Category: The technical world

Daemon: Thought-provoking book by Daniel Suarez

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Do you play multi-player interactive games on the internet? How involved are you in the world of those games? Have you ever wondered how those games relate to the real world…or if they do?

I recently finished reading Daemon by Daniel Suarez. I was so fascinated by the ideas in the book that I just downloaded the free chapters of the sequel, FreedomTM and have requested the book from my local library. While I am waiting, I have been thinking and doing some research.

The premise of the book is that a dying computer game writer creates a program (called a daemon) that initiates upon news of his death. The extent of the infiltration of that program into the worlds of the rest of us is amazing. The book explores the worlds of computer and credit card hackers, drug cartels and crime syndicates, and all the government and quasi-government but private organizations potentially involved in these events.

This book is written by a computer systems person who consults to Fortune 1000 companies. His presentation of the events and concepts makes for a very exciting though violent story. It is called a techno-thriller. I call it science fiction….but all the technologies are current, so the events could occur.

I work in a high tech industry. We write software, so I thought I was at least somewhat informed about the technological world. This book revealed to me that I am totally ignorant of this whole realm. That is part of what is interesting to me about it. How can I live and work in the sphere I do and still have no idea about this arena?

Techies find this book and its sequel pretty fascinating. An article written by Josh McHugh in 2008 in Wired magazine talks about how the author got serious credibility in the geek world after self-publishing the book.

An organization called The Long Now Foundation . . . that is focused on encouraging and supporting long-term thinking about and responsible action in our world . . . had Suarez present a seminar about bot-mediated reality to members. As with most things I find interesting, the links I find in the cyber-world about my starting point are equally fascinating!

I have tried not to be a spoiler about Suarez’ books. That may have made this article a bit too vague. I hope you are interested enough to take a look at the links. Maybe it is time for us to balance our focus on the present and too many things to do with thought about the future and where we are taking ourselves.

Please share your comments below. Since I have no history with computer games, please share your experience and insights in that world.

 

 

 

 

Goodbye, Mr. Jobs: Thanks for all you’ve done

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I was a little surprised at my reaction of sadness Wednesday night when I heard of Steve Jobs death. I have never used an Apple computer or any other Apple product, so I could not be considered a fan by anyone’s definition. And yet, I feel a real loss.

I know that many of you were born after 1980. You have never lived in a world without personal computers. Those of us who are a bit older remember a very different world than the one we live in today . . . and one of the primary differences is the universal presence of personal computing devices.

At this moment I am sitting in my doctor’s office writing this post on my phone. Thirty years ago, I might have been reading a book or a journal. I could not have imagined that I might one day be doing this.

But Steve Jobs could imagine it.

The likes of Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak and Bill Gates envisioned this world and helped make it real. The rest of us get the daily benefit of their ability to innovate. Some of us even got our careers because of their vision.

When Steve Jobs was working on the Apple I, I was finishing my doctorate in clinical psychology and looking forward to a long career as a psychologist. When my partner and I opened our first private practice in 1980, we had a word processor and bought Kaypro 4 computers. The computer seemed like a fun way to work and a powerful tool, so we bought one for each of our desktops. Within five years, we had started Synergistic Office Solutions and Seth was consulting with psychologists, building computers for them, and ultimately writing software for practice management. Because of the creation of an industry that did not exist when I started graduate school, I am twenty years into a second career. Without Steve Jobs and the work he did, I would not be writing to you . . . even though I have never used an Apple product.

In the next few years, we may see the passing of the personal computer into oblivion as tablets and super smartphones and today unimagined devices are created. But we are likely to remember that there was a very small group of incredibly bright, creative and productive individuals who imagined, innovated and then manufactured machines that have changed our lives.

Thanks, Steve.

Please feel free to share your own thoughts and reflections about Steve Jobs and about the changes in our world he helped create.

Social Media, Data Breaches and Behavioral Health PHI

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I am not sure why I continue to attend free webinars about data breaches. They mostly serve to make me extremely anxious for our customers. . . especially for those who have not created a data security plan or have thought minimally about their responsibilities for protecting the privacy of their patients’ Protected Health Information (PHI).

You all certainly know about the requirements that HIPAA and the HITECH portion of ARRA placed upon healthcare providers. You must protect the privacy and security of PHI. You must have assessed the risks to the security of your data and have a plan in place for mitigating any potential consequences of security breach.

The problem is that new potential complications arise all the time. This morning’s webinar was about social media and the potential security risks added by use of those media. It was presented by ID Experts, a company that specializes in an online tool that guides you through handling a data breach when it occurs. They believe that one must assume that such breaches will occur. . . and be ready to react at a moment’s notice.

Do you have a social media policy at work? Are you allowed to use Facebook or Twitter from your work computer? What about from your smart phone paid for by your employer? Are you allowed to access your personal email account from the same computer on which PHI are stored? Today’s presenters talked about all the potential downfalls of such capabilities since most social media sites are not encrypted and have marginally protected security.

I left the webinar feeling anxious for our customers who do not pay attention to these matters. What will they do when they have a data breach? What will you do?

Please share your comments…

Security and Backup: Yes…backup, again!

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Once a month, on average, our technical support specialists are confronted with a customer whose database has become corrupted because of some hardware issue and who has no usable backup. After last week’s adventure, I decided I would again write about backup. Then, last night, I saw a discussion on a Psychology and Technology listserv that included some of our customers talking about full disk encryption of a Mac laptop. Encryption is something we recommend for every customer who uses our software or maintains any Protected Health Information (PHI) on a computer…especially on a laptop. To round out the clues that security and backup should be my topics of choice this week, I noticed an article in eweek of March 21, 2011 entitled ‘Remote access presents complexity, security issues.’

