The problem: In 2003, Mike Dosskey got so sick of receiving misfaxed medical records from nearby Providence Everett Medical Center outside Seattle that he complained to the local newspaper. In 2005 the hospital added fuel to the fire by mistakenly faxing confidential patient data directly to the Everett Herald. It happens: Transpose a couple of digits and your fax machine becomes a whirring, paper-spewing violation of federal patient privacy-protection laws.

The solution: Fax machines are so 20th century. Enact policies that strictly govern any faxing of confidential data and appoint responsible employees in each department to act as fax masters. Computer-based fax servers make it easier to track transmissions and reduce the risk of mistyped phone numbers.