N10 Antenna-3 , Alpha Thunder Tag-3 , Tablet Theft-2 , Medical Field-2
A Whole New Type Of Tablet Theft
When I think of what people typically steal from a doctor’s office, many different items come to mind. Latex gloves, magazines, bandages, and even facial tissues are often liberated from exam rooms and waiting areas across the country every day. Patients often feel entitled to those items, considering the costs associated with the office visit or the time they spent waiting to be seen. While those are minor infractions, those items do add more and more to the overall costs to the medical field in general. Of course, there are much more serious cases of theft in many doctor’s offices too. People steal from the supply of medication samples. There is also a very alarming rate of thefts of identities and medical records. These are problems all employees of the medical field must face and battle every day.
Tablet theft is a whole new problem that doctor’s offices could be dealing with, and I don’t mean the type you swallow. I’m talking about those new tablets that the front desk hands the patient to register for their appointments. Many offices are steering away from the traditional clipboard, with paper and pen, to update contacts, insurance and gather information for the purpose of the visit. They are going with a more technological and paperless approach with tablets and digital notebooks for patients to use instead. The patient is typically given the tablet and allowed to go sit in the lobby to fill in all the pertinent information. They may fill that in and hand it right back or they may keep the device throughout their appointment and hand it back in at the checkout desk. Either way, these are major investments and they must be protected. Since they have access to medical records, and because they are expensive pieces of equipment, this type of tablet theft must not be allowed to happen. It won’t if the office has the right tools.
The N10 Antenna offered by Checkpoint Systems is a key player in this game plan. Pair that with the Alpha Thunder Tag and you have a team that can’t be beat. The N10 Antenna is a sleek and compact detection system designed for small spaces. It is meant to blend in with its surroundings. However, it will not just sit quietly if one of the patients attempts to steal a tablet if said device has an Alpha Thunder Tag. It’s a simple plan: Attach the tag and turn it on. If the patient walks to close to the N10 Antenna (usually placed close to the exit to minimize false alarms) the alarm will sound from the detection system. If there is an attempt to remove or tamper with the Alpha Thunder Tag, an alarm will sound directly from the tag itself. On top of that, if the person was to successfully get out the door, once they were beyond the selected perimeter, the tag would self-alarm as well. Most patients would never even think to try and commit this type of tablet theft, but for those that think they can, this pair of tools will put a very fast and loud stop to it.
The medical field is always in need of improvements that can help streamline the ability to share medical records and make things easier for the patient. These new paperless check in systems fit right in with the reduction of redundant and seemingly ceaseless paperwork. Taking a glove or two won’t break the bank, but there needs to be a plan in place to prevent tablet theft. (And that means the electronic or medication type!)
For more information on how to prevent theft in the medical field, contact us or call: 1.770.426.0547
When I think of what people typically steal from a doctor’s office, many different items come to mind. Latex gloves, magazines, bandages, and even facial tissues are often liberated from exam rooms and waiting areas across the country every day. Patients often feel entitled to those items, considering the costs associated with the office visit or the time they spent waiting to be seen. While those are minor infractions, those items do add more and more to the overall costs to the medical field in general. Of course, there are much more serious cases of theft in many doctor’s offices too. People steal from the supply of medication samples. There is also a very alarming rate of thefts of identities and medical records. These are problems all employees of the medical field must face and battle every day.
Tablet theft is a whole new problem that doctor’s offices could be dealing with, and I don’t mean the type you swallow. I’m talking about those new tablets that the front desk hands the patient to register for their appointments. Many offices are steering away from the traditional clipboard, with paper and pen, to update contacts, insurance and gather information for the purpose of the visit. They are going with a more technological and paperless approach with tablets and digital notebooks for patients to use instead. The patient is typically given the tablet and allowed to go sit in the lobby to fill in all the pertinent information. They may fill that in and hand it right back or they may keep the device throughout their appointment and hand it back in at the checkout desk. Either way, these are major investments and they must be protected. Since they have access to medical records, and because they are expensive pieces of equipment, this type of tablet theft must not be allowed to happen. It won’t if the office has the right tools.
