If you are a healthcare provider, or do business with healthcare providers, you are probably familiar with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, or HIPPA, which was designed to ensure the security of patients’ private health information. With the rise of the implementation of Electronic Health Records (EHRs) and other healthcare information technology (HIT) by physicians, hospitals, and other healthcare providers, privacy and compliance concerns are greater now than ever. As reported in Businessweek, healthcare providers, insurance companies and related business partners reported 373 business security system breaches affecting almost 18 million patients between September 2009 to October of this year, according to Department of Health and Human Services.
Various technologies are used by providers of HIT and EHRs to ensure that a patient’s data remains secure. But even the best encryption protocols can’t always prevent a security breach because of something like the theft of laptop, or an “inside job” by an unscrupulous employee. That’s why healthcare providers are encouraged to consider taking serious physical security measures, such as access monitoring, burglar alarms, and video surveillance – as part of their overall security systems.
Of course, it’s not only patient information that makes healthcare providers criminal targets. Medical facilities are known to have high value assets on their premises, such as medical equipment, not to mention drugs. It’s also not uncommon for healthcare workers in emergency rooms, mental health clinics, and certain other kinds of facilities to be subject to violent outbursts or attacks by violent or emotionally disturbed patients.
According to crime researchers, hospital emergency rooms traditionally have been the most likely areas to have security risks. However, the increased problems of drug dependence, mental health issues, and homelessness, combined with other social problems caused by the economic downturn of the past several years have contributed to increased security threats for all areas of health care facilities.
Fortunately there are business security system companies that specialize in the unique compliance and security needs of healthcare and medical facilities. These companies understand the challenges of both data and physical security faced by the healthcare industry, and they know how to help medical facilities integrate safety and security measures into their day-to-day operations. They do this not only with the latest in state-of-the-art security systems and access control measures, but also by training all personnel how to minimize risk, and help create a secure and compliant environment for workers and patients.
Built-in Dialer Delays Have No Place at American Alarm
/1 Comment/by American Alarm Blogging TeamThe problem is that many major distributors and alarm monitoring companies have built-in dialer delays that prevent signals from being sent to the central station for up to four minutes after the alarm is tripped in the home.
Why? Because their systems are prone to false alarms and their distant monitoring centers can’t handle the volume. They delay transmission of an alarm signal to give the homeowner a chance to respond and correct the false alarm. This is not true security.
If there is a fire or someone is breaking into your home, seconds count when it comes to both the safety of your family and the protection of your belongings.
After that blog post, we received some great feedback from people who were unsure if American Alarm incorporated a dialer delay into its burglar alarm systems.
The fact is, we do not and will not use equipment with built-in dialer delays. The reason we posted this information was to inform our customers as well as others reading our blog that there are some companies that do this.
Our commitment to our customers has always been to provide the fastest possible response to alarm signals. We have the lowest documented response to priority signals, which is currently at 24 seconds or less. This is key in the event of a fire or intrusion at your home or business.
Please keep the questions and comments coming!
Is a Dialer Delay in your Home Security System Putting You at Risk?
/by American Alarm Blogging TeamFive Tips to Protect Your Home Security In The Social Media Age
/by American Alarm Blogging TeamSocial network sites are great because they make it easy for you stay in touch with family and friends. The problem is too many people don’t realize that they could be exposing themselves to any number of security risks. In this video, American Alarm Blogging Team’s Sunny Gault will give you some tips to ensure that your social networking activity doesn’t compromise the safety of your family or your home.
Does your social networking activity compromise your home security? Read more →
American Alarm Acquires Two Rhode Island Security Companies
/by American Alarm Blogging TeamThe Warwick based companies will continue to operate from their current location and pursue new opportunities to grow their residential and commercial life-safety and security services.
