Alpha Thunder Tags Minimize Opportunity For Medical Mobile Device Theft

• 2012 – 6 laptops and tablet devices stolen from Northwestern Memorial Hospital’s Home Hospice offices. (Reported in Healthcare- Informatics.com, July 27, 2012 article by Gabriel Perna) 

• 2013 – Four computers stolen in a July 15 burglary of an administrative building of Advocate Medical Group (Chicago Tribune, August 24, 2013, Peter Frost and Julie Wernau) 

• 2014 – Nearly 20 tablet computers reported stolen from Medical Transporter of Georgia (wmcactionnews5.com Dec 02, 2014)

• 2014 – Laptop reported missing from Riverside County Regional Medical Center contained information on 563 patients (scmagazine.com, June 25, 2014, Adam Greenberg, Senior Reporter)

• 2015 – “Laptop stolen from a member of the faculty of LSU Health New Orleans School of Medicine has potentially exposed the protected health information of approximately 5,000 minor patients…” (The Clarion-Ledger, September 15, 2015) 

Tablet theft, i-pad theft and even laptop theft is a real issue for medical providers. You may operate a medical transport company, doctor’s office or dental clinic it doesn’t matter, if you use mobile devices you have a risk of theft. Some of the cases I have listed were due to break-ins, but others were incidents of theft. This article is about how the use of Alpha Thunder Tags and common sense steps on a daily basis can prevent your devices from leaving the building and creating a security risk.

Many businesses and offices associated with medicine and patient information are becoming more reliant on mobile devices for conducting business. Doctors and nurses are accessing patient information, looking up prescription information even consulting with other medical providers on treatments and procedures. The concern that needs to be addressed is what happens to the device during a consultation or patient interaction. How do you prevent i-pad theft or laptop theft from taking place when someone has put down a device for a consultation or client interaction? If the office devices are secured with Alpha Thunder Tags a thief who picks one up and attempts to leave the building will trigger an alarm. The tag works with acoustic magnetic (AM) or radio frequency (RF) technology that will activate electronic article surveillance (EAS) antennas placed in doorways or entrance/exits to buildings.  This assumes that a facility has EAS antennas installed in the building.  If EAS antennas are not set up, a company, such as Checkpoint, offers a number of different antenna solutions that can be installed in office areas to provide a secure environment. If someone were to try to exit with a device and a Thunder Tag is on it, the tag has a built in annunciator that will sound and the antenna will also sound. The antennas also have built in LED lights that flash and alert staff of an unauthorized breach. To further protect against tablet theft, the Alpha Thunder Tag also has a tamper alarm that will sound if someone were to try to remove the tag from the mobile device.

If you are wondering whether the investment in an EAS system is worth the expense simply to install Alpha Thunder Tags to prevent i-pad theft or tablet theft, I would like to pose this question to you, what will the cost be to your business or practice if one of your devices is stolen? Not only will your business be liable to all the potential clients who had their information compromised, you will also be subject to enormous fines from the Department of Health and Human Services. Depending on the findings and number of patient records stolen, I have seen fines range from hundreds of thousands of dollars into the millions of dollars.

I mentioned at the beginning of this article I would share a few other ideas that can be implemented to help prevent i-pad theft or tablet theft. Devices that are not being used should be stored in a room that is inaccessible to the public. Devices need to charge, so this is the place where the charging station should be located. If the business has an after- hours cleaning service, a locking cabinet should be used for storing devices. Engrave all devices with a serial number or identification number. Labels with serial numbers can be removed, engraved markings are much more difficult and leave visible signs indicating information was covered over or erased. Require a user to sign in with a name or employee number and individual password so you know who last had a device.

Mobile technology offers so many advantages over the old paper files and even over the desktop computer. Faster access to information, accuracy and even improved patient care are some of the improvements mobile devices offer. They also have risks. Minimize those risks with Alpha Thunder Tags.

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

Patient Data On Medical Mobile Devices; Protect It With Alpha Thunder Tags

Remember the credit card commercials from several years ago that gave the prices of items and ended with a some touching moment or funny ending and the narrator ended the commercial with the word “priceless”? Here is my version of the commercial:

i-pad mini $299.99

ipad air 2 $374.99

Apple i-pad pro $1,082.89

Microsoft Surface Book $1,499.99

Microsoft Surface Pro 4 $2,199.00

Personal Data Security – Priceless!