The N10 Antenna offered by Checkpoint Systems is a key player in this game plan. Pair that with the Alpha Thunder Tag and you have a team that can’t be beat. The N10 Antenna is a sleek and compact detection system designed for small spaces. It is meant to blend in with its surroundings. However, it will not just sit quietly if one of the patients attempts to steal a tablet if said device has an Alpha Thunder Tag. It’s a simple plan: Attach the tag and turn it on. If the patient walks to close to the N10 Antenna (usually placed close to the exit to minimize false alarms) the alarm will sound from the detection system. If there is an attempt to remove or tamper with the Alpha Thunder Tag, an alarm will sound directly from the tag itself. On top of that, if the person was to successfully get out the door, once they were beyond the selected perimeter, the tag would self-alarm as well. Most patients would never even think to try and commit this type of tablet theft, but for those that think they can, this pair of tools will put a very fast and loud stop to it.
The medical field is always in need of improvements that can help streamline the ability to share medical records and make things easier for the patient. These new paperless check in systems fit right in with the reduction of redundant and seemingly ceaseless paperwork. Taking a glove or two won’t break the bank, but there needs to be a plan in place to prevent tablet theft. (And that means the electronic or medication type!)
For more information on how to prevent theft in the medical field, contact us or call: 1.770.426.0547
Alpha Thunder Tag-4 WC blog 39
Classic N10-3
The High Price Of Health Care Mobile Device Theft
What is the cost to a medical facility for having a mobile device or portable laptop with patient information lost or stolen? Can a price tag be placed on privacy? The United States Department of Health and Human Services can and does put a price tag on security breaches. According to DHHS documents on their website, on October 11, 2011, Lahey Clinical Hospital, Inc. reported a breach of its unsecured electronic protected health information (“ePHI”) when a laptop containing information of 599 patients was stolen from their radiology department. According to the website, this breach cost Lahey $850,000 in fines. In a separate incident, a stolen laptop from the car of an employee who worked for Cancer Care Group resulted in a $750,000 fine for the company. The stolen laptop reportedly did not contain “ePHI” data, but a “computer server backup media”, apparently in the same laptop bag contained the “ePHI” of approximately 55,000 individuals. In both of these cases, the complaints stated the companies failed to conduct thorough risk assessment for vulnerabilities in relation to “ePHI”. Two incidents cost over 1.5 Million dollars in fines. Could these fines have been avoided? It is very possible they could have, had the companies had a comprehensive security plan in place that included Alpha Thunder Tags and the Classic N10 antenna.
It is important to be proactive and create a plan before an i-pad, tablet theft, or laptop theft occurs. What are some steps your company can take to protect information?
• Ensure you have secure areas inaccessible to the public. You may even want to use pass code enabled door locks to prevent unauthorized entry. It is in these areas your mobile devices should be secured when not in use.
• Be sure all of your mobile devices are encrypted. While a hacker may be able to eventually get through encryption, it is difficult and time consuming.
• Number all laptops and devices and require an audit of the devices at the end of the day to ensure they are accounted for.
• Require all devices be signed for before being checked out for use. Signing for something tends to make people feel more accountable for something and it does make it easier to track if a device is out when an audit is conducted.
• Secure all devices with an Alpha Thunder Tag. The Thunder Tag will set off an electronic article surveillance system if someone were to attempt to exit the building with it.
• Install the Classic N10 antenna at ALL entrance and exit points. Even if it is a staff only entrance/exit, it will help detect if someone accidentally attempts to leave with a device.
• If External hard drives are used for data storage, be sure these are protected and accounted for in the same manner as your laptops and mobile devices.
• Use the S3 Locking Counter Key for removing the Alpha Thunder Tag if it has to leave the building for some reason, such as a repair. The counter key can be secured to a counter and the key locked to the base when not in use, preventing someone from removing an Alpha Thunder Tag from a mobile device.
