i. User Resistance. Perhaps the paramount problem posed by the new
technology is user resistance. Ironically, though the single most important problem, it
has been underappreciated to successful implementation of computers in health-care
organizations. Keypunch operators have been known to purposely jam terminals.
Caseworkers have avoided entering data on computer-compatible forms. Doctors have
kept their own handwritten records on the side rather than use computer printouts and
terminals. Even managers have resisted computerization because the new technology
has increased accountability. Health program managers, doctors, and hospital
administrators are resistant because they are afraid of the strange technology; they are
also afraid of changes in organizational structure (shifts in power and changes in
informal groups). Finally, they may have been disappointed by vendors' promises that
were never realized, a terminal that went down, or a printout that was incorrect. The
undeniable reality is that in the face of user resistance, a technically sound computer
becomes useless.
3-31. COMPUTER SECURITY
a. General. Computer security, the protection of an organization's equipment
and data, is a serious problem that has yet to be dealt with adequately. Computers are
built with ease of use and speed, not security, in mind. The security problem is a
growing one as more and more people gain access to and become adept at using
computers. It is getting easier to access systems through phone lines. Billions of
dollars are stolen each year caused by of computer tampering, and the monetary loss is
the least of the problem. The unauthorized access and the tampering with privileged
information are the more serious side of the problem. The fact that a group of children
could wreak havoc with a sophisticated computer system illustrates the magnitude of
the problem. Eighth graders at New York's Dalton School penetrated the computer
systems of several major corporations in Canada from a small terminal in their Upper
East Side school. They managed to disrupt operations of one system and seize control
of another, destroying some data in the process. The problem is compelling and it is
multifaceted.
b. Physical Security of the Equipment. Systems have been physically
sabotaged, flooded, and vandalized. Protective measures for the physical equipment
are much the same as for any other equipment.
c. Loss of Data. Stored data can be lost. Loss of data is a more challenging
aspect of the security problem because it can't be handled by traditional security
methods. One Chicago firm lost its entire accounts receivable file through a "fluke"
accident involving a vacuum cleaner. The file, which was stored on the bottom shelf of
a tape library, was accidentally erased by the magnetic coil of a new heavy-duty
vacuum cleaner. No bills went out that day, and several hundred thousand dollars in
receivables were at stake.
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