Data breaches and patient privacy rights were some of the most popular health-care IT topics in 2011, and that's unlikely to change in 2012. Below we review some related topics to help ensure that you stay clear of potential hurdles in the coming year.

Medical identity theft resulting from data breaches are causing patients much distress, emotionally and financially—and this often results in patients switching providers. That can hurt health care providers financially, since the average lifetime value of one patient is more than $113,000, according to a study by Ponemon.

Additionally, security and privacy breaches can lead to class-action lawsuits, which will increase in 2012, according to Kirk Nahra, a partner at the law firm Wiley Rein LLP. This was certainly the case in 2011, and shouldn't change in 2012. The result will inevitably be increased costs for affected health care providers.

That will likely lead to two major changes in the industry. First, security and privacy training will become paramount. Although many health care providers already have related procedures in place, in many cases their staff members ignore them. Since most breaches are caused by human error, training will likely become more common.

Additionally, health care providers will likely utilize cyber liability insurance. Cyber Data Risk Managers has said this will be particularly true as health care providers continue to implement their electronic medical records (EMRs), as breaches can be both costly and damaging to the organization’s reputation, as noted above.

All you need is a stable internet connection, and you can access updated data, software, and other IT services through something called Cloud Computing, a trend that has been changing the way many companies do business – in a good way.

As the economy rebounds, businesses need to be ready to stay competitive while keeping costs under control. Small and medium-sized businesses must maximize the productivity of resources without compromising the end product or service. Cloud computing is helping more and more small and medium-sized businesses balance costs and resources.

Lower Costs The cloud is generally more cost effective, and spreads payment out over time. Monthly payment for subscriptions for applications allows businesses to pay only for services used each month. Updates and maintenance costs are usually included in the subscription cost. Companies save on dedicated IT support – as well as the cost of the electricity, space, and hardware that run the applications that manage your business operations.

Ensure Availability Another plus for the cloud is that it is more reliable and dependable. Few companies can afford to frequently update their hardware and software, so when problems arise, they have nowhere to turn. With the cloud, the application provider pays for the specialized staff to keep hardware and software running smoothly.

Secure Data Speaking of dependability, the cloud is also a better place to store your data. Depending on your subscription, you can arrange for regular backups of data to secure servers in case of any sort of incident – hardware failure, natural disasters, and more. With data backup through the cloud, you are better assured that you can always access your data no matter what happens.

If you are interested in knowing more about how cloud computing can help your business function more efficiently, please feel free to contact us so we can sit down with you and develop a custom solution based on your specific needs.

The big difference between Android and the iOS is the fact that, on an Android device, you can play Flash videos. There are times however when this seeming advantage can be a disadvantage as Flash (such as Flash ads) can slow down your browsing experience or even crash your browser. There is a solution.

You can turn off Flash if you choose to. Simply go to your Browser's Settings by pressing on the Menu/Options button, then go to Advanced and change 'Enable plug-ins' setting from "Always on" to "On demand." Flash applications will now appear as an arrow that you must touch to start.

There are times when you may want to capture what is currently being shown on your iPad's screen. That’s easy to do on an iPad.

Simply press the Home button and then the Sleep/Wake button simultaneously. When you hear a click, the screenshot has been taken. You can then go to the photos gallery to see all of your captured screenshots.

For those of you using Google Mail or Gmail, chances are you're familiar with the "stars" feature, which serves as a visual reminder to follow up on certain messages or mark their importance. You may not know, though, that you can use different types of stars. To do so, click on the Gear icon in the upper right corner of the screen, click Mail Settings, and on the General tab look for the Stars section.

You will see many different types of stars that you can cycle through. Drag the stars between the lists that you want to use and in the order you prefer. Another neat trick is to use the name of the star to filter messages. Simply hover over the star to learn its name (i.e., "red-bang"), then use the "has" prefix to filter by star name. For example, typing "has:red-bang" in your search box will show all messages with that star name.

I think the rest of my team thinks I’m nuts. I keep telling them to take breaks! And while I do genuinely want them to take a break because they work hard and deserve them, I do have an ulterior motive. I recognize that if I want them to think creatively, they need down time, and we just don’t get a lot of that anymore. We are always receiving information, constantly connected in some form or another and, unfortunately the brain has not evolved to be constantly receiving information. In fact , some of our best work springs up from those moments when we are not working! Think about how we feel after a vacation, or a day off, or a holiday break. Often we think much clearer and with more focus. Low-information activities are actually a great way to spur creative thought. This is one of the reasons that being in nature can be so therapeutic. It provides stimulation but not in an intrusive or overbearing way and our brains can be processing things in the background.

