I Feel the Earth Move

Carole King is not the only one who can feel the earth move. On July 29, 2008, at approximately noon, my office floor, walls, and heart not only shook but quivered in unexpected dread. Even though I have lived in California for almost 25 years, I never get used to earthquakes. In 2004, during the Northridge quake, I was too close to the epicenter, leaving me somewhat traumatized. Or perhaps my fears are due to how I grew up. As a little girl, my parents always said that once you are tucked into your bed at the end of the day, you are safe. I guess my dad didn’t tell me that you are safe unless the bed ends up clear across the other room.

Now much older and somewhat more mature, we have to look at these earthquakes as a wake-up call to ensure we are prepared. Can anyone ever really be fully prepared? There are so many life lessons that most of us take for granted and have become clichés. Do you stop and smell the roses? Do you hug your children as often as you should? Do you take your car in for its oil change every 3000 miles? And now, near and dear to my own sense of procrastination, do you back up your computer data?

Earthquakes remind me of the importance of not only backing up my data but also having a mechanism to store it off-site. As a business owner, we share the same issues. All of your patient and financial data from your practice is stored on your PC. If you have electronic medical records, then all the patients' demographic and health information is contained in these files. Any natural disaster such as fire or floods can wipe out your medical office in no time. We all watched what happened during Katrina.

Most sophisticated computer programs automate a backup system inherent in the software. Are you aware of your computer's backup procedures? Many may be inadequate if they store the data on computers housed in your own office. Some systems store the data on removable tapes which should be taken off-site in the event of such a disaster. Personally, I am often remiss in making sure I have a backup tape off-site. Do I do it consistently every month? I think we all know the answer to that. It's like that old joke my dad loves to tell: A woman came home from the doctor complaining about all her symptoms and ailments. Her husband listens half-heartedly and then he remarks, "It could be worse." "It could be happening to me!"

About five years ago, upon arriving at my office, my computer was dead. The screen was blank, and the entire hard drive had crashed. I frantically sought experts who could try to restore it and "save my files." I had no such luck. "When was the last time you backed up your data?" Okay, so now I have improved my technological advances and try to be more diligent in this area. I guess we have learned from these life lessons.

After the Chino tremor, I came out of my office to see most of my staff under their desks. One employee told me, "Don’t worry, Sharon. I am closest to the server. If we have to evacuate, I will grab my purse and the backup tape." It is bad enough we all worry about the Big One. Don’t add insult to injury and lose your entire practice’s financial health because you didn’t plan for the inevitable.