OnlyMe

Abstract

Grove reviews Tranzoa's OnlyMe, a third-party security software.

OnlyMe. Tranzoa, P.O. Box 11, Maple Valley, WA 98038; 425.432.3532; [email protected]; http:// www.tranzoa.com; shareware: $9.95 registration, group licensing available. System requirements: Palm OS version 3.0 and higher.

What do you, or your staff, do when you find a resident's note cards with patient information on them? Is this any different than finding an unsecured personal digital assistant (PDA) with patient information openly displayed? According to Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) guidelines, all medical staff must maintain confidentiality of patient information, including data stored on PDAs.

OnIyMe is a third-party security product with password protection that automatically locks a Palm OS PDA whenever the PDA is turned off (Figure 5). It ensures that no one can access information on the PDA without entering a password. When the PDA is started, the program offers a password entry screen and contact information, which are configured by the user.

OnIyMe can be downloaded from www.tranzoa.com/onlyme/ onlyme.htm as a trial version. This trial version allows only 120 password input uses, after which it will no longer lock the PDA. Installation follows the usual format for Palm devices and is described at www .tranzoa.com/onlyme/onlyme .htm#installation.

Figure 5OnIyMe screen

OnIyMe locks a PDA on powerdown and uses on-screen keys, graffiti, and hardware buttons for password entry, with 335,922 possible passwords. The PDA is locked for seven minutes after five failed passwords entries and an additional twenty-eight minutes after each five failed attempts. With the Fast Start feature enabled, a user can unlock the PDA quickly by entering the first character or key of the password within a two-secondtimeout period.

The great advantages of this product are the ease of use and the reliable and almost unbreakable password security features. Installation is quick. After the password is entered, the PDA returns control of the PDA to the Palm OS, which displays the last application in use before powering off. OnIyMe prevents unrequested use of the PDA's infrared port. Passwords are not echoed on the screen. Finally, OnIyMe allows password entry using gestures (sliding through multiple keys in one stroke), alleviating the need to touch the buttons individually. An additional entry of the password is also needed to configure OnIyMe, providing further security. The pdaMD Website ranks OnIyMe as one of the simplest third-party applications.

However, there are some disadvantages to OnIyMe. One is that the constant reentry of the password each time the device is powered off can be very frustrating. Busy physicians may not want to spend time entering passwords again and again. While this can be partly rectified using the Fast Start feature, security is compromised. OnIyMe does not provide encryption. Unfortunately, OnIyMe is only available for Palm OS and not for WinCE PDAs.

Security is of the utmost importance in both personal and professional use of PDAs, for both librarians and health professionals. OnIyMe is an easy-to-use security product and is recommended for use in health care settings.