ABSTRACT
This chapter examines the risks associated with the use of mobile computing devices, including laptops, personal digital assistants (PDAs), and mobile smart phones, as well as the use of portable storage devices and their related hazards. A comprehensive set of policies should encompass the device’s complete life cycle, from purchase through the operational lifetime to end-of-life and physical destruction. Developing such a policy set is an enterprise wide effort and will depend on the dedication of senior management. Citing a number of security incidents related to the use of laptops and other portable devices, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services issued a seven-page guidance related to the use of such devices when working with ePHI. Mobile biomed devices require wireless access as part of their mobile capability. But implementing appropriate wireless access is not without risk and involves careful planning before committing to an installation.
