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
Alpha Thunder Tags-3 WC blog 68
i-pad theft-4
tablet theft-4
Classic N10 -4
Alpha Thunder Tags And Classic N10 Antennas Keep Medical Mobile Devices From Walking Out The Door.
As I get older I find I am regularly amazed at the rate technology changes. I remember when (don’t you cringe when you hear “I remember when”?) portable phones were in big carrying bags that you took with you in your car. Pagers came out and it was great to be able to get a page from my loss prevention team telling me they needed me to call the store. Now I experience the friendly banter of co-workers making fun of my flip phone. Two-way wrist communicators were the stuff of imagination when I watched Dick Tracy cartoons as a child. Now there are Fitbits that are worn on the wrist providing health information, activity, nutritional information, weight and even sleep activity. Polaroid cameras were awesome, providing instant pictures with no need to wait to take in film for development. Digital cameras came along and now I can upload pictures straight to my desktop computer! I know what you’re thinking, “how cool is that?” What you’re really saying is, I can take a picture or video on my i-phone or tablet, and upload to the cloud and access it on my laptop from anywhere I happen to be at the time, what is this guy talking about? Yes, I do really use a desktop computer and I do have a flip phone. On the other hand, I also work in an academic library where we do work with students and the newer technologies. The main point I am making is technology is growing at amazing rates and with it the applications for those technologies. This is true for almost every field of endeavor, including the medical field. Today Doctors, nurses, medical students and pharmacists are becoming more reliant on mobile medical devices, including i-pads and tablets. The use of these devices does warrant some cause for concern, such as, what happens if there is an i-pad theft or tablet theft from a medical provider? Can the loss of these devices be prevented? An electronic article surveillance system and the use of Alpha Thunder Tags can protect mobile medical devices and with them the information they carry.
Today doctors can access patient electronic medical records (EMRs), and there are apps that can allow them to view MRIs and CAT scans. The physician can pull up the scans and view them on the device with the patient. Through devices doctors can ask staff to change I.V. settings or change or request record orders. Despite assurances that data is “secure”, there is always the potential for someone to gain access to records should an i-pad theft or tablet theft occur. In prior articles I have listed numerous known breaches of medical information and losses of medical devices. Medical facilities can prevent such theft by installing Checkpoint Classic N10 electronic article surveillance antennas at entrances and exits and having Alpha Thunder Tags attached to mobile medical devices. The Classic N10 antenna does not take up much doorway space so it won’t hinder patients or staff entering or exiting the building. What it will do is activate a loud alarm and flashing LED lights if there is an attempted i-pad theft. The alarm alerts staff that a tablet theft is taking place and they can respond to get the device back. The alarm will only be activated however, if the device has the Alpha Thunder Tag on it. The Thunder Tag is designed to both set off the Classic N10 antenna alarm if it is carried within the range of the antenna and it has a built in alarm that also activates providing a double layer of protection. I should also mention the tamper alarm on the Thunder Tag prevents someone from trying to remove it and then leaving with the mobile device.
Mobile technology in the medical field is a powerful tool and continues to improve the delivery of medical services and streamlines processes. Be aware that there are criminals who engage in tablet theft and i-pad theft in order to steal patient records and prescription information. Protect your patients and your practice with the Classic N10 antenna and Alpha Thunder Tags.
For more information on Alpha Thunder Tags, contact us or call 1.770.426.0547
As I get older I find I am regularly amazed at the rate technology changes. I remember when (don’t you cringe when you hear “I remember when”?) portable phones were in big carrying bags that you took with you in your car. Pagers came out and it was great to be able to get a page from my loss prevention team telling me they needed me to call the store. Now I experience the friendly banter of co-workers making fun of my flip phone. Two-way wrist communicators were the stuff of imagination when I watched Dick Tracy cartoons as a child. Now there are Fitbits that are worn on the wrist providing health information, activity, nutritional information, weight and even sleep activity. Polaroid cameras were awesome, providing instant pictures with no need to wait to take in film for development. Digital cameras came along and now I can upload pictures straight to my desktop computer! I know what you’re thinking, “how cool is that?” What you’re really saying is, I can take a picture or video on my i-phone or tablet, and upload to the cloud and access it on my laptop from anywhere I happen to be at the time, what is this guy talking about? Yes, I do really use a desktop computer and I do have a flip phone. On the other hand, I also work in an academic library where we do work with students and the newer technologies. The main point I am making is technology is growing at amazing rates and with it the applications for those technologies. This is true for almost every field of endeavor, including the medical field. Today Doctors, nurses, medical students and pharmacists are becoming more reliant on mobile medical devices, including i-pads and tablets. The use of these devices does warrant some cause for concern, such as, what happens if there is an i-pad theft or tablet theft from a medical provider? Can the loss of these devices be prevented? An electronic article surveillance system and the use of Alpha Thunder Tags can protect mobile medical devices and with them the information they carry.
