise.
How do the Bug Tag and Classic N10 tower work together to prevent theft? They operate as a radio frequency transmitter and receiver. The tag has a built in coil that is designed to send a signal out on a specific frequency. The tower is designed to pick up this radio frequency wave when the tag is carried into the receiver detection field. When a tag is detected alarms in the tower are activated and a loud, constant beeping noise sounds. LED lights in the antenna also flash and together they warn the employees of a facility that a tagged item is about to be carried out of the building. Staff then responds to the alarm and stop the person trying to walk out and prevent the tablet theft or i-pad theft from taking place. If a doctor or nurse has placed the device in a lab coat pocket and forgotten they have it as they are ready to leave, the alert reminds them to return it.
The next question you may be asking yourself is, “Couldn’t a thief simply remove the Bug Tag from the unit and then walk through the Classic N10 pedestal?” The tags can only be removed from a device with a special removal tool only available from Alpha Security. Any tampering or forced removal of a tag causes an internal alarm in the tag to be set off. The alert is loud enough to scare a thief and cause him/her to panic and leave the device.
So, how are mobile devices being used in autopsies? According to one website, they posted an article, “Sheffield Opens UK’s First Digital Autopsy Facility”, “Digital autopsy involves a scan of the body using a GE CT scanner, before iGene’s revolutionary, proprietary, software ‘INFOPSY®’ creates a 3D image of the body, enabling the pathologist to conduct a full, non-invasive digital post mortem using a large, touchscreen tablet computer.” http://digitalautopsy.co.uk/sheffield-opens-uks-first-digital-autopsy-facility/
The article goes on to list some of the benefits of the digital autopsy as, almost immediate results, less stress on the family since it is non-invasive, faster investigation so the body can be released for final disposition more quickly, and accuracy of results since traditional methods may miss some things during the procedure.
In addition to the digital autopsy, there are a number of coroner apps that are now available for mobile devices. Some of these apps are an ‘Autopsy Checklist’, ‘Autopsy Consent and Authorization Form’, and ‘Elder Care When Someone Dies Checklist’. The list of apps goes on, but the point is the apps exist and if they are in a digital format, private patient information is being stored that should be protected from possible breach.
Mobile devices and innovative, new applications can improve many aspects of the medical field. As the use of these personal handheld computers are used more it is imperative that steps are taken to prevent i-pad theft, tablet theft and the loss of patient data. The bug tag and Classic N10 pedestal are the protections you need to maintain that security.
The Bug Tag is important and we can help you with it. Call 1.770.426.0547 and let’s talk.
