Richards & Richards Blog

Happy 20th WWW!

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For those who wonder, it was 20 years ago on April 30, 1993 that the first website was born.  The website was created by CERN, or the European Organization for Nuclear Research and its URL is below.

http://info.cern.ch/hypertext/WWW/TheProject.html

This link from pcmag.com http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2418330,00.asp has the information on how this all happened.

Category: blog

April 2013

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Time for Spring Cleaning!

There are a number of items that need to be attended to with your records management on a regular basis.  Two that affect your security and compliance are your Security List and your Retention Schedule.

We safeguard the security of your records by limiting access to those in your organization that are placed on our Security List. 

However, if you do not update this list as people come and go – there may be people listed that should not have access or people that should have access that are not listed.  It is a good idea to review this at least annually to be sure it is up to date.

Please contact us for a current list and form to update it here>>>

Have you destroyed the records that should be destroyed?  Your retention schedule keeps you in compliance with the various privacy laws that govern your industry.  If you do not stay consistent with the schedule, it can be called into question during an audit.  So please check that you are up to date.

Contact us for a report on what you have in storage that should be destroyed >>>

Thank you and have a Happy Easter!

Sincerely,
R. Stephen Richards
President & CEO


April 17th      Cloud Back-up Workshop
                              (8:30a-9:30a)

April 17th       RRWeb Lunch & Learn
                                (12p-1:30p)

May 15th      Cloud Back-up Workshop
                              (8:30a-9:30a)

May 15th       RRWeb Lunch & Learn
                                (12p-1:30p)

All workshops and seminars are free to our clients with limited attendance.  Spaces will be held on a first come/first serve basis.  RSVP by clicking the link on the date you would like above.




Free Shred Day!

Richards & Richards, in cooperation with the Nashville Better Business Bureau, invites everyone, individuals and small businesses alike to destroy their confidential documents securely for one day only – at no cost!*

Location: 1741 Elm Hill Pike, Nashville
Date:      Saturday, April 20, 2013
Hours:     9am – 1pm
What:      Free Paper Shredding!

Richards & Richards and the Nashville Better Business Bureau want to help the community to protect themselves from identity theft.  So, pack up as much paper as you want – no limit – in boxes, cars or trucks and bring it to our location.  We’ll shred it all for free!

*This offer excludes boxes under management in our storage division.




Hard Drive Destruction –
Lets Get Real

As we know, a used computer’s hard drive contains old e-mail messages; credit-card, bank-account, and Social-Security numbers; and plenty of other personal information.  Because the information security field is my home turf, some of the talk I hear about how to destroy old drives makes me shiver as if I were back on that icy road.  Many so-called methods of destruction border on the insane and unsafe, not to mention the unreliable.  There is a whole lot of bad advice online, especially.  I can tell you most of these postings skirt the truth.  Some throw a tarp over it.

Click here to read entire article >>>>






 
Category: blog

Free Shred Day

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Free Shred Day!

Richards & Richards, in cooperation with the Nashville Better Business Bureau invites everyone, individuals and small businesses alike to destroy their confidential documents securely for one day only – at no cost!  This is part of the Better Business Bureau’s nationwide “Secure Your ID Days”.



Location:   1741 Elm Hill Pike, Nashville

Date:         Saturday, April 20, 2013

Hours:       9am – 1pm (PLEASE NOTE – NEW TIME)

What:        Free Paper Shredding!


There are over 300 identity fraud related arrests made every year. Over 300 more of identity thieves end up in prison.

Nearly 12 million people are affected by identity fraud each year and nearly 3 million of those identities are that of deceased people(yes, dead!). Seems like no one is safe from identity fraud.

Research conducted by Javelin Strategy & Research say that although the amount of money stolen due to identity fraud has remained steady, identity fraud itself has increased by more than 13% in the last year alone.

We want to help the community protect themselves from this type of theft.  So, pack up as much paper as you want – in boxes, cars or trucks and bring it to our location.  We’ll shred it all for free!

Note – This does not apply to boxes currently under management within the Richards & Richards records storage division.
Category: Newsletters

How Long Should I Keep My Records

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With April 15th coming up, we always hear this question. How long should I keep those tax records?

Here is our advice – and remember these are for your personal returns only, not business and if you have special circumstances contact your CPA and/or attorney for more information.

Keep for One Year

Your monthly statements of any financial accounts should be kept for one year. All paycheck statements, your W-2 form, and your retirement plan year-end statement. After you receive your W-2 form and check it against the last pay statement for the year, you can then shred and discard all paycheck statements.