Today doctors can access patient electronic medical records (EMRs), and there are apps that can allow them to view MRIs and CAT scans. The physician can pull up the scans and view them on the device with the patient. Through devices doctors can ask staff to change I.V. settings or change or request record orders. Despite assurances that data is “secure”, there is always the potential for someone to gain access to records should an i-pad theft or tablet theft occur. In prior articles I have listed numerous known breaches of medical information and losses of medical devices. Medical facilities can prevent such theft by installing Checkpoint Classic N10 electronic article surveillance antennas at entrances and exits and having Alpha Thunder Tags attached to mobile medical devices. The Classic N10 antenna does not take up much doorway space so it won’t hinder patients or staff entering or exiting the building. What it will do is activate a loud alarm and flashing LED lights if there is an attempted i-pad theft. The alarm alerts staff that a tablet theft is taking place and they can respond to get the device back. The alarm will only be activated however, if the device has the Alpha Thunder Tag on it. The Thunder Tag is designed to both set off the Classic N10 antenna alarm if it is carried within the range of the antenna and it has a built in alarm that also activates providing a double layer of protection. I should also mention the tamper alarm on the Thunder Tag prevents someone from trying to remove it and then leaving with the mobile device.
Mobile technology in the medical field is a powerful tool and continues to improve the delivery of medical services and streamlines processes. Be aware that there are criminals who engage in tablet theft and i-pad theft in order to steal patient records and prescription information. Protect your patients and your practice with the Classic N10 antenna and Alpha Thunder Tags.
For more information on Alpha Thunder Tags, contact us or call 1.770.426.0547
OPPORTUNITIES FOR TABLET THEFT
There isn’t a place I go that I do not bring my tablet. Since these things hit the market, I have not found a better, more efficient way to get my work done. I have the power of the Internet, a camera, video camera, word processor and so much more, on one tiny, transportable device. It has truly revolutionized the way we use personal computers. It is also revolutionizing entire swaths of business and industries. Take the medical field for example. Just a few years ago, doctors and nurses were charting completely by hand. Doctors would take notes on a tape recorder. There were services that a doctor could call and dictate his charting to and a skilled typist would record them for him. With the prevalence of tablets, those things are but a distant memory. One thing that has also risen from this rush of new technology is the growing trend of tablet theft, and the use of Alpha Thunder Tags to stop this trend.
Walk into any hospital today and you will see almost every doctor, nurse and support staff carrying a tablet. Patient records are becoming more and more centralized, which makes it easier to treat the patient and more efficient for the hospital. With all that technology in place, what types of risks are there when looking at this from a risk/loss perspective? Plenty.
Some people are opportunistic thieves, meaning that given the right set of circumstances and the idea that they will get away with the crime, they will commit it. Most shoplifters see theft as a victimless crime, although there is much to be said on that, but I’ll leave that for another time. So what if a shoplifter breaks their arm and has to go to the hospital? What if they see an unattended tablet, left in the hallways by a naive nurse? Chances are, they will steal it. That is, unless your equipment is protected with an Alpha Thunder Tag.
When combined with an N10 Antenna system, Thunder Tags can be a simple, effective and cost efficient solution to what could be a costly problem. Not only can a thief get their hands on a tablet, think of the confidential patient data that it most likely contains, and the resulting lawsuits that could arise, should you fail to protect this data.
What are Alpha Thunder Tags?
These tags are well known in the retail industry. In fact, they are the standard in companies that want to protect their assets. These small tags can be directly attached a tablet. Think of them as the same as those little tags you see in almost every store. You couple these tags with the N10 antenna and what you have is a system that will just about eliminate the potential of tablet theft.
The N10 antenna is smaller version of the towers you see when you walk into any retail store. If the alpha thunder tag passes through this gateway, an audible and visual alert sounds; meaning someone can not simply walk out with a tablet without being caught, just as someone can’t walk out of a retail store with merchandise without being caught. This can almost eliminate the possibility of tablet theft in your hospital.
The biggest difference here is that the N10 antenna is incredibly small. In fact, once it is deployed, it is almost impossible to see, unless you are looking for it. These were designed for small convenience type stores, with space constraints in mind.
Are they other solutions?
Of course there are, but why spend thousands of dollars when you can literally spend a tiny fraction of that using Alpha Thunder Tags? If they are good enough for some of the world’s leading retailers, why wouldn’t they be good for you? Tablet theft is an ever growing concern for hospitals and doctor’s offices nationwide, and I’ve seen a plethora of tactics used to combat it. So far, I’ve not seen a system as user friendly, easy to set up and maintain, and as cost effective as this one. Even the largest firms have budgets to maintain, and this solution allows you to do just that, all while protecting your equipment and your patients’ peace of mind.
