Hi-Tech-Consulting

“Dangerous Employees: How to Deal With a Potential Threat”
American Medical News (06/25/07) ; Stevens, Larry

Though it is rare for disgruntled employees to act violently toward employers and co-workers, Quality America CEO Sheila Dunn says medical practices must be on the lookout for behavioral “red flags.” Experts discourage personality profiling because loners, video-game addicts, and people who avoid eye contact–generally singled out as harboring aggression–are not all violent. Instead, Dunn says practices should be concerned when employees no longer exhibit good personal hygiene, cry a lot, miss work often, or get defensive when suggestions are made. Dunn encourages practice managers to talk to the employee, inquiring about any problems and urging him or her to get professional help; but she notes they cannot require the employee to take action unless the behavior is taking a toll on office operations. Experts say practices should take any threats seriously, as violent individuals tend to let someone know what they plan to do before they do it. Practices should provide a means for employees to report threats anonymously and put a doctor–not the practice administrator–in charge of workplace violence oversight. All incidents should be detailed in writing–regardless of whether the employee receives a warning or is terminated–to safeguard against lawsuits.
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“Retail Theft Causes Price Increase”
WWAY NewsChannel 3 (06/21/07)

A recent survey of 139 U.S. retailers concludes that retail theft and fraud resulted in $41.6 billion in losses to U.S. retailers during 2006. The amount, a record, is 11 percent higher than 2005’s totals. Retailers say they will be forced to pass on the losses to consumers. The survey concludes that store employees are doing most of the stealing, accounting for about $20 billion of the $41.6 billion in losses. Shoplifters accounted for $13 billion of losses, with administrative errors and vendor fraud accounting for the remainder of the losses. Thieves favor smaller products on shore shelves, including cards, groceries, and specialized accessories, according to the study, which also identifies organized crime rings as a major problem. Members of these rings shoplift in bulk and then resell the stolen products for profit, usually over the Internet.
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Industry on edge after feds examine data security procedures at Atlanta facility 

June 15, 2007 (Computerworld) — An audit of Atlanta’s Piedmont Hospital that was initiated by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services in March is raising concerns in the health care industry about the prospect of more enforcement actions related to the data security requirements of the federal HIPAA legislation.

The audit was the first of its kind since the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act’s security rules went into effect in April 2005, joining data privacy mandates that were already in place. The security rules require organizations that handle electronic health data to implement measures for controlling access to confidential medical information and protecting it against compromise and misuse.

http://www.computerworld.com/action/article.do?command=viewArticleBasic&articleId=9024921&intsrc=hm_list

“Sears Tower’s Well-Grounded Security”
Security Management (05/07) Vol. 51, No. 5, P. 59 ; Longmore-Etheridge, Ann

For several years after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, the security team for Chicago’s Sears Tower took a hard-line approach to security, as did many other commercial buildings during that time. Sears Tower is now under new owners who have replaced the hard-line approach to security with an approach that emphasizes subtlety and customer service while still maintaining the building’s security. The change in approach was necessary because the building’s tenants complained that the strict security measures were too oppressive and unwelcoming, prompting some tenants to leave the building. Following the Sept. 11 attacks, the previous owners of Sears Tower doubled the number of security guards at the building. However, the new ownership decided to reduce the number of full-time guards from 140 to 70, eliminate all proprietary guards, and switch to an all-contract force. The security officers receive extensive training, including a customized program for the Sears Tower and training from the FBI, Secret Service, and Chicago Police and Fire departments. The training places a heavy emphasis on customer service and greeting tenants and guests–even the officers’ uniforms have been changed to reflect a more updated, professional look. The building’s occupancy rate is climbing again thanks to the modified security approach, which also includes revamped visitor-management and tenant-access systems, fire drills, and role-playing exercises.
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“Security Boom in Anti-Terror Spending”
Daily Telegraph (UK) (05/29/07) P. 6 ; Bland, Ben

A new Frost & Sullivan report predicts that the United Kingdom will spend 6.7 billion British pounds sterling on homeland security measures over the next 10 years, with the government accounting for two-thirds of the spending. Most of the 6.7 billion stg. will be allocated to integrating existing systems, although some will also be spent on new technologies like high-tech CCTV systems. The report predicts that the homeland security spending will top out at 900 million stg. in 2009, up from a little more than 500 million stg. in 2007. The spending will be especially heavy from 2008 to 2012 as the United Kingdom finishes its security preparations for the London Olympics. Much of the government’s security spending will be on the Olympics and the U.K. eBorders program, the report says.
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“Beware of Clever Workers Who Might Commit Fraud”
Boston Herald (06/01/07) ; Powell, Jennifer Heldt

The Association of Certified Examiners (ACE) reports that U.S. businesses lose about 5 percent of their revenue through employee fraud, and small businesses are particularly susceptible. Experts indicate the best defense against fraud in a small firm is a set of internal controls, periodic audits, and a system of checks and balances among workers. Small firms have fewer people to complete tasks, but rather than having one worker with all of the financial responsibilities, for instance, owners should break up the financial tasks to ensure fraud is caught early. Small firms lose about $190,000 on average to employee fraud, while the overall average is $159,000. ACE notes that small businesses are most often hit by check tampering frauds, particularly because one worker is responsible for writing checks, recording payments, and bank statement reconciliation. Experts also warn that businesses should examine their insurance policies to ensure that employee thefts are covered, should they occur.
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