Keep for Three Years

You should keep your federal income tax returns and related receipts and statements for at least three years. If you are audited, the IRS can review tax returns filed during the past three years, which includes requesting to see supporting documentation for the income and deductions you reported. As an example, you will need to keep your 2010 tax return and related papers until you file your 2013 tax return. It is generally safe to shred and discard it if after that. For more information see IRS Publication 552, Record keeping for Individuals.

How do I get rid of records I don’t need?

Glad you asked. With the threats of identity theft, you can never be too cautious about getting rid of records you don’t need. That is why we have a free shred day coming up on April 20th from 9am to 1pm. Just bring those old records to our facility at 1741 Elm Hill Pike and we are happy to securely shred those documents for you. Don’t just throw them away in the trash.

Category: blog

Cloud Computing

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We’re sure you have heard this topic come up before.  But what is “cloud computing” and how does it affect me?  We have thought of this too.  That’s why we are offering a free education seminar on cloud computing and how you can benefit from it.  During the seminar, you will learn about the different types of data you use, different recovery times, and the different ways to manage this information.  You will also learn how a local company used these services to recover from the May 2010 flood here in Nashville.  Please contact us at dale@richardsandrichards.com to register for our free seminar on March 20th at 8:30am.  Those who have attended previous sessions left with the knowledge needed to make sure they have a plan in place in case they cannot access their facility or information.

Category: blog

February 2013

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Electronic Records -
No Longer the Future

Converting paper records by scanning, for more and more, is becoming a mandate not a choice.

Doctors led the way being the first group mandated to convert their records.  Deadlines are fast approaching for this to be completed before penalties begin.  For physicians who either have not adopted certified EHR / EMR systems or cannot demonstrate “meaningful use” by the EMR deadline in 2015, Medicare reimbursements will be reduced. (For more information click here)

Now federal government agencies are on deadline to complete a conversion.  Federal agencies have until the end of 2019 to adopt systems that store and manage all electronic records in formats that will keep them safe and searchable for future generations, according to a White House directive released Friday.

Agencies have until the end of 2016 to store all email in electronic formats and until Nov. 15, 2012, to appoint a senior official responsible for beefing up their electronic records management programs. (For more information click here)

Scanning of records accurately and in a searchable format is an intricate task.  Richards & Richards has a professional scanning division, with 2 quality check points on every document as well as professionals that can work with you in getting the images into a format that will work with your system.

Please contact us if we can be of service.

Sincerely,

R. Stephen Richards
President & CEO




What is
Cloud Backup?

With the growing amount information being generated every day, you face a daunting truth: without your data, you have no business. That’s why it’s so critical to now have a modern and dependable system in place to safeguard your data.

Please attend our Cloud Storage Workshop that will help you understand what cloud backup is and the questions you should be asking about it.  This knowledge will allow you to make better business and IT decisions for business continuity and disaster recovery.  Sign up here >>>


February 15th   RRWeb Lunch & Learn
                               (12p-1:30p)

February 20th   Cloud Back-up Workshop
                              (8:30a-9:30a)

March 21st        RRWeb Lunch & Learn
                                (12p-1:30p)

All workshops and seminars are free to our clients with limited attendance.  Spaces will be held on a first come/first serve basis.  RSVP by clicking the link on the date you would like above.




Changes to HIPAA Privacy
and Security Rules Finalized

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced changes Jan. 17, 2013, designed to strengthen the privacy and security protections for health information established under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA).
 
According to HHS, the final omnibus rule enhances a patient’s privacy protections, provides individuals new rights to their health information and strengthens the agency’s ability to enforce the law.
 
This final rule is effective March 26, 2013. Covered entities and business associates must comply with the applicable requirements of this final rule by Sept. 23, 2013.
 
This omnibus final rule is comprised of the following four final rules:
 

  • Business associates of covered entities are directly liable for compliance with certain of the HIPAA Privacy and Security Rules’ requirements.
  • Incorporation of the increased and tiered civil money penalty structure provided by the HITECH Act.
  • Replacement of the breach notification rule’s “harm” threshold with a more objective standard.
  • Prohibits most health plans from using or disclosing genetic information for underwriting purposes.

Click here for full article >>>


Are you having trouble finding a list of everything you just entered into RRWeb?

The boxes are sitting in your office, you've entered them into the inventory and you'd like to request us to come pick them up.

