There seems to always be a new threat on the horizon when it comes to network and software security. Not only that, but there are always new gadgets coming out that make previous security measures less effective or obsolete. This aspect of running a practice can be frustrating. That’s why we have Ben Spinks on the show today to help us better understand the right policies to have in place and general tips on practice security.

 

Ben Spinks temporarily (or so he thought) entered the veterinary industry in his current capacity in 2004. He planned on helping a veterinary practice “run some numbers” over the summer to delay his inevitable entry into the corporate world. That one summer stretched longer than he anticipated, and he’s been the Hospital Administrator of Tipp City Veterinary Hospital ever since. Outside of his role at TCVH, Ben helps other businesses run more efficiently, helps companies in the veterinary industry communicate effectively using video, and is part of the consulting teams at VetSuccess and at VetSupport. 

 

Using his IT knowledge to better secure his practice, he is also helping others keep up with routine security audits and in today’s episode, providing a lot of great actionable steps to take to make sure you are safe.

 

Show Notes:

[3:14] - New threats come out all the time. IT works hard to mitigate new threats.

[4:29] - Cutting costs can be detrimental for some IT tasks.

[5:42] - Debbie shares how she runs new things by her local IT guy for guidance.

[6:30] - Ben highly recommends regular security audits.

[7:18] - Security audits can be IT based and apply to HR as well.

[8:30] - Ben describes external and internal security audits and how often to have someone check everything out.

[10:07] - There has been some recent discussion on VHMA forums regarding keypads. Ben addresses the concern and explains the different varieties.

[12:34] - The constant changing of passwords can be hard to manage. Using a password manager can be very beneficial.

[14:38] - Ben and Debbie discuss common password best practice.

[16:03] - Veterinary specific software and computers may have different best practices than other types of industries.

[17:40] - Policies regarding IT are extremely important to have in place and follow.

[20:21] - Ben highly recommends getting professional assistance in setting up a strong firewall. 

[21:14] - What are some things you should have in place for security and backups?

[23:39] - Security, backups, and IT need to be budgeted in. Things are pricier than Debbie thought they would be but the risk without is too huge.

[25:53] - Virus protection that is updated on a regular basis and routinely checked is a non-negotiable need.

[28:29] - Network cameras are a great place to start if you do not have security cameras in place.

[30:20] - Ben addresses team access and what it might look like in some practices.

[32:11] - Two factor authorization is best practice.

[34:12] - Talk to your team and get everyone on the same page with policies.

Thank you for listening. Remember you are not in this alone. Visit our website for more resources.

 

Links and Resources:

 

• VHMA Web Page

 

• VHMA Coronavirus Resources
• VHMA Facebook
• VHMA Twitter
• VHMA on Linkedin
• Tipp City Veterinary Hospital
• Ben Spinks on LinkedIn