Monitoring Software Saves Money, Ensures HIPAA Compliance

The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA), was the result of efforts by the Clinton Administration and congressional healthcare reform proponents to reform healthcare. The goals and objectives of this legislation are to streamline industry inefficiencies, reduce paperwork, make it easier to detect and prosecute fraud and abuse and enable workers of all professions to change jobs, even if they (or family members) had pre-existing medical conditions.

For more than 45 years, Mobridge Regional Hospital has provided medical care to communities surrounding the South Dakota town of Mobridge.

“It’s a busy environment,” said Information Technology Director Eric Skillingstad. “We’re a small-town community hospital with about 130 employees across a variety of departments and clinics.”

“HIPAA was the main push … the main reason we were looking at software,” said Skillingstad. “Email control is a critical issue when it comes to HIPAA. Communicating about a friend or family member who’s in the hospital … how they’re doing, what happened to them … that’s a BREACH. Plus, our basic stance is that email should be solely for work purposes … not for communications with friends and family.

Given HIPAA guidelines and standards, and Skillingstad’s position as the hospital’s HIPAA Security Officer, he took the initiative to find a way to help Mobridge Regional Hospital comply.

“I brought the idea of activity monitoring software to management,” said Skillingstad. “After a search on Google for auditing software, I found Spector CNE and saw what it claimed to do. Honestly, I thought it was a little too good to be true … there must be a catch.”

“Spector CNE stood out,” said Skillingstad. “And the price was really good compared to the alternatives … far superior to what I’ve seen. I said to myself, I’ll give this a try.”

Skillingstad said Spector CNE reports showed that a great deal of the hospital’s inappropriate PC activity occurred during off hours.

“We found a lot of abuse on the long overnight shifts … weekends also,” said Skillingstad. “That’s when people would really play around … the main daytime workforce, not as much.”

“Everyone was updated via a memo from me,” said Skillingstad. “Management then met with department heads and relayed all the information.”

“Along with many HIPAA policies, we do have a definitive Internet and PC use policy,” said Skillingstad.

“Spector CNE has freed up bandwidth and the network,” said Skillingstad. “It’s so great for controlling email, Internet activity, installs, and downloads.”

“It’s definitely something that works well for us. I have shared this with other HIPAA Security Officers. I have told them how happy I am with it.”

“You’re ahead of the game with CNE. As far as work behavior, it makes money for you.”

Spector CNE (Corporate Network Edition)

Spector CNE is the world’s leading computer and Internet monitoring software.

Spector CNE can be configured and installed remotely FROM any computer on the network TO any computer on the network, and the recordings can be viewed from ANYWHERE on the network.

Spector CNE automatically captures and lets corporations review:

• Emails sent and received
• Chat conversations and instant messages
• Web sites visited
• Applications launched
• Keystrokes typed
• Peer-to-peer files downloaded
• VCR-like screen snapshots

Spector CNE provides immediate email alerts to notify the appropriate person or persons when specified key words or sensitive phrases appear in an email, chat, instant message, or on a web site visited.

HIPPA Compliance Solution