Security is the Right Medicine

A few years ago, Adam Runsdorf had this idea of starting a third-party pharmaceuticals logistics company, specializing in healthcare. He started the company, Woodfield Distribution LLC (WDSrx), after obtaining multiple licenses to comply with federal, state and other government and regulatory authorities, which included facility security.

Located in Boca Raton, Fla., the facility looks just like any other warehouse, on warehouse row. If you’ve never been inside, you would never know what’s there. If you have never been invited inside, you probably shouldn’t be there anyway.

It is a tightly regulated facility, and knock on wood, there has never been a break in or theft. Loss prevention has stood the test of time, and employees at WDSrx are “part of the family.”

“The entire facility is under video surveillance,” Runsdorf said. “We have dual access control solutions to sign in at the vault and at our cages. The employees are cognizant that we handle valuable medications that must move efficiently to reach their destination.”

As far as security is concerned, WDSrx  invests significant resources when it comes to security to meet regulatory requirements. There are 14 truck bays for shipping and receiving, and as soon as a truck arrives, it becomes part of the security solution via monitoring. WDSrx has employed a chain of custody as part of the physical security, deploying everything that Tyco IS provides, plus upgrades.

WDSrx handles a wide range of controlled substances (schedules III-V), and while they are under constant surveillance, it is the Schedule 2 drugs (CII) that require multiple access control points and storage in a vault.

Security is so critical to WDSrx because they must file multiple reports electronically on a regular basis with governmental and authorized business partners, including the Federal Drug enforcement Agency (DEA) about the movement of certain controlled substances.

“Security is what helps us bring these products to the market,” Runsdorf said. “When, or if, we must destroy a product, it is done with witnesses and under surveillance. We are constantly checking our inventory until the day it ships to the final destination. We work with only known-name carriers because of what we’re shipping.”

The company has deployed cameras at the shipping docks and throughout the facility; every door has an access control solution for enhanced security. WDSrx has three facilities in Florida and one facility in Sugar Land, Texas.

This article originally appeared in the March 2017 issue of Security Today.

About the Author

Ralph C. Jensen is the Publisher/Editor in chief of Security Today magazine.

Featured

  • New Report Reveals Top Trends Transforming Access Controller Technology

    Mercury Security, a provider in access control hardware and open platform solutions, has published its Trends in Access Controllers Report, based on a survey of over 450 security professionals across North America and Europe. The findings highlight the controller’s vital role in a physical access control system (PACS), where the device not only enforces access policies but also connects with readers to verify user credentials—ranging from ID badges to biometrics and mobile identities. With 72% of respondents identifying the controller as a critical or important factor in PACS design, the report underscores how the choice of controller platform has become a strategic decision for today’s security leaders. Read Now

  • Overwhelming Majority of CISOs Anticipate Surge in Cyber Attacks Over the Next Three Years

    An overwhelming 98% of chief information security officers (CISOs) expect a surge in cyber attacks over the next three years as organizations face an increasingly complex and artificial intelligence (AI)-driven digital threat landscape. This is according to new research conducted among 300 CISOs, chief information officers (CIOs), and senior IT professionals by CSC1, the leading provider of enterprise-class domain and domain name system (DNS) security. Read Now

  • ASIS International Introduces New ANSI-Approved Investigations Standard

    • Guard Services
  • Cloud Security Alliance Brings AI-Assisted Auditing to Cloud Computing

    The Cloud Security Alliance (CSA), the world’s leading organization dedicated to defining standards, certifications, and best practices to help ensure a secure cloud computing environment, today introduced an innovative addition to its suite of Security, Trust, Assurance and Risk (STAR) Registry assessments with the launch of Valid-AI-ted, an AI-powered, automated validation system. The new tool provides an automated quality check of assurance information of STAR Level 1 self-assessments using state-of-the-art LLM technology. Read Now

  • Report: Nearly 1 in 5 Healthcare Leaders Say Cyberattacks Have Impacted Patient Care

    Omega Systems, a provider of managed IT and security services, today released new research that reveals the growing impact of cybersecurity challenges on leading healthcare organizations and patient safety. According to the 2025 Healthcare IT Landscape Report, 19% of healthcare leaders say a cyberattack has already disrupted patient care, and more than half (52%) believe a fatal cyber-related incident is inevitable within the next five years. Read Now

New Products

  • FEP GameChanger

    FEP GameChanger

    Paige Datacom Solutions Introduces Important and Innovative Cabling Products GameChanger Cable, a proven and patented solution that significantly exceeds the reach of traditional category cable will now have a FEP/FEP construction.

  • A8V MIND

    A8V MIND

    Hexagon’s Geosystems presents a portable version of its Accur8vision detection system. A rugged all-in-one solution, the A8V MIND (Mobile Intrusion Detection) is designed to provide flexible protection of critical outdoor infrastructure and objects. Hexagon’s Accur8vision is a volumetric detection system that employs LiDAR technology to safeguard entire areas. Whenever it detects movement in a specified zone, it automatically differentiates a threat from a nonthreat, and immediately notifies security staff if necessary. Person detection is carried out within a radius of 80 meters from this device. Connected remotely via a portable computer device, it enables remote surveillance and does not depend on security staff patrolling the area.

  • AC Nio

    AC Nio

    Aiphone, a leading international manufacturer of intercom, access control, and emergency communication products, has introduced the AC Nio, its access control management software, an important addition to its new line of access control solutions.