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... Categories Popular Recent All Back Planning for Obsolete Media 7/20/2018 12:00:00 AM by CompleteMarkets Editor , steve anderson This content has not been rated yet. While doing some spring-cleaning in my office recently, I found a few boxes of old computer hardware and software. Like many of you who have a closet in your agency where you stuff things that you can't bring yourself to throw out, my boxes are filled with old equipment that once was very important. Many of the items are various types and ... , such as our digital photos? Are they doomed? Will they become useless (except as coasters)? This is an issue that every agency should address as part of their electronic document management process. Here are some ideas to help you stay ahead of the storage curve: Avoid proprietary storage media Iomega's proprietary storage solutions offer one example of how dangerous they can be. Each new technology (Bernoulli, Jaz, Zip, Rev) has a good combination of speed, capacity, and low cost going for it — together ... one huge downside: Your next computer is unlikely to support the format. These proprietary formats work acceptably for day-to-day backup, but they're absolute death for long-term storage of important files. Stick with standards You'll save yourself time, money, and aggravation if you choose storage media that have broad industry support and are sold and manufactured by more than one vendor. Although no format lasts forever — even DVDs will someday be obsolete — the more vendors that support the format, the less likely you are to find yourself hanging onto a nice ...

...ntly, I found a few boxes of old computer hardware and software. Like many of ...atically for me to a secure off-site storage facility from which I can retriev...

...be doing a lot of work on laptop computers. I'm routinely on the road for a we... down all programs and re-boot your computer before using it. It also seems to...

... these records are often kept on computer, especially in doctors' and attorney...onal offices, in briefcases, and on computers. Documents may relate to current...

... of the morning talking with (or waiting to talk with!) the customer service folks at Agency Management Services (AMS) . We tried all of their suggestions, but nothing worked: We could not resurrect the hard drive. Finally, we called our local computer- maintenance firm. They confirmed that the hard drive had failed and would have to be replaced. We will always wonder but probably never know what might have caused this failure. The message that appeared on the file-server monitor was not noted or recorded, because ... . We encourage every agency to take the following precautions: 1. Back up faithfully every day! 2. Take your latest backup and daily transaction log off premises. 3. Store all other backup tapes and floppy disks in a locked fireproof safe designed for data storage. (If you have a fire, it is entirely possible that this safe could be knocked over by those fighting the fire. If it's unlocked, the door might come open and your disks and tapes will be damaged. 4. Know how your hard ... that, as of that moment, our work is safe.) As our staff members returned from lunch, they once again put the system to extensive use. The day ended at 5:30 p.m., and I entered the command for the streaming tape device to back up the entire system at 11 p.m. that night. This is the second part of our normal backup procedure-floppy disk backup of accounting files at mid day and full system backup at night, when the system is not in use. When we came ...

...ndors Coffee service Computer maintenance Consultants ...ffice cleaning service Offsite storage Outside auditor Outsi...

...ve. Finally, we called our local computer- maintenance firm. They confirmed th...ked fireproof safe designed for data storage. (If you have a fire, it is entir...

... place. It's also the obligation of the CE to initiate and maintain security measures to protect PHI from disclosure except as needed to conduct business. Here are some of the entities that could come in contact with unsecured information: Benefits administrator Building Maintenance COBRA vendors Coffee service Computer maintenance Consultants Contract labor New agent Office cleaning service Offsite storage Outside auditor Outside legal Outsourced payroll service Plan vendor insurance carrier Renewal review with current agent Shredding service Telephone service or repair TPAs PLAN DOCUMENTS The Group Health Plan documents will need to be modified if any employee ... the employer that sponsors the group health plan receives any PHI from the plan, other than eligibility verification. and summary health information. One of the requirements for a group health plan to disclose PHI to a plan sponsor is the plan document where the plan must provide an effective mechanism for resolving issues of noncompliance' by the plan sponsor. See 45 CFR A § 164.504 (f )( 2 )( iii)(C ) . The relationship defined by HIPAA among amongthe Group Health plan, the plan sponsor, ... identifiers removed: Names Street address, but town, state, and ZIP code can remain Telephone numbers Fax numbers Electronic mail addresses Social security numbers Medical record numbers Health plan beneficiary numbers Account numbers Certificate/license numbers Vehicle identifiers and serial numbers, including license plate numbers Device identifiers and serial numbers Web Universal Resource Locators ( URLs ) Internet Protocol (IP) address numbers Biometric identifiers, including finger and voice prints Full face photographic images and any comparable images If the employer wishes the insurance company to provide detailed claims reports that contain any ...