Discussion: Transport of Mobile Devices

Discussion: Transport of Mobile Devices

NOW FOR AN ORIGINAL PAPER ASSIGNMENT:Discussion: Transport of Mobile Devices

Simple rules, such as covering laptops left in a car and locking car doors during transport of mobile devices containing EPHI, can help to deter theft. If a device is lost or stolen, the agency must have clear procedures in place to help ensure that sensitive data are not released or used inappropriately. Software packages that provide for physical tracking of the static and mobile computer inventory including laptops, smartphones, and tablets are being used more widely and can assist in the recovery of lost or stolen devices. In addition, some software that allows for remote data deletion (data wipe) in the event of theft or loss of a mobile device can be invaluable to the agency in preventing the release of EPHI.

If a member of an agency is caught accessing EPHI inappropriately or steals a mobile device, the sanctions should be swift and public. Sanctions may range from a warning or suspension with retraining to termination or prosecution, depending on the severity of the security breach. The sanctions must send a clear message to all that protecting EPHI is serious business.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (n.d.) suggests the following strategies for managing remote access:

· Restricting remote access to computers owned or configured by your organization

· Disallowing administrator privileges on remote access computers

· Placing restrictions in the VPN and remote access policies

· Configuring the VPN to operate in a “sandbox” or virtual environment that isolates the session from other software running on the remote machine

· Educating users about safe computing practices in remote locations (para. 8)

To protect our patients and their data, nurses must consider the impact of wireless mobile devices (see  Box 12-3 ). Data can be stolen by an employee very easily through the use of email or file transfers.

Malware , or malicious code that infiltrates a network, can collect easily accessible data. One of the evolving issues is lost or stolen devices that can provide a gateway into a healthcare organization’s network and records. When the device is owned by the employee, other issues arise as to how the device is used and secured.