What Does This Mean for Me?
If you have EmailDDS (or EmailDMD) running on a Windows7 (WIN7) computer, you are unable to use your secure email client within Outlook. While we expected many programs to begin this process shortly after WIN7 went End of Life (EOL), we didn’t expect one of our backend platforms to be one of the first.
EmailDDS, the program we use to secure your ePHI, has rallied with many other vendors regarding the security concerns of running on an EOL system. They have begun disabling access to the WIN7 Operating System. If you have Outlook on WIN7 systems, you will be unable to send and receive ePHI in a compliant and secure manner through Outlook on that system. If you have already upgraded your systems to Windows10, then your systems, and secure email will have no issues.
What Should I Expect?
We have been educating about this event for the last two (2) years. This will be one of many (dare I say monthly) notices that we will receive as we learn of more and more programs that will begin to separate themselves from the issues caused by WIN7 going EOL. The entire global business community is on alert, and 3rd party vendors, like Dentrix, EagleSoft, QuickBooks and electronic claims systems see the inherent cybersecurity risk of continuing to run their programs on an out of date system. They are unwilling to put their customers at such a risk.
What Can I do?
If you have not yet scheduled your meeting to review your technical and budgetary options for updating these security risks, then call ACS immediately. If your plans are already in place, then for a short time, you should use your EmailDDS (or DMD) from the web platform and NOT Outlook. We understand this may be counterintuitive to the easiness of the program in the first place; however, it won’t be for long. Once we have updated your systems, you will be back to using it in Outlook, no problems!
Expectations
There are expectations on both sides of any business relationship. We are expected to keep a certain level of service and security. We want to do this for all our clients, that is our expectation as well. However, sometimes, to provide that level of service and security, a change is required on your end. This is one of those times, and that change is updating your Windows 7 hardware.
If you do not currently have a plan in place with ACS, please contact us immediately at 707- 888-1191 or info@acsdt.com.