“We are looking forward to serving the customers of Electronic Alarm Systems and Phoenix Fire Alarm and Communications,” said Wells Sampson, President of American Alarm. “These companies have a long history of serving Rhode Island customers. We look forward to carrying on their tradition of passion for excellent, caring service. American Alarm’s strengths will help these companies grow.” Read more →
Top Three Home Security Tips for Recent Movers
/1 Comment/by American Alarm Blogging Team1) Check Locks and Latches
It seems like a relative no-brainer, but it’s easy enough to forget to re-key all of the locks in your new home as soon as possible. Most people will have the front doors done immediately, but it’s crucial to make sure that any side doors, back doors, and gates are also taken care of at the same time. This is especially important given that these entryways are often shielded from view, making them ideal access points for would-be burglars. A check of your house’s window latches and locks is also in order, as these can wear out with time and are frequently a low maintenance priority for sellers. Read more →
Modern Business Security Systems: A Primer For Property Managers
/1 Comment/by American Alarm Blogging TeamA property manager has many responsibilities, and is usually very good at multi-tasking. The property manager is the liaison between the owner, the occupants, and all the other people who interact with the building. He’ll be responsible for everything from collecting rents, or fees in the case of condominium properties, to keeping the building well occupied and maintained. Read more →
Home Security Options: Text Message Alerts When Child Arrives Home
/3 Comments/by American Alarm Blogging TeamSome modern home alarm systems are capable of providing parents with remote alerts each time people come in the door – whether they’re welcome guests or unexpected intruders. This type of alert can be adapted so children can virtually “check-in” as soon as they arrive at their homes. By assigning individual access codes whenever the alarm system is deactivated, parents can receive text messages indicating the time of entry as well as the identity of the person who entered the house. Read more →
Top Five Ways to Protect Your Family From Carbon Monoxide Poisoning
/1 Comment/by American Alarm Blogging TeamDo you know that carbon monoxide is the most common cause of poisoning deaths in the United States? The fact is more carbon monoxide poisonings occur in the month of January than at any other time of the year. Did you also know, the best way to protect your family is with a carbon monoxide detector? Check out the video below to learn the top five ways to protect your family from this colorless, odorless, silent killer.
To learn more, read our November blog post on how to prevent carbon monoxide poisoning.
How to Maximize Network Bandwidth with IP Video Surveillance
/1 Comment/by American Alarm Blogging TeamFortunately, there are a number of solutions available that can simplify the bandwidth requirements of remote video monitoring without compromising security or coverage. One of the most promising is moving from a unicast-type IP video network system to a multicast model. You can greatly reduce bandwidth requirements by avoiding direct, concurrent connections between IP cameras and workstations or recording systems requesting video feeds. Read more →
Need Grows for Robust Business Security Systems In Healthcare
/by American Alarm Blogging TeamVarious technologies are used by providers of HIT and EHRs to ensure that a patient’s data remains secure. But even the best encryption protocols can’t always prevent a security breach because of something like the theft of laptop, or an “inside job” by an unscrupulous employee. That’s why healthcare providers are encouraged to consider taking serious physical security measures, such as access monitoring, burglar alarms, and video surveillance – as part of their overall security systems.
Of course, it’s not only patient information that makes healthcare providers criminal targets. Medical facilities are known to have high value assets on their premises, such as medical equipment, not to mention drugs. It’s also not uncommon for healthcare workers in emergency rooms, mental health clinics, and certain other kinds of facilities to be subject to violent outbursts or attacks by violent or emotionally disturbed patients.
According to crime researchers, hospital emergency rooms traditionally have been the most likely areas to have security risks. However, the increased problems of drug dependence, mental health issues, and homelessness, combined with other social problems caused by the economic downturn of the past several years have contributed to increased security threats for all areas of health care facilities.
Fortunately there are business security system companies that specialize in the unique compliance and security needs of healthcare and medical facilities. These companies understand the challenges of both data and physical security faced by the healthcare industry, and they know how to help medical facilities integrate safety and security measures into their day-to-day operations. They do this not only with the latest in state-of-the-art security systems and access control measures, but also by training all personnel how to minimize risk, and help create a secure and compliant environment for workers and patients.