Concerned your office space is too small for an EAS antenna? The Classic N10 is designed specifically for smaller entrances or lobby areas. The space requirement for this antenna is far less than the traditional models and will not detract from the small practice that has minimal waiting room space. This antenna will provide the same protection afforded by the larger models so you won’t have to be concerned about whether or not it would detect a device being removed from the office.
Mobile devices and laptops are leading to major improvements in providing improved patient healthcare. Better accuracy in data entry, faster access to medical records, the ability for real-time patient consultations between healthcare providers are some of the benefits to the industry. The opportunity for security compromise is the flip side of the equation. Don’t allow your practice to be the object of a huge DHHS fine. Consult with Checkpoint experts to see what protections including Alpha Thunder Tags they may have that can secure your mobile devices from theft and loss.
For more information on Alpha Thunder Tags contact us or call 1.770.426.0547
What is the cost to a medical facility for having a mobile device or portable laptop with patient information lost or stolen? Can a price tag be placed on privacy? The United States Department of Health and Human Services can and does put a price tag on security breaches. According to DHHS documents on their website, on October 11, 2011, Lahey Clinical Hospital, Inc. reported a breach of its unsecured electronic protected health information (“ePHI”) when a laptop containing information of 599 patients was stolen from their radiology department. According to the website, this breach cost Lahey $850,000 in fines. In a separate incident, a stolen laptop from the car of an employee who worked for Cancer Care Group resulted in a $750,000 fine for the company. The stolen laptop reportedly did not contain “ePHI” data, but a “computer server backup media”, apparently in the same laptop bag contained the “ePHI” of approximately 55,000 individuals. In both of these cases, the complaints stated the companies failed to conduct thorough risk assessment for vulnerabilities in relation to “ePHI”. Two incidents cost over 1.5 Million dollars in fines. Could these fines have been avoided? It is very possible they could have, had the companies had a comprehensive security plan in place that included Alpha Thunder Tags and the Classic N10 antenna.
It is important to be proactive and create a plan before an i-pad, tablet theft, or laptop theft occurs. What are some steps your company can take to protect information?
• Ensure you have secure areas inaccessible to the public. You may even want to use pass code enabled door locks to prevent unauthorized entry. It is in these areas your mobile devices should be secured when not in use.
• Be sure all of your mobile devices are encrypted. While a hacker may be able to eventually get through encryption, it is difficult and time consuming.
• Number all laptops and devices and require an audit of the devices at the end of the day to ensure they are accounted for.
• Require all devices be signed for before being checked out for use. Signing for something tends to make people feel more accountable for something and it does make it easier to track if a device is out when an audit is conducted.
• Secure all devices with an Alpha Thunder Tag. The Thunder Tag will set off an electronic article surveillance system if someone were to attempt to exit the building with it.
• Install the Classic N10 antenna at ALL entrance and exit points. Even if it is a staff only entrance/exit, it will help detect if someone accidentally attempts to leave with a device.
• If External hard drives are used for data storage, be sure these are protected and accounted for in the same manner as your laptops and mobile devices.
• Use the S3 Locking Counter Key for removing the Alpha Thunder Tag if it has to leave the building for some reason, such as a repair. The counter key can be secured to a counter and the key locked to the base when not in use, preventing someone from removing an Alpha Thunder Tag from a mobile device.
Concerned your office space is too small for an EAS antenna? The Classic N10 is designed specifically for smaller entrances or lobby areas. The space requirement for this antenna is far less than the traditional models and will not detract from the small practice that has minimal waiting room space. This antenna will provide the same protection afforded by the larger models so you won’t have to be concerned about whether or not it would detect a device being removed from the office.
Mobile devices and laptops are leading to major improvements in providing improved patient healthcare. Better accuracy in data entry, faster access to medical records, the ability for real-time patient consultations between healthcare providers are some of the benefits to the industry. The opportunity for security compromise is the flip side of the equation. Don’t allow your practice to be the object of a huge DHHS fine. Consult with Checkpoint experts to see what protections including Alpha Thunder Tags they may have that can secure your mobile devices from theft and loss.