In today’s medical field the use of medical mobile devices is becoming commonplace. i-pads, tablets, laptop computers all are taking the place of paper files and records. From the viewpoint of the medical providers I can appreciate what this access means in terms of providing faster service. Patient records are available at the tap of a screen or the few clicks of a mouse. The concern that I have seen expressed in medical related websites has been the breaches of medical information security. Not only is hacking of medical information from external threats an issue, there is also the issue related to laptop theft, tablet theft and i-pad theft. Many of the devices in use today can easily fit into a purse, a book bag and even under clothing. While there are not many anti-theft tools available to prevent theft of mobile devices, there is one effective device on the market, the Alpha Thunder Tag.

So the question you may be thinking is, “Why am I concerned, my devices have gps tracking so if they leave the building they can still be tracked?” Once the device leaves the building you no longer have control over it. What information can hackers retrieve if they do get into your tablet, i-pad or laptop? The Alpha Thunder Tag prevents laptop theft or tablet theft by attaching directly to the mobile device and has three potential alarm mechanisms. The first two alarms work in conjunction with electronic article surveillance (EAS) systems. If someone were to walk out with a device that has a tag on it, the EAS alarm antenna will activate an audible alarm built into the antenna. The device itself will also activate a built in audible alarm alerting staff to an unauthorized removal of the mobile technology from the building. Should someone attempt to remove the tag from a device in an effort to steal it, there is a tamper alarm that will sound. 
     

Aside from the value of some of the tablets and i-pads being used in the medical field, what does tablet theft, or i-pad theft benefits someone? What could they possibly do with a patient’s medical information? In an April 23, 2014 Reuters (online) article by Jim Finkle, the writer quotes a senior manager from EMC Corporation, a company specializing in data storage, “Some criminals use medical records to impersonate patients with diseases so they can obtain prescriptions for controlled substances.”  On the black market, prescription medications can be valued in the thousands of dollars, depending on the drug being sold. This does not include the value of personal information on the black market which I have read in several articles can be valued from $20 to $50 per patient. The buyers can obtain information about patients from billing addresses to social security numbers. The impact can be more severe than the data breaches suffered by major retailers in the past few years. Alpha Thunder Tags keep the devices used in medical offices in the building and out of the hands of criminals and hackers. Any attempts to exit a building with a Thunder Tag protected device and has entry points/exits secured with EAS antennas will activate the alarms and allow office personnel to intervene.   
     

Who can benefit by preventing i-pad theft and tablet theft? Any medical provider that deals with patient information can benefit. This may be the family dentist practice on the corner or the small medical research laboratory. A medical provider that can become a victim does not have to be the regional medical center or medical school it can be the smaller office serving a local town. Any facility that begins converting to the use of mobile medical devices needs to consider the security offered by Alpha Thunder Tags.

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

Tablet Theft Can Lead To Patient Data Breaches – Protect Your Client Information With Classic N10 Antennas And Thunder Tags.

In a September 2014 online article in Reuters, “Your medical record is worth more to hackers than your credit card” Caroline Humer and Jim Finkle report, “Your medical information is worth 10 times more than your credit card on the black market”. The report goes on to mention that “stolen health credentials can go for $10 each, about 10 to 20 times the value of a U.S. credit card number, according to Don Jackson at Phishlabs, a cyber crime protection company.” A recent headline in a “HIPAA Journal” September 7, 2015 article, “Recent Cases Of Portable Device Theft Highlight Need For Healthcare Data Encryption”, should be a warning to healthcare providers that mobile devices are vulnerable to theft. Data breaches can be due to remote hacking or they can be the result of mobile devices that are stolen and then the information contained in the device is accessed by criminals. Prevention of tablet theft, i-pad theft and even the theft of laptops from a medical provider facility is more important now than ever before. There are protections available in addition to ensuring encryption is in place, such as using Alpha Thunder Tags to deter the theft of mobile devices.

To prevent theft, medical research offices, medical providers, or any office that has access to patient information and uses laptops, i-pads, tablets or other mobile technology can install an electronic article surveillance system. Connecting Alpha Thunder Tags to their devices creates a defense to limit opportunities for loss or theft. In order to work, Electronic Article Surveillance (EAS) antennas must be installed at ALL points of entry and exit. If space is limited at some points, the Checkpoint Classic N10 antenna can be installed. This particular antenna is a compact design, originally created for use in small retail stores where every inch of floor space is valuable. The versatility of the N10 clearly makes it a smart choice for any location that may be limited space, particularly a service type entrance for employees. Antennas at entrances will alert staff with an audible tone and flashing LED lights if someone attempts to leave with a device that has been tagged with an Alpha Thunder Tag.

