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Local Pharmacy Computer Crash Exposes HIPAA Violations
Posted on October 8, 2020
Local Pharmacy Computer Crash Exposes HIPAA Violations
When a local pharmacy had a weekend sale, customer demand overloaded their system. When their computers crashed, they didn’t expect this compliance surprise during our meeting.
It Started as a Regular Estimate
Lily, our support agent, was contacted by a local pharmacist wanting an estimate on the IT services we provide pharmacies. When the call transferred to my desk, the gentlemen introduced himself. He began describing what technology and software his pharmacy uses.
He explained the pharmacy had 25 computers but was considering adding ten more due to customer demand. The pharmacist also stated they had an internal network with FIOS and Optimum. Surprisingly, they had no onsite servers. All work and files were in the Cloud, and they only used Google suites to remain HIPAA compliant.
What Concerns Did The Pharmacist Have?
Like many clients who first come to us for an estimate, their biggest concerns are confidently serving their customers or clients, without the network going down. When they get a spike, for example, this pharmacist had a huge weekend sale. The customer turnout was more than they planned for, and their computers crashed.
When an incident like this happens, the pharmacy’s technology, software, or both haven’t been updated regularly or have no IT support. As pharmaceutical technology continues to evolve, small pharmacies experience more disruptions when they do not upgrade or rely on managed IT service solutions.
What Did Our Onsite Inspection Uncover?
During our onsite visit, we were able to locate what caused the crash and provided some recommendations. Then we discovered and brought to the pharmacist’s attention a few HIPAA violations which needed immediate attention.
We advised the pharmacist on the next steps to take and address the compliance issues right away. Even though we were only at the location for a consultation, we recommended he consider using our Managed IT services. Specifically, to protect customer and patient information and avoid any compliance fines.
What Technical Issues Do Pharmacies Experience?
From a local store to corporate-run chain stores, any size pharmacy faces various technical challenges. From internal networks to adding computers, it’s essential to partner with an IT support company that knows how to address each glitch.
Our wide range of IT services means you’ll have your technology needs met, now and well into the future as your pharmacy continues to grow and scale. We provide:
- Cloud Consulting wherein we help you move to the Cloud for optimal accessibility and cost-savings, whether it’s Office 365, Microsoft Azure, Amazon Cloud, or any other cloud platform that’s right for you.
- Managed IT Services that give you everything you need – from onsite and remote support to proactive monitoring and maintenance – for a flat-rate monthly fee that’s easy to predict and include in your budget.
- Business Continuity Planning to guard against any data loss or network outage with sound strategies and regularly tested onsite and offsite backups in place – keeping your systems recoverable in a moment’s notice.
- Cybersecurity Consulting, as our team of trained experts, will ensure the right technologies are in place, including anti-virus software, firewalls, web content filtering, and more. We’ll watch over your network at all times.
- And Much More depending on what you and your business require. We can custom-tailor solutions to reflect your short and long-term goals, whether you’re looking to enhance productivity, improve accessibility, or cut costs.
Plus, we offer affordable fixed monthly fees to help you make the most of your IT investment – without surprise bills or shocking invoices.
Are you looking for Managed IT Support to help you leverage your pharmacy’s technology to serve your patients better and remain HIPAA compliant? Look no further than Techsperts.