2023-07-21

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2023-07-20

Direct eFax of Prescriptions from Connect Care to Community Pharmacies

As of July 25, 2023, AHS and AHS partner facilities using the Connect Care clinical information system can send medication prescriptions directly to community pharmacies via an electronic fax ("eFax") process. This avoids the prior need to print, hand-sign, then fax a prescription. Community pharmacists receive these prescriptions via fax, following their usual procedures. The new Connect Care eFax workflow cannot be used for prescriptions for drugs classified as Type 1 under the Tracked Prescription Program (TPP); these prescriptions still require the use of a paper TPP secure prescription form. Note that the eFax option is available for medications only, not supplies such as diabetic supplies. 

This new service has many advantages:

  • Safety - reduced transcription and interpretation errors associated with traditional handwritten paper prescriptions
  • Convenience - prescribers, pharmacies and patients will no longer require manual paper processes, saving time and reducing the change of lost prescriptions
  • Choice - each patient can choose the pharmacy to which their prescription(s) will be transmitted
  • Security - the prescriptions transmitted from Connect Care include new verification features to ensure prescription authenticity
For security and safety, electronically faxed Connect Care prescriptions include an electronic signature linked to the unique username, password and professional registration number of each prescriber (such as a physician's College of Physicians & Surgeons of Alberta registration number). The electronic signature replaces a handwritten ("wet") signature; consequently, graphic signatures are not required and do not appear on direct-faxed prescriptions. Additionally, each prescription has a unique order number that is specific to that prescription. Community pharmacists have access to a new online real-time validation tool that can verify the authenticity of Connect Care electronic prescriptions.

After the initial go-live date of July 25, Hyperspace must be restarted once for the eFax functionality to be available.

How does this affect prescriber workflow?

To send a prescription via direct electronic fax to a community pharmacy, there are two steps for the ordering prescriber:

  1. Confirm or enter the patient's preferred pharmacy (or pharmacies); and
  2. Change the order class to "Fax" (the default is "Print", including for refills) and select the destination pharmacy (or pharmacies).

A tip sheet further explains these steps. (Note: This workflow should not be used for treatment [therapy] plan medications, as these have specific settings that should not be changed.) Information and resources for community pharmacists are available on ahs.ca.

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2023-07-19

All User Bulletin - Communication Delay Between POCT Devices and Connect Care

All-user-bulletins highlight stumbling blocks that all prescribers need to be aware of when using the Connect Care clinical information system.

Communication Delay Between POCT Devices and Connect Care

AegisPOC, the system that controls result transmission between Point of Care Testing (POCT) devices and Connect Care, has been experiencing some delays during regular business hours. Transmitting results from POCT instruments into Connect Care systems could be delayed for: Blood Gases (ABL Radiometer, IL GEM, Avoximeter); Accu-Chek Inform II glucose meters; Abbott i-STAT devices; Siemens Clinitek Status+ urine analyzers; and Siemens DCA Vantage.

  • POCT instruments can still be used and Connect Care systems are available. 
  • Affected POCT results will be transmitted to Connect Care once the backlog has cleared. 
  • DO NOT use the Epic enter/edit function to enter these delayed results. This will cause a result duplication error.

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2023-07-07

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2023-07-06

Ordering Therapy Plans - Launch 7 Prescriber-Led Support Sessions

Prescribers who order recurrent, ongoing therapies (IVIG, blood, antimicrobials, procedures, etc.) known as Therapy Plans (pre-defined collection of related/standing orders that apply to multiple/recurrent encounters over time) are invited to attend a prescriber-led demonstration of the workflow. The sessions demonstrate the process of ordering Therapy Plans, and will prepare you for entering orders post-launch and when asked to review converted legacy orders prior to launch.  

The following sessions are scheduled prior to Launch 7. Although important for Launch 7 prescribers who have current patients with scheduled therapies, it is recommended for any prescriber who anticipates using these ordering tools. All Connect Care prescribers and clinicians who order or action Therapy Plans are welcome and encouraged to attend.

Clicking on the hyperlinked date for a session will open a calendar invite for that session, which you can then respond to and receive the meeting information.

For more information, please see the below resources:

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2023-07-05

All User Bulletin - Default Internet Browser for Connect Care Links

All-user-bulletins highlight stumbling blocks that all prescribers need to be aware of when using the Connect Care clinical information system.

