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FEBRUARY 2021
Empowering Small Practices to Deliver the Best Care
ONE ‘BAD CLICK’ LATER ... THE SCOOP ON IT SECURITY, FROM NATHAN FOSTER
Remember the antivirus software of old? You’d buy it in a store, spin up the disc in your PC or laptop, and be “good to go” while you browsed the internet, answered emails, and generally went about your digital business. Those days, however, are long gone — especially when we’re talking about the IT security of a medical practice or business. And unfortunately, most people aren’t aware of the current security landscape. We’ve seen some scary headlines in the past year, which does raise awareness a little. But in general, until something happens to you or to
user. One of the things I love about AZCOMP’s clients is that they’re eager to “level up” their business, and that includes security. To that end, I want to remind our readers of three important points. You’ll have to forgive me if we preach these too often, but these basics are always worth repeating, and also free to enact: 1. All passwords should be 12 digits long and contain an uppercase letter, a lower case letter, a special character (@,#,%, etc), and a number. 2. Recently I heard, “Oh, we don’t use that computer/terminal for email or internet, so it’s not in danger.” If a piece of equipment is hooked up to your organization’s network, it’s a potential target, even if you don’t actively use it to access the internet. 3. The No. 1 way to “get in” is still email. One bad click later, and the bad guys have access. Never click on a link without hovering over it first to see where it really leads, and never download something if you aren’t sure where it came from. Even emails that seem to come from within your organization can be a trap, so get on the phone yourself and find out if a suspicious email actually came from your coworker or not. I won’t lie: IT security is a constantly changing field, and there’s not “one solution” that will solve all of your problems. But if you work with the right people, they can apply the right solutions over time as the problems arise — and if those people are with
someone you know, odds are you’re not thinking about IT security in the right way — even if you already have antivirus software and an IT team servicing your technology. To combat this changing threat environment, AZCOMP has had to get creative. And at the moment, we’re leading the industry in the ways we keep our clients secure. If you’re working with us, it’s going to feel like an antivirus solution, but what’s going on behind the scenes is a lot more robust, and a lot more personalized. You see, we also offer remote IT service that provides the best protection possible. Among other things, that means we look at your infrastructure through the eyes of a cybercriminal and find the weak spots. These reviews happen on a regular basis, ensuring you’re protected no matter what changes from week to week. And that’s a bit different from what other “IT companies” are offering right now. Over the past year, I’ve personally called over 1,500 businesses and practices to discuss their security situation. When I hear they already have an IT guy, I have them run what I’m saying by their people. More often than not, the IT folks will recommend working with us — because not only are they not providing that level of security, they can’t provide it!
AZCOMP, they actually look for weak points regularly, taking a proactive approach instead of a purely reactive one. So although I recognize that this may seem intimidating to many, I’m confident in our ability to navigate the future of the field. Our team is educated, dedicated, and always on the lookout for new threats — and new ways to stop them.
Of course, when it comes to keeping an organization’s technology safe from cybercriminals, it really helps to have an educated end-
–Nathan Foster
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WHAT’S THE BIG PICTURE FOR BUSINESS TECH?
Looking at 2022 — and Beyond
We know what you’re thinking. After the unpredictability of the last 18 months, how can anybody claim to predict the future? But when you look at the technology that’s shaped business, it’s really the same technology that experts predicted would be influential all along — it’s just been adopted sooner, thanks to the “remote office” approach.
