Author: Crown Information Managment

Law Firms Need a Document Destruction Plan

No matter how large or small your legal practice, your business is privy to an enormous amount of confidential information, including:

Personal details, such as bank accounts, mortgage information, medical records, and other Personally Identifiable Information (PII).
Agreements related to marriage, death, estates and wills.
Information on business strategies, mergers and acquisitions, patents, trade secrets, undisclosed IPOs or other sensitive business data.

In-House Shredding May Not Be Ideal for Your Business

If the rampant occurrence of identity theft, data hacks, fraud and cybercrime is anything to go by, it is vital to manage your business information with the utmost care. This is true for the entire life cycle of the data, from the time you acquire it, till the time you discard it. While you may think that investing in a few high-end shredders is sufficient to destroy your confidential documents, it may not be as simple as it appears. More often than not, in-house paper shredding programs turn out to be unsafe, inefficient and costly.

Secure Records Disposal for Hospitals and Medical Offices

If you work in a healthcare establishment (hospital, emergency care center, medical office, laboratory, or other associated healthcare business), you are aware of the rampant data breach issues that plague this industry. Hence, it is no surprise that healthcare businesses have to comply with several state and federal laws that aim to protect patient privacy. From collecting and maintaining patient information, to securely destroying physical and electronic records, these regulations define a host of prescriptive measures to safeguard the patient’s medical information.

At Crown Information Management, we specialize in industry-specific solutions for maintenance and disposal of physical and digital records. Our experienced team is well-versed with the legal requirements involved with collection, preservation and destruction of Protected Health Information (PHI) as defined in:

Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA)
American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA)
Other state or federal legislation applicable to healthcare service providers

Preserve, Protect and Safely Destroy Medical Records

Before we discuss safe storage and destruction of medical records, here’s a glimpse into the magnitude of the US healthcare industry’s data breach problems.

Medical record breaches impact approximately one in every four Americans. Fifteen million patient records were breached during 503 healthcare data breaches in 2018, nearly triple the amount of reported incidents from the previous year, according to the Protenus 2019 Breach Barometer.
50% of the breach victims eventually face medical identity theft, which contributes to out-of-pocket expenses of $2,500 on average.
A study on the cost of data breach suggests that the healthcare industry has the highest average breach resolution cost of $408 per record. The figure includes cost of discovery and response to the breach as well as expenses involving investigations, audits, legal fees, customer retention, etc.

Whether it is a system glitch, an orchestrated cyberattack, a malicious insider hack, or human error, for any lapse or negligence in protecting patient information, you may have to pay a hefty price. Essentially, without systematic record maintenance and disposal processes, your hospital, professional practice, or healthcare business may end up spending thousands of dollars in identifying and resolving data breaches. Moreover, you may face regulatory action and risk losing your clients and reputation.

Partner with a Professional Shredding Company for Safe Disposal of Medical Records

For safe disposal of physical and digital medical records, hire the services of a SOC1 Level 2 Report, NAID AAA and PCI Certified company, such as Crown Information Management. Our certified professionals will help you in systematic destruction of documents and medical files. We also offer shredding services for hard drives, media drives, digital tapes and X-rays.

Protect patient privacy and remain compliant with record retention and disposal norms applicable to healthcare businesses. Call Crown Information Management at 800-979-9545 or contact us online for a free estimate.

Hard Drive Destruction is Important

Whether you are upgrading to new devices or simply cleaning up storage facilities, don’t just discard your old computers, laptops, DVDs, drives or other electronic junk in garbage or recycle. Without proper disposal processes, you may be risking the reputation of your business and could end up becoming a victim of corporate fraud or identity theft. Unfortunately, we live in times where minor negligence in safeguarding our personal information or business data would mean paying a hefty price.

At Crown Information Management, we specialize in preserving, protecting and securely destroying paper records as well as digital media. While destruction of paper records may be relatively simpler, hard drive destruction comes with its own set of challenges. Read on to know more about potential threats and practical solutions for secure hard drive destruction.

Protect Your Business from Identity Theft

Facts and Tips from Florida’s Trusted Information Management Experts

There is no doubt that in the Information Age, all our physical and digital records are more valuable than we ever imagined. While technological advancements have led to easier and real-time access to information, they have also made us and our business more vulnerable to data breaches, hacks, scams and identity theft.

Get Ahead of the Storm

Tips for Business Continuity and Disaster Planning

While Florida is famous for its sandy beaches and breathtaking views, the deadly hurricanes that have hit its shores have hogged more headlines than any other state in the US. As per the Hurricane Research Division of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, 40% of all U.S. hurricanes hit Florida. In addition to the powerful ones, such as Katrina, Charley, Wilma or Elma, even the lesser known ones have caused massive devastation to life and business in the sunshine state.

NAID Membership Does Not Necessarily Mean NAID Certified

Your Information Management Experts Explain the Difference

The international trade association for information destruction service providers, National Association of Information Destruction (NAID) is essentially the standards setting body for secure disposal of paper and electronic data. In addition to conducting process improvement research and creating global recognition for the information destruction industry, NAID protects the interests of consumers by setting strict guidelines for its member companies. The association also offers the AAA Certification, a systematic and thorough evaluation process that audits whether the applicant company meets the stated legislated requirements and security specifications of information disposal.

Due Diligence for Information Management Vendors

Useful Suggestions on How to Identify Quality Vendors

Utilizing third-party assistance for the non-core activities of your business is a common practice. It increases operational efficiencies and reduces the burden on in-house costs and administration. However, selecting the right vendor for your outsourcing requirements is a process in itself. If you wish to create reliable, safe and lasting partnerships, you need to invest substantial time and effort in evaluating the vendors and conducting proper due diligence. After all, you want to bring on board a partner that has strong risk management practices, process integrity and customer-orientation.

It’s Tax Season – Shredding Tips

Know What to Shred and What to Keep

It’s that time of year again! Tax season is upon us. The time of the year when you will pull out confidential papers from files and boxes, exchange sensitive information with your accountants, and eventually file your taxes online. Tax related frauds are the most common form of identity theft. A 2017 Federal Trade Commission (FTC) report indicates that tax-related frauds account for 29.2% of the reported incidents of identity theft.