2020-03-15

COVID-19 and Connect Care #7 - CMIO Priorities

Connect Care Physician Update followers may have noticed that we've disabled the Wave 2-3 countdown timer (top left column) and the associated countdown checklist. Yesterday we announced the formal delay of Wave 2-3 launch.

None of this should be taken as indication of Connect Care pause. Rather, the intensity of our work is increased as we respond to a myriad of COVID-19 response needs.

A partial list of current actions and priorities:
  • Physician Training
    • Basic training for Wave 2-3 physicians is paused and all affected participants have been notified.
    • All physician training materials (Basic, Personalization, Stabilization, Optimization) are being moved to online and distance learning supports, allowing us to avoid physician gatherings in small rooms.
    • COVID-19 affects physician deployment, necessitating just-in-time training for many physicians who are stepping in to cover for shortages or extra need in areas where Connect Care is the record of care. 
    • All trainee training is moved to virtual means.
    • A team of trainers and physicians has formed to rapidly produce more online demos and mini-tutorials.
    • Early priorities include Emergency, Critical Care, Surgery and Inpatient Medicine/Pediatrics.
  • Virtual Care
    • There is pressing need for more capacity for specialist and primary care physicians to manage as many ambulatory encounters as possible using virtual care, sparing clinics for urgent needs and minimizing COVID exposures in clinic.
    • Connect Care virtual visit types are being enhanced and new support materials produced (keep an eye on the physician manual).
    • We are fast-tracking a provincial license for technology to allow physicians to provide secure virtual visit supports to patients at a distance (more news later this week).
    • The same technology will support more virtual physician meetings and consultations so that we can tap into the capacity of providers on isolation.
    • We are working to promote flexible use of telephone and virtual visit billing codes for physicians.
  • Screening and Surveillance
    • Standardized travel and exposure screening tools have been optimized and deployed across all contexts and all clinicians. Best Practice Advisories have been tuned to the latest public health recommendations. Isolation flags are likewise tweaked.
    • New reports facilitate instant tracking of screening results and patterns.
    • Support for release of COVID test results to MyAHS Connect
  • Decision Supports
    • The Clinical System Design team has struck a new task force to fast-track development of ordersets, alerts, reminders and embedded care guides so that all prescribers have instant access to outcomes of a provincial virology clinical guidance group.
  • Documentation Supports
    • Work has begun to render text automation (SmartPhrase, SmartText) and other aids to faster documentation for clinicians managing COVID-related illness.
  • Community Physician Supports
    • We are advocating for faster access of non-Connect Care physicians to the Connect Care Provider Portal.