PIMS Partners with GTE Federal Credit Union for Disaster Recovery Initiative
Homeland Security protected data center adds to PIMS’ strategy for secure patient record keeping.
Tampa, FL, October 17, 2011 – Physicians Independent Management Services, Inc. (PIMS), a nationwide medical billing and practice management services provider, announced today that they entered into a strategic arrangement with GTE Federal Credit Union (GTE). This agreement will allow PIMS to utilize GTE’s state-of-the-art data center for secure patient record keeping in the event of a disaster and bring a new level of security to PIMS’ clients.
Understanding the extreme importance of providing uninterrupted access to patient information, PIMS sought out a remote data center that could offer the highest level protection. PIMS’ high standards of security were met when GTE offered the ability to utilize its Category 5 rated data center. Contained within a Homeland Security Protected building, the data center serves as the disaster recovery site for a government municipality and other credit unions across the state of Florida. Fed by two separate power grids, the site is also powered with two 1000 megawatt generators, 6,000 gallons of fuel, and first access to fuel in the event of a disaster.
PIMS’ disaster recovery initiative is only the latest in its attempts to ensure physician clients are compliant with both the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (“HIPAA”) and the recently enacted, Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health (HITECH) Act. Through the HITECH Act, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) further increased the penalties and sanctions for HIPAA non-compliance, imposing personal liability, breach reporting requirements, and direct sanctions for violations. PIMS’ contingency planning under the arrangement with GTE highlights its dedication to ensuring physician clients’ Protected Health Information (PHI) remains secure and continuously available to the proper recipients. This strategic arrangement further provides HITECH mandated recovery and backup of Electronic Protected Health Information (ePHI), allowing all PIMS’ clients to remain compliant with industry regulations impacting the healthcare sector.
“PIMS’ recoveries, through automated failure procedures and self-correcting systems, will now be even more dynamic, as our critical data can be restored almost instantaneously at a remote site” said Jhamaul Hanner, PIMS IT Manager. “We are excited by the opportunity to partner with a local service provider, who is a pillar in the community, and offer our clients the business continuity they come to expect.”
About PIMS:
Founded in 1998, Physicians Independent Management Services, Inc. (PIMS) is one of America’s leading full-service Medical Billing and Practice Management Services companies, also offering a robust Laboratory Information System focused on anatomic pathology practices. www.pims-inc.com
Media Contacts:
Physicians Independent Management Services, Inc. (866) 944-0404
Dr. Keith Pautler, MD, President pautlerk@pims-inc.com (813) 490-7206 (W)
Chris Hazelwood, CPA, CFO hazelwoodc@pims-inc.com (813) 490-7279 (W)