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Bluffton Data Center Avoids Damaging Floods
Medical Data of Heartland Information Systems stays secure during Midwest rains

TOLEDO, Ohio, August 20, 2007  — It was the worst storm in decades for Bluffton, Ohio, with over 10 inches of rain that left stores, schools, businesses and homes under water. One of the few businesses that remained entirely operational during the disaster was the hosted data center of Heartland Information Services. Heartland recently selected this site as its new medical transcription data center because of its reputation as an ultra-secure facility, and the center performed admirably during the recent flooding.

“When we were choosing a location for our medical transcription data center, this facility was at the top of our list because of its proven security,” says Ruth Brown, Vice President of Information Services at Heartland. “Due to the sensitivity of the information we manage, we needed a facility that would withstand weather-related issues that could negatively impact turnaround time goals.”

The center is equipped with an advanced waterless suppression system, including generators that are designed and tested to run continuously in the event of a power failure and a fire alarm system that is monitored 24 hours a day. An uninterrupted power supply system sits between the power supply and each device, providing protection to critical network devices and computer hardware by preventing electrical problems like outages and surges. Previously a U.S. Department of Defense AUTOVON site – the first worldwide switched network for private telephones – the building was developed to carry mission-critical voice traffic and is built of solid concrete, both weather and nuclear hardened. 

In addition to maintaining operations even during the worst Mother Nature has to offer, the center boasts a diverse range of technology services as well – all of which help keep Heartland at the forefront of the medical transcription industry. The center utilizes the Juniper Networks NetScreen Integrated Security Gateways (ISG), which includes a firewall, intrusion prevention and virtual private networking capabilities. Two Extreme Networks Black Diamond switches allow uncompromised load sharing, allowing a fully converged network to support Heartland’s voice and data needs.

The facility is set up to be secure from unwanted intruders as well. All entrances into the building and zones are equipped with a keycard access control system. The audit log is monitored and reviewed throughout the day. ADT Security also monitors the facility through five centers located throughout the U.S. “Medical data should be closely guarded and kept secure 24-hours a day. At Heartland the security of health information is a critical part of our business, and we selected a location that focuses on data security,” says Ms. Brown.

Heartland Information Services specializes in high-quality, full-service transcription providing financial and service advantages that helps its clients reach or exceed goals. Heartland provides unparalleled efficiency, reliability and management capabilities while interfacing with virtually any health information system and software. Heartland’s corporate headquarters is located in Toledo, Ohio, with work centers in Bangalore, Chennai, Mumbai, Pune and Delhi, India.