We have been using generic accounts as long as I can remember. Life became more difficult when HIPAA required us to automatically lock systems. Systems were left locked and admins were constantly being called to unlock them.

To get around the issue of shared accounts we have begun using a product called "Unlock Administrator" [visit link] Once the system is logged into using a generic username and password it is locked in the standard Windows fashion and the system is set to lock when the screensaver is activated as well.

This program allows you to select which users are able to unlock the system using their own Windows domain credentials. A log of when the system is locked and when and by whom it is unlocked is kept in a protected file as well as a Windows Event. Users don't have read or write access to this file. This way we have complete knowledge of who used the account and when. Everyone uses their own password and no password needs to be shared.

This is also useful at nursing stations that are often left locked (as per HIPAA requirements) but abandoned. With this program any selected user (not necessarily an admin) can unlock the system.

Hope someone else finds this useful as well.

A dangerous but likely sight in almost any hospital care unit is an unattended computer workstation, accessible by any passerby. If by chance the computer is locked, simply flip over the keyboard and you?ll often find the generic logon ID and password posted on the bottom; a failsafe for all caregivers in the care unit wanting to log on.

A dangerous but likely sight in almost any hospital care unit is an unattended computer workstation, accessible by any passerby. If by chance the computer is locked, simply flip over the keyboard and you?ll often find the generic logon ID and password posted on the bottom; a failsafe for all caregivers in the care unit wanting to log on.