For more information on Alpha Thunder Tags contact us or call 1.770.426.0547
Classic N10-5 WC Blog 38
S3 key-5
Alpha Thunder Tag-5
The Classic N10 Antenna: Protecting Patient Privacy One i-Pad At A Time
If you work in or around a physician’s office or a medical practice you are surrounded by private medical files and patient information that has to remain secure. You are keenly aware of HIPAA Laws and the privacy rules that apply to the handling of client information. Not long ago I made a trip to a local minute clinic and had to electronically submit answers to a questionnaire before the visit with the nurse practitioner could take place. This was a change from the method of filling out what seemed like reams of paperwork in the past. In many practices, the use of laptops and even portable devices such as tablet’s and i-pads are becoming common place, removing the need for traditional patient charts and paper records. One of the benefits of the move towards mobile technology is the reduced risk of paper records getting lost, or misplaced. Let’s face it, some of the hand written notes are difficult to decipher and can be cause for misunderstanding or human error in transcribing those notes. The other side of the coin is the risk of theft of an i-pad or tablet from a medical office. The amount of information carried in a laptop of mobile device makes the loss or theft of one of these units far more risky than losing a single patient’s medical file. Electronic Article Surveillance technology is available to medical offices in order to secure their devices, among which is the Alpha Thunder Tag used in conjunction with the Classic N10 EAS antenna.
Some practices may be reluctant to invest in the EAS technology due to the size often associated with EAS antennas. Office space is not always large, and entry ways are sometimes just large enough to meet the requirements for wheelchairs to access the building. The concerns of staff are that the antennas may impede the access of patients trying to enter who may have to use some type of assistance to maneuver. The Classic N10 antenna is a slim, smaller, profile antenna that can provide the same level of security as their larger counterparts.
The Classic N10 antenna is more compact that the models normally seen when entering a retail business. They still provide the same benefits of the larger antennas, flashing LED lights for visual alerting staff and deterring theft. Audible signaling occurs when a breach takes place in the event someone were to attempt the theft of a tablet or i-pad secured with an Alpha Thunder Tag, in the case of a doctor’s office . An advantage the Classic N10 has over some previous models, is that it also has jammer detection, alerting staff if a jamming device may be in use to try to circumvent the EAS antenna.
Perhaps your office has a need to take a mobile device out of the office at some time. The Alpha Thunder Tag can be removed with the S3 key and XT detachers. These detachment keys can be ordered in counter locking versions that can prevent the keys themselves from being stolen. The base is secured to a countertop or under a counter out of view and the key is attached with a lanyard. The S3 locking counter key locks the detacher to the base until it is needed to remove an Alpha Thunder Tag from a laptop or mobile device. The alarmed S3 locking counter key has the same protection as the S3 locking counter key but the security of the device is taken a step further. If someone were to tamper with the lanyard on this version it will sound an alarm and alert staff to the potential attempted theft of the key. Maintaining the keys in a secure office space, off limits to visitors and non-staff personnel will provide additional safety measures to protect your devices and patient information.
A complete Electronic Article Surveillance system which includes the Classic N10 antenna, Alpha Thunder tags and an S3 key will protect your office the from laptop, i-pad and tablet thefts. Reduce your concerns over potential stolen patient information, look into how you can protect office mobile devices.
For more information on the Classic N10 antenna contact us or call 1.770.426.0547
If you work in or around a physician’s office or a medical practice you are surrounded by private medical files and patient information that has to remain secure. You are keenly aware of HIPAA Laws and the privacy rules that apply to the handling of client information. Not long ago I made a trip to a local minute clinic and had to electronically submit answers to a questionnaire before the visit with the nurse practitioner could take place. This was a change from the method of filling out what seemed like reams of paperwork in the past. In many practices, the use of laptops and even portable devices such as tablet’s and i-pads are becoming common place, removing the need for traditional patient charts and paper records. One of the benefits of the move towards mobile technology is the reduced risk of paper records getting lost, or misplaced. Let’s face it, some of the hand written notes are difficult to decipher and can be cause for misunderstanding or human error in transcribing those notes. The other side of the coin is the risk of theft of an i-pad or tablet from a medical office. The amount of information carried in a laptop of mobile device makes the loss or theft of one of these units far more risky than losing a single patient’s medical file. Electronic Article Surveillance technology is available to medical offices in order to secure their devices, among which is the Alpha Thunder Tag used in conjunction with the Classic N10 EAS antenna.
