The final rules, which took effect in March 2013, include increased liability for non-compliance, as well as provide for direct liability for Business Associates and their sub-contractors.  This includes ACS.  However, this ruling is of no surprise to ACS, and in fact, has been anticipated for quite some time.  Long before the proposed regulations were released for public comment in 2009, ACS set it sights on complete and total understanding of protection of patient data, as it pertains to technical safeguards within our client environments.  Our Safeguard program and risk assessment tools have been widely accepted throughout the Kansas City healthcare community, for many, many years now.  We felt it important though to reitterate how important it is to choose the right business partner, particularly one that understands the highly regulated healthcare field.

It is also important to note that the final rules move HIPAA enforcement away from a traditionally voluntary compliance framework, and more towards a penalty-based arrangement.  Willful neglect is at the top of the list.  This is very important, and healthcare entities should pay particular attention to this one.  Neglecting your computer network, in many respects, is like leaving your house unlocked when you are away.  You never know who may walk in the door, or what they may do.  In addition to malicious attacks of your data, complete loss of data is also a very real and serious point to consider.  Imagine how your business would survive a complete loss of years worth of patient data, or for that matter, days or weeks worth of important business flow information or patient records.  The results could be devastating, and more than likely, would be.  So, in closing, ACS feels that regardless of what such a new ruling states, a comprehensive, common sense based approach to protecting data should always be top of mind.  We are here to help with that.

Read more here:   http://www.informationweek.com/healthcare/electronic-medical-records/ehr-vendors-form-alliance-on-data-sharin/240149948

To read the full article, click here:  http://www.crn.com/slide-shows/security/240147011/top-healthcare-breaches-and-the-rising-costs-to-organizations.htm?pgno=1

Many of our customers have asked us why anyone would want to target a business in Kansas City, after all, we aren’t a bank or other type of financial institution in many cases.  Our answer is simple, the criminals don’t care.  Many times, they don’t know who you are or what you do, but if they can vandalize, cause headaches, or possibly even gain financially through the theft of personal information, they may target you. 

Our philosophy is to not give the bad guys the chance to harm you.  Our Managed customers take advantage of our many proactive monitoring services to avoid Network Security issues.  A proactive approach like this is really the only way to mitigate the risks. 

Even the big guys, such as Apple and Yahoo, with all of their plentiful technical and financial resources, are attacked and violated.  To learn about some of the most high profile Network Security breaches in 2012, see the following article:

http://www.crn.com/slide-shows/security/240144596/the-top-10-security-breaches-of-2012.htm?cid=nl_sec&elqTrack=true

Protecting your Patient Health Information (PHI) from vulnerabilities and threats is not only the right thing to do, it’s a requirement for compliance with Meaningful Use and the HIPAA security rule. ACS is your fast, easy and affordable path to compliance.

See the full article here:  http://www.informationweek.com/healthcare/electronic-medical-records/ehrs-linked-to-better-healthcare-in-prac/240008884?cid=RSSfeed_IWK_healthcare

Read the full article here:

http://www.crn.com/slide-shows/mobility/240009588/5-things-to-know-about-the-ipad-mini.htm?pgno=1

Read the full article here:  http://www.crn.com/news/channel-programs/240009179/microsoft-exec-slams-apple-ipad-as-consumption-only-device.htm?cid=nl_crn

http://www.crn.com/news/mobility/240008748/lenovo-puts-a-new-twist-on-thinkpad-intros-windows-8-convertible-family.htm?cid=nl_crn&elqTrack=true

Amazon Unveils Kindle Fire HD To Rival iPad

Amazon (NSDQ:AMZN) grew its Kindle family of e-readers Thursday with the launch its new 8.9-inch Kindle Fire HD that will take direct aim at Apple (NSDQ:AAPL)’s iPad.

The new device, which was unveiled by Amazon at a press event in Santa Monica, Calif., looks more like a full-fledged tablet than any other e-reader in the Kindle lineup, with an 8.9-inch display that boasts a 1,920-by-1,200 resolution. Its screen specs fall slightly short compared to the new iPad’s 2,048-by-1,536 Retina display, but they beat out the iPad 2, which has a resolution of 1,024 by 768.

The Kindle Fire HD also features dual stereo speakers, compared to the single speaker found within the first-generation Fire, and is said by Amazon to be the market’s first tablet to feature Dolby Digital Plus audio. It comes with two antennas, while competing tablets, including the iPad, only have one. As a result, Amazon said the Kindle Fire HD can outperform the iPad by up to 41 percent when it comes to Wi-Fi speeds.