HIPAA Security - Passwords

The ideal password is something like this:

682Tj0327Jr486

Numbers, letters, upper case, lower case - good strong security.

But there is a problem.

Try memorizing the password. Try to remember it for a day. You probably cannot.

If you require your employees to have complex passwords they will write the password somewhere, probably on a sicky note, and put it where they can find it.

If the employee can find the written password, so can someone else.

A six digit password with both letters and numbers may be a better alternative (the number prevents the use of cat names, kid names, etc.).

OSHA Workplace Violence Procedures

The tragic shooting spree at a Carthage North Carolina nursing home is a reminder of the OSHA requirement for a workplace violence program, applicable for not only nursing homes but other health care providers as well.

No program can stop a crazy killer or an armed robber, but training employees to react properly can hasten the arrival of police and the protection of residents.

Medical groups handle a great deal of cash, and some groups and ASCs have narcotics on the premises. These can be magnets for criminals and the deranged. Unhappy patients and relatives of employees also can be threats.

OSHA fact sheet:

http://www.osha.gov/OshDoc/data_General_Facts/factsheet-workplace-violence.pdf