For more information about Alpha Thunder Tags, contact us or call 1.770.426.0547
There isn’t a place I go that I do not bring my tablet. Since these things hit the market, I have not found a better, more efficient way to get my work done. I have the power of the Internet, a camera, video camera, word processor and so much more, on one tiny, transportable device. It has truly revolutionized the way we use personal computers. It is also revolutionizing entire swaths of business and industries. Take the medical field for example. Just a few years ago, doctors and nurses were charting completely by hand. Doctors would take notes on a tape recorder. There were services that a doctor could call and dictate his charting to and a skilled typist would record them for him. With the prevalence of tablets, those things are but a distant memory. One thing that has also risen from this rush of new technology is the growing trend of tablet theft, and the use of Alpha Thunder Tags to stop this trend.
Walk into any hospital today and you will see almost every doctor, nurse and support staff carrying a tablet. Patient records are becoming more and more centralized, which makes it easier to treat the patient and more efficient for the hospital. With all that technology in place, what types of risks are there when looking at this from a risk/loss perspective? Plenty.
Some people are opportunistic thieves, meaning that given the right set of circumstances and the idea that they will get away with the crime, they will commit it. Most shoplifters see theft as a victimless crime, although there is much to be said on that, but I’ll leave that for another time. So what if a shoplifter breaks their arm and has to go to the hospital? What if they see an unattended tablet, left in the hallways by a naive nurse? Chances are, they will steal it. That is, unless your equipment is protected with an Alpha Thunder Tag.
When combined with an N10 antenna, Thunder Tags can be a simple, effective and cost efficient solution to what could be a costly problem. Not only can a thief get their hands on a tablet, think of the confidential patient data that it most likely contains, and the resulting lawsuits that could arise, should you fail to protect this data.
What are Alpha Thunder Tags?
These tags are well known in the retail industry. In fact, they are the standard in companies that want to protect their assets. These small tags can be directly attached a tablet. Think of them as the same as those little tags you see in almost every store. You couple these tags with the N10 antenna and what you have is a system that will just about eliminate the potential of tablet theft.
The N10 antenna is smaller version of the towers you see when you walk into any retail store. If the Alpha Thunder Tag passes through this gateway, an audible and visual alert sounds; meaning someone can not simply walk out with a tablet without being caught, just as someone can’t walk out of a retail store with merchandise without being caught. This can almost eliminate the possibility of tablet theft in your hospital.
The biggest difference here is that the N10 antenna is incredibly small. In fact, once it is deployed, it is almost impossible to see, unless you are looking for it. These were designed for small convenience type stores, with space constraints in mind.
Are there other solutions?
Of course there are, but why spend thousands of dollars when you can literally spend a tiny fraction of that using Alpha Thunder Tags? If they are good enough for some of the world’s leading retailers, why wouldn’t they be good for you? Tablet theft is an ever growing concern for hospitals and doctor’s offices nationwide, and I’ve seen a plethora of tactics used to combat it. So far, I’ve not seen a system as user friendly, easy to set up and maintain, and as cost effective as this one. Even the largest firms have budgets to maintain, and this solution allows you to do just that, all while protecting your equipment and your patients’ peace of mind.
For more information about Alpha Thunder Tags, contact us or call 1.770.426.0547
Alpha Thunder Tags-5 WC blog 64
Tablet Theft-3
i-pad Theft-3
Don’t Allow Misplaced Medical Devices To Become Stolen Medical Devices Protect Them With Alpha Thunder Tags
People have a tendency to be absent minded and lose track of things rather easily. I am the father of three young adults, I have many years of retail loss prevention experience and my current job is in a university library as an overnight supervisor. How are all these related? In all three situations I deal with or have dealt with people losing things and having things stolen (often due to carelessness). I can’t recall the number of phone calls my wife and I have made to locate “lost” cell phones (my own included). In my loss prevention years I had people walk away from purses and forget where the shopping cart was that had the purse in it. They were adamant someone took their belongings. Sometimes I could find the buggy; the customer had just forgotten how far they walked away from it. Other times the customer became so absorbed in their shopping they walked away and someone had in fact stolen the purse. In the library I am regularly finding students have walked away from i-phones, tablets, computers, wallets and purses, not to mention textbooks. Sometimes they even leave the library and forget their valuables altogether and return panicked, hoping we have located their belongings. Many times they are fortunate and we have the items, but now and then these things are stolen. So how does this relate to mobile medical devices? Many medical offices are now using mobile medical technology and the use of them continues to grow. People are the same anywhere you go and will misplace things such as cell phones or laptops. What happens in the case of a tablet theft, i-pad theft or a laptop theft from a medical office when it has been misplaced and someone picks it up and walks out with it? What information on that device is at risk? Alpha Thunder Tags are a great way to prevent the theft of these mobile medical devices.