Keeping equipment tagged is important, but so is accountability. There must be training for employees so they understand the reasons why mobile device security is important for the office. People are more likely to take security seriously when they understand the reasons behind actions. I have seen sign out lists for keys, scanning devices, and radios. The consistency for using sign out sheets varied depending on how or if employees were held accountable for failing to sign out equipment. When we took the time to explain why signing for equipment was important, there tended to be more cooperative compliance. This is especially important in a busy work environment where people are rushing to take care of patients and emergencies. If someone knows they are going to be held responsible if they lose a device they are generally more careful in how they handle the equipment. This is not to say things won’t be misplaced if they are signed out, but the knowledge that others will know who lost or misplaced a laptop or tablet will create a sense of urgency in people to look for that item with a greater vigor. Alpha Thunder Tags should be looked at as an esstial part of your security plan. To prevent tablet theft and i-pad theft, the primary security measure is control and accountability.  

The Classic N10 and other Checkpoint EAS antennas along with the Alpha Thunder tag can assist you in preventing tablet theft and i-pad theft. Protect confidential client data from theft, and protect your company from potentially thousands of dollars in fines and penalties.  Look into the benefits of electronic article surveillance; it isn’t just for retail stores anymore.

For more information on Checkpoint Classic N10 Antenna contact us or call 1.770.426.0547

Alpha Thunder Tags Terminate Medical Tablet Theft Temptations

Working in a medical facility or hospital, staff regularly handle confidential information. Most data and personal information is now digitalized and accessed through computers, laptops and now handheld devices. With this increased use of mobile technology, information security is increasingly at risk. According to Kevin Page and Phillip Hampton consultants for the American Bar Association, “On October 21, 2013, Alhambra, California-based AHMC Healthcare Inc. reported the theft of two unencrypted laptops containing the protected health information (“PHI”) of approximately 729,000 patients.” ( ABA Health eSource, Protecting PHI on Mobile DevicesVol. 10 No. 3 Kevin Page, Waller, Nashville, TN, Phillip Hampton, LogicForce Consulting, LLC, Nashville, TN.)  As healthcare providers are moving away from paper records and increasing the use of portable devices to care for patients, it is important for data as well as the devices to be protected.  These devices include laptops, i-pads, tablets and even smartphones. Technology has made it possible for medical professionals to access patient records with a few key strokes or a swipe of the finger. Trying to find methods to protect devices can be difficult, but the Alpha Thunder Tag can provide the security you need. Healthcare professionals have an obligation to protect the information of their patients and the tools they use to store and access that information.

The Alpha Thunder Tag has electronic article surveillance built into it and if it passes through an EAS antenna, the antenna alarm will sound and alert staff to a possible theft or a forgotten device. If someone attempts to remove a device there is a tamper alarm that will sound, again alerting staff to a possible theft of the unit. The Thunder Tag does come in a 3 alarm version that sounds not only the antenna alarm if someone tried to exit with it, the alarm built into the device will also sound an alert.      

I decided to do a little investigating of my own to see what information was available on data breaches in the healthcare industry. I went to the U.S. Department of HHS to seek information. The Department of Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights website has a report titled “Breaches Affecting 500 or More Individuals” (https://ocrportal.hhs.gov/ocr/breach/breach_report.jsf  In order to get the most accurate information available for this article, I applied the following filters: Dates from 1/1/2015 – 11/1/2015, for “Types of Breach” I included ” Hacking IT Incidents”, “Theft”,” Loss” and “Unknown”, for “Location” I only included “ Laptop” and  “Other Portable Devices”.)  For “The Type of Covered Entity” I used “Health Provider”.  With these filters I received a list of 39 reported incidents with a total of 464,166 “Individuals Affected”. Bear in mind, this report only included breaches where 500 or more individuals were affected. 499 individuals affected or less are not included in the report from the DHHS. If you don’t think that tablet theft or i-pad theft is a problem, it is my hope that these numbers may change your mind. Security of these devices cannot be taken lightly. The Alpha Thunder Tag used with an Electronic Article Surveillance System can help you protect your portable laptops and mobile devices. 

Thieves do not necessarily consider whether a tablet theft will result in gaining useful information. The opportunist may take a laptop or i-pad simply because it is accessible. If a device is stolen and information is encrypted, sometimes the challenge to some criminals is to see if they can access information. If successful they then have to decide what type of information they have and if they can use any of it. Some hackers do what they do to see if it can be done and that’s all. Unfortunately, if your office or practice is the victim of a tablet theft or i-pad theft, you can’t know what is being done with the information lost. The liability risk for your practice is minimized when the Alpha Thunder Tag is used to protect against laptop, tablet, and i-pad theft.

Don’t allow your mobile devices to go unprotected. Limit the risk of losing your mobile devices and with them, patient information. Look into the protection afforded you by investing in Alpha Thunder Tags.

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