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| Leading Tennessee-based security firm helps TN Non-Profit Health Facility Keep Patients Safe & Secure |
North Central Security Services (NCSS), a leading provider of security and monitoring services, is pleased to announce that it has been selected as the security company providing access control technology for HOPE Family Health, a non-profit delivering quality and affordable medical and mental healthcare to Tennessee residents who are either uninsured or in vulnerable populations. The biggest challenge facing the facility was securing the patient’s medical records and controlling access to restricted areas where dangerous medications were stored without having the proper financial resources in place. After a recent security breach affecting over 8000 patients’ private health information, HOPE realised it was time to reach out to the local community for help in securing the premises and to not give up hope on finding the right company to help them with this serious security situation.
NCSS was awarded this project based on HOPE's close and extensive relationship with its sister company, North Central Telephone Cooperative (NCTC) who manages the organisation’s cloud communications. After meeting with NCSS CEO Carolyn Smith—who believed strongly in putting the security and safety of HOPE’s staff and patients first before worrying about how to pay for it—the question of who to hire for the access control installation became clear. “NCSS is proud to be working with HOPE and believes strongly in helping our community,” states Carolyn Smith, NCSS’s CEO. “We are happy to see that through the reallocation of resources, a special grant has been given to HOPE which helped us to secure access to locations throughout the facility where valuable assets can be managed and audited on an as-needed basis, including the sensitive and federally protected, private health information of more than 10,000 of HOPE's patients.”
As HOPE continues to grow and expand to multiple locations, it was crucial to have NCSS on board to help spearhead the security initiative. Plans for the future include developing an on-site pharmaceutical service, creating an environment where sensitive and sometimes dangerous medications could be stored in a controlled atmosphere where access needs to be audited. HOPE recently expanded its scope of practice and services to include behavioral health, a move that brings with it certain concerns for patient and staff safety in the event of a mental health emergency. “As we continue to grow and expand, I feel confident knowing that the team at NCSS has both the technology and expertise to address any new security challenges that we may face in our future. With federal fines exceeding millions of dollars for even an accidental breach of patient information, the confidence I have placed in the team at NCSS is not something I give lightly. I only find it to be ironic and a blessing that they happen to be located right down the road, just in the heart of the community where we are passionate about delivering quality and affordable medical and mental healthcare,” states Joey Forman, HOPE’s Chief Compliance, Development & Information Officer.