In the workplace, I think this is important to keep in mind especially for those team members whose way of relaxing may be going straight to the computer to check their facebook pages. Usually the internet is not a place where we would go for limited interruptions, low levels of stimulation, or as a place to disconnect for a moment. It might be wise for us as supervisors, business owners and managers to encourage our employees to not only take breaks throughout the day but during those breaks, encourage a break from technology. Tell them to get outside or go for a walk. Researchers suggest it will keep them sharper, more creative and more focused.

- Heather Remer

Did you know that you can do more to protect yourself from viruses and spyware than just have good, up to date antivirus software?

Entire networks of computers (workstations and servers) can be protected by purchasing and installing a Unified Threat Management device (UTM). UTM Devices protect ALL computers on your network from viruses, spyware and SPAM. UTM products come in many flavors and many sizes. Some of these start as low as $400 INSTALLED! And when you consider the average virus removal costs about $200 and takes ONE computer down for days, one device that protects ALL your computers will quickly pay for itself. Contact us for more information about the UTM products we support and offer.

Desktop virus protection also comes in many flavors – its best to go with a paid product that has industry recognition for not just virus protection, but removal – ease of use should also be a consideration when choosing a good antivirus software.

Keep in mind that Mac’s can be infected as well (here is list of viruses that target the Mac and the OSX operating system: http://www.iantivirus.com/threats/ ). Of course, ComputerCare can help guide you in making the best decision for your protection (for Windows and OSX).

Having quality antivirus software that is kept up to date in conjunction with a UTM product and safe surfing habits will drastically reduce or even eliminate the risk of virus infection on your computer. But lets just say you have antivirus protection and a UTM and still an email ends up in your inbox that you just arent sure about. Remember this tip:

Don’t open that email, forward it, save any attachments or click any links. INSTEAD write a NEW email to the person that supposedly sent it to you, asking them to confirm what they’ve sent you.
Have a great day!

-Mike Remer, ComputerCare

Please be advised that currently we are seeing a string of Excel related Viruses and Trojans. We would like to recommend additional caution when opening Excel based files from an email or other sources. Excel is a powerful program that contains the ability to run scripts and, often times the virus is installed after the spreadsheet is opened. An easy way to keep these files safe is to transfer them locally on a flash drive or disc instead of through potentially exposed E-mail clients.

Did you know you can have the activity feeds/social stream or live updates from your favorite social network such as Facebook or LinkedIn appear in the latest version of Windows Live Messenger? Simply sign in to your Live Messenger account, select Add/Manager Services at the bottom right area of the application, and then choose a service you wish to integrate to (i.e., Facebook, MySpace, LinkedIn).

The application will ask you to sign in to the chosen service and give permission to integrate. After you have given permission, you will see updates from and be able to post to that social network in Live Messenger.

Thanks to cloud technology, businesses can now access their software and services via the internet, instead of managing everything on their own hardware. The cost savings and ability to respond to new opportunities can transform the business.

With cloud computing, businesses can tap into software and services as they need them, using an Internet connection and a web browser. Cloud services can help you manage growth and connect with your staff across town or the world.

Manage Growth

One of the toughest aspects of running a small business is predicting what resources are needed to support future demand. If the company grows quickly, more people and equipment need to be added to fulfill the work. Too much investment for the future is risky.

Cloud computing allows companies to quickly access the applications needed to increase capacity, support growth and handle busy periods. If a customer or project demands increase, software in the cloud scales without a big outlay of cash. The flexibility of the organization increases with cloud computing because it is easy to adjust and scale.

Improve Collaboration

Companies with remote employees can particularly benefit from cloud computing. More and more small and medium-sized businesses support home workers and employees that aren’t in the main office every day.

No matter where they’re located, employees can use cloud applications to have meetings, talk to one another, share files, and collaborate on materials in real time. With cloud computing, you can build a team that works together seamlessly, and improved productivity and better communication allows businesses to capitalize on new opportunities quickly.

Find out more about the benefits of cloud computing. We’ll help you find the solutions that fit your business and your budget.