Some practices may be reluctant to invest in the EAS technology due to the size often associated with EAS antennas. Office space is not always large, and entry ways are sometimes just large enough to meet the requirements for wheelchairs to access the building. The concerns of staff are that the antennas may impede the access of patients trying to enter who may have to use some type of assistance to maneuver. The Classic N10 antenna is a slim, smaller, profile antenna that can provide the same level of security as their larger counterparts.
The Classic N10 antenna is more compact that the models normally seen when entering a retail business. They still provide the same benefits of the larger antennas, flashing LED lights for visual alerting staff and deterring theft. Audible signaling occurs when a breach takes place in the event someone were to attempt the theft of a tablet or i-pad secured with an Alpha Thunder Tag, in the case of a doctor’s office. An advantage the Classic N10 has over some previous models, is that it also has jammer detection, alerting staff if a jamming device may be in use to try to circumvent the EAS antenna.
Perhaps your office has a need to take a mobile device out of the office at some time. The Alpha Thunder Tag can be removed with the S3 key and XT detachers. These detachment keys can be ordered in counter locking versions that can prevent the keys themselves from being stolen. The base is secured to a countertop or under a counter out of view and the key is attached with a lanyard. The S3 locking counter key locks the detacher to the base until it is needed to remove an Alpha Thunder Tag from a laptop or mobile device. The alarmed S3 locking counter key has the same protection as the S3 locking counter key but the security of the device is taken a step further. If someone were to tamper with the lanyard on this version it will sound an alarm and alert staff to the potential attempted theft of the key. Maintaining the keys in a secure office space, off limits to visitors and non-staff personnel will provide additional safety measures to protect your devices and patient information.
A complete Electronic Article Surveillance system which includes the Classic N10 antenna, Alpha Thunder tags and an S3 key will protect your office the from laptop, i-pad and tablet thefts. Reduce your concerns over potential stolen patient information; look into how you can protect office mobile devices.
For more information on the Classic N10 antenna contact us or call 1.770.426.0547
Alpha Thunder Tag-4 WC Blog 36
tablet theft-3
Critical Care Of Mobile Medical Devices with Thunder Tag
I am going to start out by saying, “I am not a doctor and I don’t play one on tv”. There is my dose of humor for the day, much better than having to take two aspirins and calling me in the morning. Ok, I think I’m done for now. Now for the real topic I wanted to discuss today, mobile devices and the increasing use of them in the medical field. As the growth and use of mobile devices has exploded around the U.S. and the world, so it has also in the medical field. More and more nurses and doctors are accessing medical records electronically, rather than having the older paper charts and clip boards. Part of this stems from the federal government mandating the use of electronic health records (E.H.R.) in the health industry. While the benefits include faster access to medical records, the ability to share medical history more quickly, improved accuracy and less risk of losing papers, there is an increased risk of losing devices. The Alpha Thunder Tag can protect against tablet theft and ipad theft and the associated cost of losing them, be it the actual hardware or the potential for liability risk.
The Alpha Thunder Tag is secured to a handheld device with an adhesive backing that attaches the Anti-Theft device to the back of the tablet or ipad. The tag has a plunger built into it that presses against the back of the device and if the device is tampered with, the security device has a built in alarm that will sound. Further protection is afforded if the building where the devices are being used has an electronic article surveillance system in place. Should someone attempt to leave the building with a tablet that is protected by the tag the EAS antenna will sound alerting staff of the event. If the 3 Alarm version of the Thunder Tag is used, not only will the antenna alarm, but the device itself will alarm as well.