The easiest way – is in Quick Search!  Just choose the predefined query for “Pending Items' and that should pull up a full list of what is there in your office.






 
Category: Newsletters

December 2012

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Holiday Celebrations!

It has been a banner year for Richards & Richards as we have celebrated 25 years of serving you!

If you have been by our location, you have noticed construction going on.  Our exterior has received a facelift and we are currently working on interior changes to better serve you.

Coming in the next year you will see brand new access areas!  These will allow multiple clients to work during the same hours in their own private workspace.

We've been blessed this year with many marriages,new babies and safely returning deployed military family members amongst the Richards & Richards employee family (including my new grandson Warren Bray – click here for pictures from this proud grandpa!)

We've also been blessed with amazing clients – and would like to take this moment to say thank you for your business and wish you and yours a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
Sincerely,
 
Steve Richards
President & CEO




Be Fire Safe This Season

According to the Brentwood Fire and Rescue Department, candles account for nearly 10,000 home fires and approximately 100 deaths every year.

In order to help ensure that your family has a safe and enjoyable holiday season, observe the following fire safety tips:

  • Never leave candles unattended and always place them on a non-combustible surface.
  • When it’s time to place your luminaries, battery operated tea lights are highly recommended.
  • If deep frying a turkey, only use outdoors. Never use a turkey fryer on a deck or in the garage. Last year alone, turkey fryers accounted for over 1,400 home fires.
  • Hold off on bringing that natural Christmas tree indoors as long as you can, and ensure that the stand is filled with water at all times.
  • Never run electrical cords under rugs or in high traffic areas.
  • Use extreme caution when utilizing auxiliary heating devices in your home.
  • Be sure that all smoke and carbon monoxide detectors have fresh batteries and are operating properly.

Click here for more information >>>




Medical Records:
After Retirement

Below is the beginning of a wonderful article by Anne Sumpter Arney regarding the process of transitioning medical records when a physician retires:

During the life of their active practice of medicine, physicians must meet obligations to a variety of stake holders, their patients, their partners, their employer, the payors and the regulators.  In the transition to retirement or when you decide to leave the practice of medicine, physicians must wind down these relationships and meet specific contractual and legal obligations. For rest of the article, click here >>>

Richards & Richards provides services for doctors that wish to not worry about the requirements of copying patient records in their retirement.  We provide full service solutions so physicians can transition the records and know that they will be properly maintained and distributed for their retention period.  More information on this service can be found here >>


Richards & Richards
will be closed
December 24 & 25
and
January 1
in observance of
the Holidays







Category: Newsletters, Uncategorized

November 2012

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Fall is Here!

Fall has finally arrived in Middle Tennessee!  As the weather grows cooler it is time to think about year end and auditing your account information.

Three main items should be reviewed before year end:

1.  Security List
This is a good time to review everyone on your list and be sure that all employees are current and that their access level is appropriate for their current position.  These may have changed throughout the year and are vital to the security of your records.  
To contact customer service for your current list click here>>>>
To download a form to make changes click here>>>

2.  Box Status
Do you have boxes that you have taken out that will never be returned?  Until Richards & Richards is informed that an item is not coming back to us, we are tracking it and you are incurring unnecessary charges. 
Contact customer service here to inquire if you have any boxes that are currently out >>>
If you would like to gain online access to check this yourself click here>>>>>

3.  Destruction Dates
Have you audited your boxes to be sure everything was destroyed per your retention schedule?  It is important to be sure you are following your retention policy to stay in compliance with all current privacy and regulatory legislation.  
To request destruction click here>>>
To obtain information on creating a destruction policy for your company click here>>>>

Our services are available to you in all of this end of the year clean up.  Please take a few minutes to review.  A well maintained records system will keep your business running smooth all year.

Sincerely,

Steve Richards
President & CEO




 

Richards & Richards
will be closed
November 22 and 23
in observance of
Thanksgiving





Creating Mobile Device Security
for the Workplace

A steep rise in identity and data theft due to lost or stolen mobile devices is expected, according to a September 28 article at infosecurity-magazine.com. 

Juniper Research claims that only 5% of smartphones and tablets have security software installed. This percentage is especially significant because of the growing number of organizations allowing the mingling of corporate and personal data on employee-owned devices. The report predicts that employee-owned devices used in the workplace will total nearly 350 million by 2017.

The Security of Business Innovation Council, supported by EMC’s security arm, released new guidelines in the report titled “Realizing the Mobile Enterprise: Balancing the Risks and Rewards of Consumer Devices.”