programs to get work done: Slack for messaging, Gmail for email, Google Docs for content creation, etc. The startup that can organize and centralize all of this work into one program — or find ways to automatically share data between softwares and thus avoid duplication of effort — stands to gain a lot of money this decade. If we’re talking about the second solution, automatic data sharing, then we’re talking about automation with the aid of artificial intelligence. But that’s just one example of how important automation will be in the next 10 years. Computers already do many jobs once done by humans, like data entry and file organization/retrieval. Expect that trend to continue and expect to be surprised by what jobs are automated next — even if it looks like we might not be getting chauffeured by roboticized cars after all. Last but not least, cybersecurity is vital. After the December 2020 data breach by suspected Russian hackers that affected both tech companies and dozens of U.S. government agencies, this already- important field will be a top-of-the-line priority for the government, tech agencies, and anybody courting government contracts. MEDISOFT, LYTEC, NEXTGEN, & APRIMA SUPPORT PLANS FOR HOSTING, BACKUP, AND MORE Need Support? Call 480-497-7480 if you have a support contract. Don’t Have Support? Plans start at just $99 a month. Call us at 855-455-5035 to get started with support, training, electronic claims, electronic health records (EHR), hosting, backup, and more. We have so many tools and services to help your business become more efficient, keep its network protected, and remain a thriving independent practice. We want to help your practice perform at the highest possible level by providing services that help you get the most out of your software. Be sure to check our website often at azcomp.com/events to learn about upcoming trainings and other events we host. DON’T FORGET TO UPGRADE YOUR SOFTWARE!
So, while we can’t guess what will happen tomorrow or next week, we can still forecast a big picture for the next decade — and we can start with remote work . The question of the decade is: What will happen when the pandemic ends? Odds are good that we’ll see “hybrid” offices. People who prefer remote work will stay remote, and those who like the office will have that option too. Companies that don’t offer both choices may have a tougher time finding employees.
In the remote/hybrid future, centralization will be key to efficiency. Right now, businesses depend on a hodge-podge of apps and
SPOTLIGHT ON BRANDON MALONEY
AZCOMP’s support teams are foundational to everything else we
do. This month, we talked to Brandon Maloney, a support specialist who’s already making a mark. “I’ve always had a strong interest in computers,” Brandon says, “so for AZCOMP to work with me and let me learn more is just a great opportunity.”
In the five months he’s been with us, Brandon has shown a creative approach to problem solving. “IT support is constantly evolving, and you have to always be a student of that progress,” he says. Brandon also loves helping our clients solve problems because many times, their ability to work is hampered by a tech issue. When he isn’t working, Brandon spends time with his girlfriend of two years. A dog they rescued soon after they started dating helps them stay active, and they enjoy going to the gym or hitting the trails together.
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iRobot’s been making Roombas — the semi-autonomous robotic vacuum and floor mop — for years now. But for most households, this technology is just seen as a gimmick — and an expensive one at that. Most don’t realize how far Roomba technology has come or the time they’d save with a device like the newest s9+. This model takes what worked in previous iterations — shape and self-emptying functions — and improves them with four times the sucking power, as well as the ability to handle liquids in addition to solid debris. It’ll also learn the layout of your home over time, meaning it gets faster and more efficient as it ages — unlike the rest of us! Once it’s done, the Roomba s9+ heads back to the mothership — in this case, the “clean base” — where it dumps out its trash and lives when it isn’t working. All you have to do is change a bag in the clean base once in a while. The iRobot’s newest offering also comes with voice command (similar to Alexa or Siri devices) as well as app capabilities. In fact, you can even connect it to your other smart home devices, allowing you to sit back and let everything take care of itself. TIME FOR A ROOMBA? The s9+ Could Come Home With You
RIGHT PLACE, RIGHT TIME
No Way to ‘Mask’ BreezeBubble’s Success
What’s one advantage startups have over established businesses? They’re really good at pivoting. And for the past year, it’s been nothing if not a pivoter’s economy. While big businesses were trying to work remotely — and manage toilet paper supplies — smaller startups were able to tweak their mission just in time to achieve more relevance. And it’s hard to imagine a business more relevant right now than the mask manufacturer BreezeBubble. Founder Arohi Jain has put together a company so simple that it’s brilliant. Everything is based on one idea: a more comfortable N95-type mask that’s easy on the wearer’s face and doesn’t break the bank. She actually got the idea a few years back after visiting Japan and noticing that in many Asian cities, mask wearing has long been de rigueur. Sensing a huge market, Jain began to put together BreezeBubble by garnering funding and lines of supply. But when the COVID-19 pandemic began to sweep the globe last spring, Jain realized it was time to execute her plan. The new demand for N95 masks in hospitals and other front line health care operations meant she’d be able to help as many people as she could make masks for. It was a small pivot away from focusing on the East-Asian smog market, but it was one that only a startup could have made. Created out of soft silicone rubber, BreezeBubble’s masks also feature removable filters. The company only sells one kind of mask at $35 per unit, with discounts for buying in bulk. You can also get a set of filters for around $10. And that’s it — BreezeBubble is a startup that only has one product. Like we said before, it’s simple but genius. As you can imagine, funding has not been a problem since the virus spread across the United States, and BreezeBubble is now one of the fastest growing medical device manufacturers in the world.