Default Internet Browser Change in Connect Care
Many workflows within the Connect Care "HyperSpace" workstation environment contain links to Internet resources that can assist users (e.g., Clinician Manual) or provide access to needed documents (e.g., MHA forms), guidance (e.g., eReferences) or decision supports (e.g., calculators). When these open in a pop-up window, they do so in an Internet browser. To date, the browser has been Microsoft's Internet Explorer (IE). However, many Internet resources are no longer compatible with IE. 
On July 6, 2023, the default Internet browser for pop-up links will be Microsoft Edge. Users will be aware of this change by noting the background colour of the browser window:
Prescribers do not need to take any action, but may notice slight changes in how some web pages display. Please alert the help desk if a previously working Internet resource fails in a clinically impactful way after this update.
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2023-06-28

All User Bulletin - Upgrade to Remote Access for Connect Care

All-user-bulletins highlight stumbling blocks that all prescribers need to be aware of when using the Connect Care clinical information system.

Change to User Interface for Connect Care Remote Access
Clinicians can access Connect Care via Alberta Health Services (AHS) networks in AHS facilities (internal access) using the Unified Access Portal (UAP, myapps.ahs.ca). They can also use Connect Care when outside AHS facilities (external or remote access) via the same UAP link. The experience is similar with the exception that remote logons require a security code in addition to one's AHS user name and password.
On June 28, 2023, the externally accessible UAP is upgraded to a new "VMWare Workspace ONE Platform". This is a "like-for-like" upgrade with few changes to the user experience:
  • Instead of entering a user name, password and security code on a single logon page, the user name and password are entered on a first page, after which a prompt appears to enter the RSA SecurID code if required. This will allow for selective use of security codes in future, prompting only when needed for clinical applications.
  • Users may need to re-create personalized website bookmarks that may have been saved in the prior UAP environment.
  • In some cases, users may need to re-select favourite applications (most previously selected favourites should have ported over).
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2023-06-13

Dragon Medical One - Launch 6 Personalization Sessions

Personalization sessions for Connect Care's in-system dictation software, Dragon Medical One (DMO), are coming up for Connect Care Launch 6 prescribers. Those in previous launches (1-5) are also welcome to attend.

The personalization sessions are scheduled for the following dates/times:

  • Thursday, June 29, 2023: 18:00-19:00
  • Wednesday, July 5, 2023: 12:00-13:00

Registration is through MyLearningLink (MLL) (course name: Dragon Medical One (DMO) - Dictation Optimization Sessions), and sessions are via Zoom.

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2023-05-26

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2023-05-25

Announcement: Calgary Zone Associate Chief Medical Information Officer, Dr. Karmon Helmle

Earlier this spring, Dr. Tom Rich, our ACMIO for the Calgary Zone, announced his retirement. We are pleased to announce that, as of May 24, 2023, Dr. Karmon Helmle has joined the CMIO team as the new ACMIO for the Calgary Zone. Dr. Rich will stay on until the end of June 2023 to support Dr. Helmle and the team during the transition.

Dr. Helmle is a Clinical Assistant Professor within the Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism at the University of Calgary and has been contributing to the informatics team in the Calgary Zone as a Medical Informatics Lead physician for over a decade. She has a Master of Science in Health Informatics from the University of Victoria, with a focus on the barriers and facilitators to electronic order set uptake and sustained use. Her research involves leveraging knowledge translation and quality improvement to develop, implement, optimize, and sustain complex practice change and informatics solutions within inpatient care settings.

Dr. Helmle values teamwork, and as she moves into the ACMIO role, she is looking forward to working collaboratively on the optimization work ahead, with an aim to improve the lives of both patients and healthcare providers.

Please join us in wishing Dr. Rich the best and in welcoming Dr. Helmle to our team!

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2023-05-24

All User Bulletin - Use of the Database Tab in Procedure (Lab) Orders

All-user-bulletins highlight stumbling blocks that all prescribers need to be aware of when using the Connect Care clinical information system.

Use of Database Tab in Procedure (Lab) Orders
When prescribers enter orders to an inpatient, emergency or outpatient patient chart, they typically search for an order of interest and then select from the returned options. Order search results can be viewed in one of four "tabs", including "Browse", "Preference List", "Facility List" and "Database":
  • Preference List (usually the default) displays orders matching the search term as well as a preference list for the prescriber's specialty or department.
  • Browse can be selected to explore personal favourites previously flagged for frequent use by the prescriber.
  • Facility List can be selected to reveal orders (e.g., medications, laboratory tests, imaging) that are available for use at the current facility.
  • Database tab appears if the Facility List has been selected and reveals all orderables available throughout Connect Care (Alberta), even if those orders are not available in the current facility.
Prescribers should not use the "Database" tab for procedure (e.g., lab or imaging test) orders. This tab is used, for example, by laboratory staff when sorting out how to fulfill unusual requests. Some orders exposed through the Database tab may not be intended for prescribers or may not be actionable where the prescriber desires. The Database tab is appropriate for prescriber use when seeking medications that are not on the AHS formulary.
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2023-05-23

Community Providers - Important Information for Delivery of Lab Results

Providers in the community who order lab tests or submit specimens for testing need to take action to ensure they receive these results. If requisitions are incomplete, patients could receive results before their providers. 

