Home Forums Discussions Problems y allows ONE user Cocurrent Login

I have noticed that AC currently allows ONE user to login(sign on) from two or more different machines concurrently.

Please report if anybody else has experienced it or if this issue has been discussed earlier.

In my opinion, this is very critical issue when it comes to security issues or regulatory requirements. A user should not be allowed to sign on more than once at a time. Allowing one to sign on from multiple locations/machines compromises the security of medical records, e.g. if I know my collegue's or someone else's user id then I can change information in a Pt.'s record even when my colleague is signed on at that particular time....

Any comments....

Thanks,

IB

I can see your point, IB, but the ability to log in more than once is necessary logistically in my practice.

What would be good is if the Administrator controls gave us the power to *control* how many times each user is able to log on simultaneously. This would maintain our present flexibility, while giving us better control of who is handling our records, and how.

Vinny would probably have some excellent thoughts on the doability of this.

I use four machines in four different locations. It would be a tremendous hassle for me to have to log out of one and log onto another each time I move from exam room to another.

Leslie

Like Dr. Strouse, I need multiple rooms signed on as I go from room to room concurrently taking care of different patients. To log on and off would take up too much time. I lock the computer (and the computer automatically locks itself with 30 seconds of inactivity) so that security is maintained.

As the PM here that performs most computer updates and repairs after hours, I really love being able to be logged on to all the computers here at the same time, so no matter where I am, it still records what ever I did as me....
Many nights my provider (my wife Nancy) stays late and is bouncing from room to room, charting and answering messages and I bet she has herself logged on to two or three computers at the same time too, to better accomplish her tasks. The best thing I can say is obviously practice good password control and only trust the truely trustable with such things...
But that's just my two cents about it....

Well, for someone who probably has one of the most secure networks possible, I must admit that we have our usernames and a one letter password that everyone knows. I guess I am missing why it would be bad to go in and change make an entry into a note while your partner was logged in. Computer security can only go so far and then one has to rely on just being honest. I always go back to the paper chart when I think of things like this, and what would keep one from charting in a note just done that day.

I think it would be more of an issue if there were more audit trails where logins would be more helpful.

When I first noticed it (back when we first got AC) I thought it was a problem. I've found it kind of handy since then, but still in the back of my mind I think its a bad thing.

I'd pull my naturally curly hair out if I could not be logged in on several machines at the same time (espcially, when I'm wearing my IT hat like Paul).

We all have different logins in this office. My assistant logs in when she checks in folks in the exam room (a laptop in each room), forwards the chart to me and then logs out. I log in as soon as I go in there. At the same time, I'm always logged in at my desk, and she is logged in at her workstation.

We don't find it a problem logging in and out all day.

Rainy,
Great point about the desk and the station. I bet you log in to do your visit in the examroom and then go back to your desk inbetween visits to get a few Rx's, messages and notes done while the staff "loads" the next patient for you...this way you keep moving and so do they. No less the IT thing too. Nancy frequently sits at a free computer and gets a few Rxs done while Shel is taking vitals and chief complaints loading the next patient. Yeah, let's not mess with this one for now.

Multiple machine login is a HUGE advantage for me. But I understand the confidentiality and security concern. This could be solved by requiring a PIN for certain high security actions, such as signing a note.

John

I agree, I am always logged in on my desk but will log in and out in the different exam rooms through the day. There are already a significant number of passwords I have to keep track off and the thought of adding 3 additional ones------
Dr. G-

BryanMedical,

I think you have a very good point, although it is the logistics of it that's tough. I feel bad, because it seems we are all against the idea, something you probably want to hear, i.e. the truth.

I would suggest, that you try to use different passwords and get back to us with how it works out.

One of the painful things of signing of and signing back on is loading AC (not THAT painful, but still..). I've trained myself to just Logout instead of shutting down AC so it doesnt take as long to log back in on my primary workstation. Once I started doing this I didn't really mind signing on to a different station and it is more security conscious to only be allowed one login at a time. But it sure is convenient to have "more than one.

Folks, there is no regulatory requirement that you can't sign on in more than one place. Every time you sign on you have to wait for AC to load all of the temporary files over your network, which takes time - and doctor time is money.

I don't understand why you would want to HAVE to log out, and HAVE to remember three more passwords.

If you're REALLY worried about it, use a locking screen saver - you can lock the screen, and get in MUCH quicker than logging in and out of Amazing Charts.

Regards,

V.

If we didn't have to have a password, we wouldn't even use the one letter we use, even for the admin section. Other than checking for a chart that went to the wrong person, I have never logged off that I can recall.

one letter! Dang! wish I had thought of that!

A one letter password in AC is NOT FAST!!!! Yes, you only have to type one letter.. but the network overhead of logging in and out is NOT SMALL, and is definitely NOT FAST.. and while you're logging in or out EVERYBODY ELSE trying to read or write on the network slows down.

You are much better off being logged in and locking the computer than to log out of AC if you're going to be the only one using that machine on and off all day.

V.

Vinny,

Whoa! I think you completely misunderstood. We NEVER log out. But, in the few instances where we do, we only have to use one letter. Are you saying that if I type in an eight letter password WHEN I need to log in, it is faster than one letter and uses less system resources?

But, while I wouldn't want to have the system BrianMedical suggests, I can certainly understand his point of view. If he is allowed to log on to more than one AC at one time, which he is, then another user such as an MA could use his AC with his privilege level. I don't worry about that, because the risk benefit for me outweighs the risks for all the reasons people quote. And, if an MA did need access to that particular AC program, then he or she would need to be able to unlock that PC.