Alpha Thunder Tags work with electronic article surveillance (EAS) systems to sound an alarm if someone should attempt to leave a building that has an EAS system in place. The tags themselves are attached directly to a mobile device. If someone attempts to walk through an EAS antenna and they have a device the antenna will sound an alarm and lights built in the antenna will flash, alerting staff that an event is occurring. The Alpha Thunder Tags also have a built in alarm that will activate in addition to the antenna alarm. Should a staff member forget they have a device on their person as they leave the building, theses alarms will activate and the device can be returned. A third protection is a tamper alarm that will sound if someone were to try to remove a tag in an attempt to commit a tablet theft or i-pad theft. Alpha Thunder Tags will not protect against a device being misplaced in an office, but it will keep the device from being picked up by someone who should not have it and stealing it and along with it, all the patient information it contains.
Returning to my earlier discussion of my experiences with lost and misplaced valuables, it is never a pleasant experience for someone to lose something that has information in it or on it that is sensitive to them. Wallets, i-pods, computers, all have the potential to harm someone if personal information is obtained by thieves. In the case of a medical tablet theft or i-pad theft, this concern is greatly multiplied. Now we are not talking about information stolen from one person, we are discussing the information of potentially hundreds or thousands of patients being stolen.
If your medical office is using mobile devices or preparing to use them, be sure to talk about the sensitivity of the information on the devices. Discuss the need to be careful to not misplace a device, especially where a thief may have access to it. Remember that people are human and will be forgetful, add the extra measure of protection to your devices with Alpha Thunder Tags.
For more information on Alpha Thunder Tags, contact us or call 1.770.426.0547
People have a tendency to be absent minded and lose track of things rather easily. I am the father of three young adults, I have many years of retail loss prevention experience and my current job is in a university library as an overnight supervisor. How are all these related? In all three situations I deal with or have dealt with people losing things and having things stolen (often due to carelessness). I can’t recall the number of phone calls my wife and I have made to locate “lost” cell phones (my own included). In my loss prevention years I had people walk away from purses and forget where the shopping cart was that had the purse in it. They were adamant someone took their belongings. Sometimes I could find the buggy; the customer had just forgotten how far they walked away from it. Other times the customer became so absorbed in their shopping they walked away and someone had in fact stolen the purse. In the library I am regularly finding students have walked away from i-phones, tablets, computers, wallets and purses, not to mention textbooks. Sometimes they even leave the library and forget their valuables altogether and return panicked, hoping we have located their belongings. Many times they are fortunate and we have the items, but now and then these things are stolen. So how does this relate to mobile medical devices? Many medical offices are now using mobile medical technology and the use of them continues to grow. People are the same anywhere you go and will misplace things such as cell phones or laptops. What happens in the case of a tablet theft, i-pad theft or a laptop theft from a medical office when it has been misplaced and someone picks it up and walks out with it? What information on that device is at risk? Alpha Thunder Tags are a great way to prevent the theft of these mobile medical devices.
Alpha Thunder Tags work with electronic article surveillance (EAS) systems to sound an alarm if someone should attempt to leave a building that has an EAS system in place. The tags themselves are attached directly to a mobile device. If someone attempts to walk through an EAS antenna and they have a device the antenna will sound an alarm and lights built in the antenna will flash, alerting staff that an event is occurring. The Alpha Thunder Tag also have a built in alarm that will activate in addition to the antenna alarm. Should a staff member forget they have a device on their person as they leave the building, theses alarms will activate and the device can be returned. A third protection is a tamper alarm that will sound if someone were to try to remove a tag in an attempt to commit a tablet theft or i-pad theft. Alpha Thunder Tags will not protect against a device being misplaced in an office, but it will keep the device from being picked up by someone who should not have it and stealing it and along with it, all the patient information it contains.
Returning to my earlier discussion of my experiences with lost and misplaced valuables, it is never a pleasant experience for someone to lose something that has information in it or on it that is sensitive to them. Wallets, i-pods, computers, all have the potential to harm someone if personal information is obtained by thieves. In the case of a medical tablet theft or i-pad theft, this concern is greatly multiplied. Now we are not talking about information stolen from one person, we are discussing the information of potentially hundreds or thousands of patients being stolen.
If your medical office is using mobile devices or preparing to use them, be sure to talk about the sensitivity of the information on the devices. Discuss the need to be careful to not misplace a device, especially where a thief may have access to it. Remember that people are human and will be forgetful, add the extra measure of protection to your devices with Alpha Thunder Tags.
For more information on Alpha Thunder Tags, contact us or call 1.770.426.0547
Alpha Thunder Tags-5 WC blog 58
i-pad theft-4
Tablet theft-4
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 in 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
• 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