Every requisition given to a patient or sent with a specimen (including microbiology and anatomic pathology) needs to contain the authorizing provider’s full name, the clinic name, address, and submitter ID, plus the provider ID for the authorizing provider. 

For more information see: 

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2023-05-12

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Connect Care Communication Norms

Communication happens when one person or group relays information to another person or group, whereas documentation happens when information is managed to serve as a record.

Connect Care supports a wide range of communication tools, including voice, facsimile, commenting and secure messaging. Clinicians may wonder which tool to use for different communication needs, and how to use each to advantage.

Communication Norms are about what Connect Care users expect of one another for effective, efficient, safe and respectful information sharing within and between groups. Healthcare teams are encouraged to develop their own "communication compacts", clarifying how they will use different tools for different purposes. 

For example:
  • Chart "Sticky Note to Most Responsible Provider" can function like a "Doctor's To-Do clipboard" listing things to take care of on rounds. 
  • Secure messaging can be used for non-urgent reminders, such as the place and time of an upcoming team conference, that can be attended to within the next half-day (or so).
Urgent clinical communications should always be person-to-person, not relying on tools like sticky notes, secure messaging or In Basket.
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2023-05-09

All User Bulletin - User Profile Error on Shared Workstation

All-user-bulletins highlight stumbling blocks that all prescribers need to be aware of when using the Connect Care clinical information system.

User Profile Error on Shared Workstation
For highly shared workstations, there is a possibility that device performance will degrade due to the volume of user profiles existing on the device, as all user information is stored locally (including information for those users who may not have used the workstation for a while). In some cases, this issue may also be coupled with the device’s hard drive being nearly full. 
In such a situation, a user may get an error message when trying to log on to the workstation, noting that the user’s profile cannot be loaded. If you get this error message, call IT Service Desk or log the incident ticket to mention the issue above (Unit Clerks can do this), ensuring the Service Desk is provided with the barcode and physical location of the affected device. IT will then clean up the user profiles and data on the workstation. 
IT has put in new controls to avoid user data build-up, and will confirm if these controls successfully fix the situation after Connect Care Launch 6.
For more information, see the FAQ:
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2023-05-08

Prescriber Ordering Norms - Are Verbal Orders Allowed?

Computerized Provider Order Entry (CPOE) refers to the process of a medical prescriber entering orders electronically via a digital health record. 

CPOE involves much more than simply transcribing an order. The ordering process activates decision supports, patient safety protections and other aids to quality improvement. With a little practice, the CPOE process can also be much faster than written or verbal equivalents, as favourites, panels, personalizations and other automations come into play. In addition, Connect Care mobile apps make order entry immediately accessible from certain mobile devices, any time, anywhere.  

It is a Minimum Use expectation for all prescribers that all tests, interventions and medications that can be ordered in Connect Care are ordered in Connect Care. Compliance is tracked in prescriber performance metrics. 

Very few exceptions to CPOE are acceptable, as summarized in Connect Care Ordering Norms. A brief slide deck summarizes guidelines for telephone and verbal orders that comply with AHS and Covenant Health policies and procedures; it applies to operational (e.g., nursing and allied health professionals) and prescribing (e.g., physicians, nurse practitioners) users of Connect Care, and provides practical examples and norms based on time of day. A work package also provides further details for interdisciplinary teams that may have additional concerns, questions or challenges regarding CPOE.

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2023-05-06

Launch 6: We are GO!

All Connect Care systems activated on time at 05:00! 

Today, Connect Care welcomes 208 sites from across the province into the family, including seven Covenant Health locations. The first few days will be intense, but with lots of help at hand we are confident that progress will be fast. 

Prescribers, please make use of the drop-in centres and other launch supports (launchhelp.connect-care.ca). Watch this channel for any updates, as well as the Support channel for information on "hot topic" common issues that have been flagged for Launch 6 prescribers.

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2023-05-05

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2023-05-02

All User Bulletin - Update Dragon Medical One Mobile App

All-user-bulletins highlight stumbling blocks that all prescribers need to be aware of when using the Connect Care clinical information system.