Randolph’s “That Will Never Work” AZCOMP LEADERSHIP LIBRARY
Former Netflix CEO Marc Randolph’s favorite place? The office building in Dallas where Blockbuster had its corporate headquarters. In his new book, “That Will Never Work: The Birth of Netflix and the Amazing Life of an Idea,” Randolph says, “To start with, everyone hated Blockbuster.” He isn’t one to mince words, nor is he afraid to debunk myths. He spends much of the first chapter debunking the stories that grew around who had the idea for Netflix and whether or not it was actually an epiphany: “That story is beautiful. It’s useful. It is, as we say in marketing, emotionally true. But as you’ll see in this book, that’s not the whole story.”
If you’re looking for a man to follow, check out Randolph’s book. How does your business test new ideas? Can it happen faster? What’s the cost of having sloppy content hit the internet if it gets you out there sooner? How quickly can you put an idea in front of a customer, where, Randolph writes, “you will learn more than you could in five months of R&D.” He addresses all of this and more in the book. “That Will Never Work” is a rare glimpse into the inner workings of one of the 21st century’s most lucrative and secretive companies. It really is a page-turner.
It all goes to show that if you do one thing — and do it well — success will follow!
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Are You a Hacking Risk? PAGE 1 The 2020s: A Business Tech History Lesson AZCOMP Employee Spotlight PAGE 2 No Way to ‘Mask’ BreezeBubble’s Success Time for a Roomba? AZCOMP Leadership Library PAGE 3 How ‘Biggest Little Farm’ Changed My Outlook PAGE 4
By Benjamin THIS NEO-HOMESTEAD GOES WHERE EDDIE WOULD GO
As some of you know, I enjoy documentary films a lot. In the past I’ve referenced “Searching for Sugar Man” (which is still one of my favorite films), and how it shows the universality of AZCOMP’s core values. Another film caught my eye recently, and I wanted to share it with you because A) it was really enjoyable, and B) like “Sugar Man,” it exemplifies what we mean when we talk about values — starting with “Go Where Eddie Would Go.” This movie is titled “The Biggest Little Farm,” and I’ve been thinking about it a lot lately. It’s a documentary about John and Molly Chester, two former Los Angelenos who ditch their life in the big city for a 200-acre spread in the Ventura foothills. But this wasn’t exactly something they’d planned to do: It occurred after they were evicted by their landlord because their dog barked a couple of times.
could pull this off physically, emotionally, and financially — I realized it reminded me a lot of our company, AZCOMP. Like the surfer for whom “Go Where Eddie Would Go” was named, Molly and John jumped on a massive tidal wave of change and rode it to a completely new life. Like them, we at AZCOMP share a vision, and we don’t give up on it. No matter how impossible our obstacles may seem, time and time again, we consistently pivot from our comfort zone to tackle the unimaginable. Folks, this is not just me paying lip service here: I truly believe I work for one of the best small businesses out there, and every employee here makes that possible. I suggest you check out “The Biggest Little Farm” yourself when you can. Not only is it worth the watch, it just might change your outlook. And if you work with AZCOMP, you’ll recognize some kindred spirits for sure
After having some time to ponder over it for a few days — mainly wondering how the heck this couple
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