The mixing of mobile devices and corporate data can lead to lost or stolen devices, malware attacks, advanced mobile risks, and risky end-user behavior, according to the report.

The report offers several tips for organizations to get on top of the issue, including “start with truly enterprise-wide governance,” “build core competencies in mobile app security,” and more.

To read more, click here >>>>




The Myth of the
Paperless Office

Technology promised to deliver us from paper for good, but we’re actually using more than ever before.

A common assumption in the back of every tech-head’s mind is that their use of technology is good for the environment, particularly in saving paper.

Back in April, The Economist blew everyone’s minds by proclaiming that instead of worldwide paper consumption decreasing with all of our new gadgets and toys, it has actually increased by half since 1980. Americans consume 5.57 40-foot trees worth of paper per person each year.

To read more – click here>>>>






Category: Newsletters

October 2012

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Spooky October!

Are records disappearing at your office?  We could blame ghosts, ghouls or goblins – it is that time!  However, we can combat those nasty gremlins with some good records management practices.

How much time do you lose to the elusive file each day? Are you spending top dollar for a storage area for just your inactive files? Managed storage is usually cheaper that the mini-storage alternatives and makes your files easy to retrieve!


Combat the missing and hard to find file by:
Creating a good inventory
Storing in a good quality box
and
Storing in a managed facility! 

What about your computers?  Are you creating good back-ups and storing them in a safe location?  The goblins like your electronic files too! 

Letting an employee take your back-up tapes home exposes you to all sorts of data loss risks including theft or damage from extreme temperatures.  The cost of a data breach or the loss of your computer data is something most small businesses do not survive. 

Be sure your tapes are being handled correctly and securely – like with a DataVault Service

Let us help you create a records management system that works.  Contact us today to schedule a consultation!

From all of us at Richards & Richards, have a Happy Halloween!

Sincerely,

R. Stephen Richards

R. Stephen Richards
President & CEO


October 17th       RRWeb Lunch & Learn

October 20th       Free Shred Day!

November 14th    RRWeb Lunch & Learn

All lunch and learn seminars are free to our clients and are held at our facility at 1741 Elm Hill Pike in Nashville from 12pm – 1:30pm with limited attendance.  Spaces will be held on a first come/first serve basis.  RSVP by clicking the link on the date you would like above.




Free
Shred Day!

Richards & Richards in cooperation with the Nashville Better Business Bureau invites everyone, individuals and small businesses alike to destroy their confidential documents securely for one day only – at no cost! 

Location:   1741 Elm Hill Pike, Nashville
Date:          Saturday, October 20th, 2012
Hours:        9am – 1pm

There is no limit to how much you can bring – so fill your car, truck or van! Paper only this day – no plastics (binder clips ok).

We will not be accepting managed boxes at this event. 

For directions click here >>>




Increase in Data Breaches

An early-August article appearing on CSOOnline.com expresses great concern not only with the increasing numbers and types of data breaches in the federal government, but also with the government’s failure to notify quickly those whose information has been compromised.

A July 2012 report from the U.S. Government Accounting Office that says federal data breaches of personally identifiable information (PII) increased by 19% from 2010 to 2011. Too often, the victims of breaches are not notified for months. 

Industry experts largely agree the problem with late notifications stems from the lack of a single standard. There are 46 state laws, each with its own language, and those that exist within the federal government differ from agency to agency. The National Conference of State Legislatures provides links to states’ data breach notification laws at this website >>

To read more – click here>>>>






 
Category: Newsletters

Data Breach – Having a Plan

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In a perfect world, where human error and malicious intent did not exist, we would not need to be prepared for a data breach. However, the fact is that most business will have some sort of “data-loss” incident that will warrant the use of data breach protocols. Remember – in today’s electronic world a lost USB drive, misplaced cell phone or a stolen laptop can account for a significant data breach.

  • It makes good business sense to have a data breach plan in place for when this occurs. Here are a few items to include in your plan.
  • What data is out there, who has access to it, and how do they access it?
  • What are the regulatory requirements that govern this information (include federal, state and industry specific)?
    Who is the person in the company that is notified if a breach occurs?
  • When is that person contacted? What warrants a breach?
  • Start looking at your Data Protection Plan – where are you vulnerable? How are your back-up tapes, drives or online backups secured? Do you require passwords and/or encryption on mobile devices?

Category: blog

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1741 Elm Hill Pike Nashville, TN 37210-5717