Reach HIPAA compliance with Platinum Backup

Platinum Backup can help medical services, practitioners and other organizations reach HIPAA compliance for secure off-site storage of electronic records.

HIPAA background

As you know, in 1996, Congress enacted the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). The legislative goals of HIPAA were to mandate the industry to implement procedures to reduce the administrative costs of healthcare, develop standard transactions for consistency in the industry, promote security and confidentiality of patient records and to provide incentive for the healthcare industry to use electronic communications to make patient records available no matter where the patient was being treated – a process that takes days with manual records – and particularly useful in emergencies. All health care providers, insurance providers, health care clearinghouses or health plans that electronically maintains or transmits health information pertaining to an individual must comply with HIPAA regulations.

One of the HIPAA mandates requires those in the healthcare industry to have an off-site backup of critical data and a contingency plan to access this data.

General

Can power surges wreak havoc?

Besides hardware damages that can be caused by power fluctuations, there are software damages that can occur when the electricity goes off suddenly. The typical problem is the loss of documents that you are working on when the power goes off. You should save your work frequently. Never be caught with an hours work lost because you did not save it. Saving your work every 10-15 minutes is good practice. Another perfect time to save your work is just after you have performed a task which you do not wish to recreate.

Outlook

How can I remove message stuck in Outlook's outbox?

It doesn’t happen too often but when a message is stuck in the Outbox it can be a real pain. Below you’ll find three methods to get the message out of the Outbox.

Method 1

Open the message from the Outbox and close it again. Now select the message and press DELETE

Method 2

Put Outlook in offline mode. To do this go to File-> Work Offline. Now restart Outlook and see if you can delete it (you can try this in combination with method 1). Don’t forget to put Outlook back On-line again.

Method 3

   1. Create a new pst-file; File-> New-> Outlook Data File…
   2. Set this pst-file as your default delivery location in your Account settings; Tools-> E-mail Accounts-> button Next
   3. When you now restart Outlook your original pst-file will show up as the secondary set of folders where should easily be able to remove the file from or even the complete Outbox folder
   4. Set the original pst-file as the default delivery location again and restart Outlook; the Outbox folder will be recreated and will be empty.

Method 4

Use the Microsoft MDBVU32.EXE tool to forcefully clear the Outbox. The instructions for this are the same for when removing a stuck read receipt but instead of choosing “MDB-> Open Root Folder” choose “MDB-> Open IPM Outbox”.

Outlook 2007 Shared Calendars disappears. How can I fix it?

Start-> Run; outlook.exe /resetnavpane

Windows

Batch Files

What is a good Windows Server Logon script?

@ECHO OFF


echo.
echo.
echo   Welcome %USERNAME% to Platinum Computer Solutions!!!
echo   Main Office information system network.
echo.
echo.
Rem Logon script


REM Drive Mappings**********************
echo J: drive mapped to the Data Directory
NET USE J: \\thor\DATA /yes

echo P: drive mapped to the Public Directory
NET USE P: \\thor\PUBLIC /yes

echo S: drive mapped to the User Directory
NET USE S: \\thor\PROFILES\%USERNAME%

echo U: drive mapped to the Utility Directory
NET USE U: \\thor\Util /yes

NET TIME \\thor /SET /YES 

HURRICANE SEASON IS JUNE 1 – NOVEMBER 30

Hurricane Preparation - These steps should be completed before employees are dismissed from work due to a threatening hurricane.  Please follow the guidelines in the plan in addition to the steps listed below.

Backup Data Files - Although backups should be part of regular procedures, a separate full backup of your critical data should be performed before the office is closed in response to a hurricane threat.  For users who store data files on a network server, your office administrator should perform the backup.  It is crucial at this time that a copy of this backup be moved to a secure location an appropriate distance away in order to avoid the possibility that a hurricane would affect both locations.
Computer Storage - As a last step, your computer should be shut down properly and unplugged from the wall outlet.  Do the same for the monitor and all peripherals such as printers, scanners, and speakers.  Move the computer and peripherals away from windows and doors towards the center of the room.  The equipment should be securely supported at least two feet from the floor and covered with plastic sheeting (i.e. trash bag). REMOVE YOUR MAIN SERVER FROM THE BUILDING AND TAKE IT WITH YOU.

Supervisor Action–To Be Done Routinely
1. Keep the Individual Unit Plan available in appropriate locations. Distribute the Unit Plan to all personnel (especially new hires) and periodically review it to ensure that the staff is familiar with its contents.

2. Appoint an alternate who will be responsible in your absence or if people cannot contact you.

3. Review the Individual Unit Plan annually, updating as necessary any of the following:

• Names, addresses, and telephone numbers of all personnel, consultants, services, etc.
• Names of personnel assigned specific duties.
• Emergency procedures.
• Location of supply rooms and local stores.
• Floor plans.
• Insurance coverage and physical inventory (take pictures or videotape all facilities and equipment). Maintain a written list of equipment.

4. Make arrangements for appropriate remote storage of critical computer disks, back-up files, and archival records.

5. Plastic and tape to protect electronic equipment.

6. REMOVE YOUR MAIN SERVER FROM THE BUILDING AND TAKE IT WITH YOU.

Individual Unit Plan
Individual Action steps are only to be taken when authorized by the department or supervisor. Upon notification of a HURRICANE WARNING status, all personnel should attempt to accomplish the following on an individual basis:

1. Back-up critical files and store them in an off-site location.
2. Turn off (preferably disconnect) all electrical equipment including computers, printers, scanners, lights, etc.
3. If practical, move desks, file cabinets and equipment away from windows and off the floor; store as much equipment as possible in closets or in windowless rooms away from external walls.
4. Clear desk tops completely of paper and other articles. Protect books and equipment by covering with plastic sheeting and using masking tape to secure.
5. In locations where flooding is a possibility, to the extent practical, relocate critical equipment from the ground floor to a higher floor or a higher off-site location.
6. Lock all file cabinets and desk drawers. Lock and secure all doors and windows.
7. Notify your immediate supervisor whether you plan to evacuate, stay at home, or stay on campus; provide an address and telephone number where you can be reached if you evacuate.

Email Communications

1. In the event a hurricane does head toward New Orleans, email communication will be possible by logging into the Office webmail system. The address for the office webmail system is as follows: webmail.(your domain name).com (example webmail.platinumpc.com)
2. To gain access to the office webmail, use your email address and password. The office webmail has only the most recent emails; however, you can receive and send messages.

Platinum Computer Solutions Contact Information

Office Number- 504-712-9330
This number will automaticily rollover to my cell phone in the event my office line goes down. Remember if the phones are not working, text me.

Email-
- john @ platinumpc . com
- jimmy @ platinumpc . com

Website:
www.platinumpc.com
I will try to have updated information on my website about were I am and what is happening.