Dragon Medical One - PMM Upgrade
Dragon Medical One (mobile dictation, DMO) users may be experiencing extreme slowness when using the PowerMic Mobile (PMM) app with an iOS device. While AHS users have not yet reported any problems, the vendor has recommended that all iOS users update their PMM app to the most current version to avoid this issue.
To update the PMM app, rather than using the app store, go to your device's list of apps ("Catalog"), click on the "Installed" button beside PMM, and confirm installation.
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2023-04-28

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2023-04-27

Home Care Referral and Request Workflows Standardized and Simplified

Prescribers have previously reported some struggles with home care referral workflows in Connect Care. There were different instructions for a hard to remember process in inpatient and outpatient settings.

An integrated "Home Care Orders" order set is introduced April 27, 2023 to simplify processes for prescribers. The same workflow is used in emergency, inpatient and outpatient contexts.

The new ordering tool consolidates all activities in one place, while offering prescribers default instruction text for the most common home care service requests. Streamlined workflows are described in the Clinician Manual and linked tip sheets:

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2023-04-21

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2023-04-14

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2023-04-12

Break-the-Glass Control for Connect Care Self-Access Attempts

As of April 13, 2023, a Break-the-Glass technical control will be launched in Connect Care to prevent inappropriate attempts to access one's own health records. When users search their own name (or a patient's name that matches) within Connect Care, a warning message will be triggered. If the attempted access is for patient care, the user will be prompted to enter a patient care reason for access. Accesses that appear to be inappropriate or suspicious may lead to privacy investigations.

Note that MyChart is the only appropriate way to access your own health records within Connect Care without the support of your personal healthcare team or Health Information Management; accessing your own information through Connect Care directly is a breach of the Health Information Act.

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2023-04-07

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2023-03-31

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2023-03-30

Care Paths - Improving Patient Care

We previously posted about Care Paths, Connect Care's advanced clinical decision-support tools that can help clinicians coordinate evidence-informed care across person, place and time. Care Paths are keyed to specific health conditions. They match relevant patient information to Alberta-validated clinical guidance, while aligning multidisciplinary care with workflow-friendly recommendations. 

The first two Care Paths, Heart Failure (HF) and Acute Exacerbation of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (AECOPD), launched in July 2022. Previously, evidenced-based disease management was only supported through digital order sets derived from paper equivalents. Care Paths add diverse documentation, decision and improvement supports. Upcoming Care Paths include Hip and Knee Arthroplasty, Cirrhosis, Breast Health, and Tracheostomy Management (pediatrics).

Care Paths have been shown to reduce unhelpful practice variation, prescribing errors, length of stay, readmission rates, patient mortality, and healthcare costs. They also improve patient follow-up with primary care providers, specialists, and specialty clinics. 

Uptake of the HF and AECOPD Care Paths at Connect Care sites has been positive, and over 700 prescribers have completed training available through MyLearningLink! 

For prescribers seeking more information:

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2023-03-18

All User Bulletin - Alberta Netcare Portal

All-user-bulletins highlight stumbling blocks that all prescribers need to be aware of when using the Connect Care clinical information system.

Alberta Netcare Portal - Applications Not Available
Netcare, Alberta's electronic health record, is currently experiencing an issue where several systems accessed through the portal are unavailable due to Alberta Health Network issues. 
The following systems are being impacted: Delivery Site Registry, Provincial Provider Registry, Immunization History, Pharmaceutical Information, Person Directory, Medication Profile, Pharmacy Care Plan, BPMH Medication Reconciliation, and IAM. Netcare users also cannot access specific Netcare functionality via Connect Care. Community results routing is not affected.
Technical teams and Alberta Health are engaged. Updates will be provided as information becomes available.
Update (2023-03-20 08:36): All functionality has been restored and services are working as expected.
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2023-03-17

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2023-03-15

Webinar: Optimizing Dragon Medical One for Epic

Are you already a user of Connect Care's in-system dictation solution, Dragon Medical One (DMO), or a Launch 6 prescriber wondering whether DMO could work for you?

A free webinar on DMO is being hosted next week by a fellow Epic client, the Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario (CHEO), and is open to all DMO users. The webinar will focus on the following topics:

  • Increasing accuracy
  • Adoption, efficiency, and use of commands
  • Keyboard shortcuts in Epic
  • Step-by-step commands to optimize workflow
  • PowerMic and PowerMic Mobile button configurations

The webinar will take place Tuesday, March 21, 18:00-18:45 and all Connect Care prescribers (previous and upcoming launches) are welcome to attend. To register, click the link below (note you will need an Epic UserWeb account to access):

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