The rate at which users want to be able to access their work applications remotely has grown geometrically. Fifteen years ago, we were asked about remote access a couple of times a year. Five years ago, that increased to a couple of times a month as many more users wanted to be able to access their software from home. Now, everyone who carries a laptop, or even a smart phone, wants to be able to do everything they need to do for their jobs from wherever they are located with whatever device they have handy.

Whew! If only they realized what an expectation that is! And, all of these expectations complicate the issue of security in ways that those of us who are not very technically savvy cannot imagine. But imagine we must…if we plan to protect PHI, that is.

First, the issue of backup. This is the primary way in which you protect the security and integrity of client information. If you do not have a usable backup from which you could restore PHI in the event of a catastrophe, you are only one step away from having allowed the destruction of your client’s PHI.

Yes, the identifying demographics together with the diagnosis you use to file claims is PHI and is protected under HIPAA. Everything you have in an EMR is PHI. Yes, you are responsible to assure that this information is intact, safe from destruction, and secure from preying eyes (and hacks). Without a usable backup (preferably encrypted) stored in a secure location ready at a moment’s notice to replace data on your computer system, you are not even doing the most basic things necessary to provide protection to your patients. You could probably be demonstrated to be guilty of ‘willful neglect,’ the level of culpability that will generate the highest of fines from HHS and OCR under their HIPAA authority.

If you are not sure of what kind of backup strategy is minimally adequate, take a look at the backup recommendations and product suggestions we make to our customers.

The issue of remote access, especially from handheld devices like smart phones and iPads, is one that concerns me considerably. HIPAA requires that we must provide for the security of PHI while it is at rest (on a computer drive or CD or smart phone) and while it is in motion (being transmitted from one location or device to another).

Access tunnels like a secure VPN or MS Terminal Services are specifically designed to assure the safety and security of the data being transmitted through those tunnels. Those of us who are not very technically sophisticated may assume that the developers of the iPad and smart phones have already taken care of equivalent security for us. Not so, folks. While there are some products that will provide that security, they are not built into those hand held devices and we are on our own to find them.

Do you realize what that means? Do you understand that using your cell phone to access your desktop computer and patient information without adding specific protection assures that your data are vulnerable? There is not built-in security in your telephone or tablet. Even having your client names and phone numbers in your telephone contact list is potentially a breach of their privacy.

No one has volunteered to create a secure environment for your data…that is your job. You must do the research and determine which products will give your PHI the greatest protection.

Not being informed about a problem of insecurity is not considered an excuse by HIPAA. You must know what security your devices use to assure the safety of PHI. Do you have password protection on your phone? Do you have a way of wiping all data from the phone if you lose it or it is stolen? Have you initiated the services that are available to accomplish those purposes?

I know, this has started to sound like a rant. I do not mean to suggest that everyone is acting irresponsibly with client PHI. I do mean to suggest that we take a much too casual attitude toward protection of that PHI…especially when it comes to technologies about which we know little but assume much.

What policies does your organization have in place about use of portable devices and the protection of PHI? Have you found products that are wonderful to accomplish that protection? Will you share their names and your experiences with the rest of us?

Please enter your comments below.

New Computer? Be prepared…

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I have spent much of the past week getting ready to use and then implementing a new computer. I have been reminded of a few things as I have gone through this process and thought I would share them with you just in case you are getting ready to go to a new machine any time soon.

This is not my first time changing machines. Over the past 30+ years, I have initiated the use of many new computers. As I have gotten older, I have become less good at making the changes and adaptations that must occur in this process. In fact, the last time I got a new desktop computer, I was so loathe to go through the time-consuming process of installing and setting up everything anew that I used a “suitcase” service to backup my old machine and setup the new computer from the image that had been created. As a result, certain registry entries were never properly initiated. I never had a working CD reader/writer in the last computer . . . even though three have been installed. I had mysterious failures and the blue screen of death way too often to make me happy. I won’t bore you with more details; just know that this shortcut method did not work to maximize my use of my new computer, but it did save me time initially.

Accordingly, here are my suggestions about going to a new computer.

  1. Don’t use the shortcut methods. They may save time at the front end but they will waste your time maddeningly over the years of your use of the new computer.
  2. Do make a complete list of all the programs you use on your current computer.
  3. Make sure you have installation CDs and license codes, or that you have downloaded the installer software for your programs to another computer on your network or with which you can share your new computer in order to get setup. Again, be sure you have the license codes somewhere other than on your current machine.
  4. Once you have made your list, check again. I was amazed at all the little programs I have downloaded over the years that are crucial to my day-to-day functioning. Do you use a zip program or a pdf creator/viewer or a screen clipping program? Do you have certain simple games that you enjoy for a quick break occasionally? Do you have gadgets or scratch pads or sticky notes or calendars that you rely on? Make a list and find the source of the programs before you make your switch.
  5. It is not usually necessary to have an expert set up your new computer for you, but it is very nice if you have the option of their assistance with installing the operating system and the larger/more complicated of your programs. If you are getting a Windows-based computer and buying Microsoft Office, having someone else install those programs for you can be a big time saver.
  6. Even if someone else installs these for you, you will still need to set up all your personalizations and special configurations. Your Favorites will be missing, so, if they are important to you print out lists of these things while you are creating your master setup list.
  7. If it is possible to continue using your current computer while you are setting up the new one, do so. That way you will be able to continue your work and productivity while all those installation programs are running.

Remember, your new computer is likely to be faster and to have some wonderful innovations that you have been anticipating with excitement. Don’t let yourself get so bogged down in the setup that you forget to enjoy all the new features and power!

Do you have a new computer story that you would like to share? Have you come up with some additional tips for getting started with a new machine that might be a help to someone who reads this blog? Please share your comments below. Thanks for reading.