Medical information is secure in electronic format, but like any other technology if a device were lost or stolen, there are no guarantees that information cannot be accessed by someone with the knowhow or ability to breach encryption or other safeguards. What are the implications if patient medical records were to be accessed by unauthorized persons? What could someone do if they had such private medical information? Consideration must also be given to what other information is tied to a patient’s records? Billing information? A patient’s address? HIPAA laws were created to protect patient’s rights and privacy, so it seems to me that protecting the way the data is carried and shared is as important as the information itself. The Alpha Thunder Tag can be used to prevent tablet theft by keeping the devices where they belong, in the confines of the medical building.
Tablet theft isn’t the only issue, the size of tablets makes them easy to misplace. In the hustle and activity of a busy hospital, a medical provider could easily place a tablet or ipad in a medical jacket pocket. Once the work day is over, if it is forgotten about, the jacket may be worn home and with it the device in the pocket. The Alpha Thunder Tag will set off an EAS antenna and alert the person who has forgotten about the device, reminding them to return it to charging station or desk where they are kept.
Technology advances for hospitals and medical offices is improving the ability of medical providers to give care faster and more accurately with the use mobile devices. This mobility also means increased opportunity for the loss or theft of tablets or ipads. Alpha Technology Thunder Tags can provide the protection necessary to prevent these devices from leaving the building and creating potential liability issues.
For more information on Alpha Thunder Tags contact us or call 1.770.426.0547
I am going to start out by saying, “I am not a doctor and I don’t play one on tv”. There is my dose of humor for the day, much better than having to take two aspirins and calling me in the morning. Ok, I think I’m done for now. Now for the real topic I wanted to discuss today, mobile devices and the increasing use of them in the medical field. As the growth and use of mobile devices has exploded around the U.S. and the world, so it has also in the medical field. More and more nurses and doctors are accessing medical records electronically, rather than having the older paper charts and clip boards. Part of this stems from the federal government mandating the use of electronic health records (E.H.R.) in the health industry. While the benefits include faster access to medical records, the ability to share medical history more quickly, improved accuracy and less risk of losing papers, there is an increased risk of losing devices. The Alpha Thunder Tag can protect against tablet theft and ipad theft and the associated cost of losing them, be it the actual hardware or the potential for liability risk.
The Alpha Thunder Tag is secured to a handheld device with an adhesive backing that attaches the Anti-Theft device to the back of the tablet or ipad. The tag has a plunger built into it that presses against the back of the device and if the device is tampered with, the security device has a built in alarm that will sound. Further protection is afforded if the building where the devices are being used has an electronic article surveillance system in place. Should someone attempt to leave the building with a tablet that is protected by the tag the EAS antenna will sound alerting staff of the event. If the 3 Alarm version of the Thunder Tag is used, not only will the antenna alarm, but the device itself will alarm as well.
Medical information is secure in electronic format, but like any other technology if a device were lost or stolen, there are no guarantees that information cannot be accessed by someone with the knowhow or ability to breach encryption or other safeguards. What are the implications if patient medical records were to be accessed by unauthorized persons? What could someone do if they had such private medical information? Consideration must also be given to what other information is tied to a patient’s records? Billing information? A patient’s address? HIPAA laws were created to protect patient’s rights and privacy, so it seems to me that protecting the way the data is carried and shared is as important as the information itself. The Alpha Thunder Tag can be used to prevent tablet theft by keeping the devices where they belong, in the confines of the medical building.
Tablet theft isn’t the only issue, the size of tablets makes them easy to misplace. In the hustle and activity of a busy hospital, a medical provider could easily place a tablet or ipad in a medical jacket pocket. Once the work day is over, if it is forgotten about, the jacket may be worn home and with it the device in the pocket. The Alpha Thunder Tag will set off an EAS antenna and alert the person who has forgotten about the device, reminding them to return it to charging station or desk where they are kept.
Technology advances for hospitals and medical offices is improving the ability of medical providers to give care faster and more accurately with the use mobile devices. This mobility also means increased opportunity for the loss or theft of tablets or ipads. Alpha Technology Thunder Tags can provide the protection necessary to prevent these devices from leaving the building and creating potential liability issues.
For more information on Alpha Thunder Tags contact us or call 1.770.426.0547
