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Hospital computer theft can be more than a financial bust

Healthcare Security Weekly, February 2, 2004

When it comes to protecting hospital computers, security must look beyond simply keeping the machine and equipment from getting stolen.

In the beginning of January, an Australian hospital got hit hard by thieves who stole months and months of neuroscience research.

Between 6:30 p.m. on a Friday and 9:30 a.m. on a Saturday, thieves broke into the neuroscience department of Geelong Hospital in Australia, stealing six laptop computers, other electronic equipment, and a yellow leather satchel, all worth about $20,000, according to Australia's Herald Sun.

It isn't so much the cost of the computers that hurt the neuroscience department, but the loss of nearly 18 months of research. A doctor for the neuroscience department, which conducts research on motor neurone diseases, says the computers contained information from 200 motor neurone disease sufferers, of which only 50 are still alive, according to the Sun.

Consider these steps from The Theft Prevention Guide for Hospitals, Nursing Homes, and Assisted Living Facilities book, to protect your hospital's computers and information from getting snatched by thieves.

• Use lock down devices like table bolts and faceplates to make it difficult for thieves to remove computers from terminals. With these small changes, thieves will need tools to dismantle the computer equipment.
• Find security software protection for research information and hospital finances, similar to how you protect patient information.
• For vital research, consider some kind of hospital back-up system so if computers and hard drives end up stolen, the information is still secure in another location.
• Educate hospital staff about computer theft in hospitals and the extra precautions they can take.

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