3 ways to make BYOD (fairly) easy
'We noticed that many of our doctors and nurses were texting one another'
As Ricks sees it, there are three keys to striking the right balance between organizational security and individual convenience:
- Make the system invisible: “I don’t want to manage people’s personal devices,” Ricks said. “But since they’re going to want to use them, I want to make the system secure and efficient.” In other words, ensure the necessary security measures, but minimize impact on workflow as much as possible. Hence the downloadable app that simply and quickly puts everyone on the same security page.
- Don’t stop with personal devices: Noting that mobile doesn’t stop with smartphones or tablets, Ricks recommends “building a secure sandbox” by implementing a desktop virtualization program across all enterprise computers. “Applications aren’t mobile,” he observed. “People are.” But with a virtualization system they’ll have access to the same programs no matter where they are.
- Make it simple: At the same time as Beaufort formalized its BYOD program and went to a universal virtual platform, the hospital also did away with what had been a smorgasbord of passwords and a rather rickety system of log-ins. “Our physicians had to know six to eight passwords,” Ricks explained, “and we had let ourselves slip into using generic log-ins.” Now, each staff member is assigned an ID badge with an embedded RFID chip, and once they log in at the beginning of the shift they’re able to use just about any computer in the building.
While mobile is undoubtedly a constantly shifting landscape, Ricks was struck by the enthusiasm with which Beaufort doctors were willing to work with the hospital to get the system right.
[See also: 6 keys to developing a BYOD program.]
When Beaufort first came up with the idea of the BYOD program, which now simply involves doctors punching a PIN number into their smartphone or tablet to use the enterprise-owned text system, Ricks’ intention was to test the program with a few doctors first.
But within two weeks of signing up the 10 providers he wanted to start with, he had 50 more who wanted to participate.
