2021-02-25

MyAHS Connect Reporting Dashboard

The "MyAHS Connect Department Utilization" dashboard is now available. This dashboard outlines the use and uptake of MyAHS Connect. It allows operational managers, supervisors and physicians to view how staff and patients are progressing with MyAHS Connect in an outpatient context (limited to the logged-on user's department). Prescribers can also explore how patient portal functions are impacting their practice.

The dashboard is available to operational managers, operational supervisors and physicians.

To find more about how to access and view content found in this dashboard:

2021-02-22

Patient Movement Readiness Series

The Patient Movement Readiness Series focuses on building a baseline knowledge of how to move a patient from one location to another using Connect Care as a tool. Make sure you sign up for these sessions, as patient movement is cited as one of the most confusing concepts to grasp at launch.

The week of February 22-26, 2021, includes Patient Movement Fundamentals Readiness events. These sessions outline basic functions that support safe movement of patients through a facility. Related workflows are explored. Use the link below to register for any of the (repeat) one-hour patient movement events.

Live system demos of patient movement workflows are scheduled for the week of March 1-5, 2021. These sessions are described in a Patient Movement Readiness Handbook, where topic lists and registration links are provided. A self-guided learning video series with videos relevant to your work area is also available via a guide, linked below.

2021-02-21

Documentation Quality Improvement

The Connect Care Documentation Quality Improvement initiative seeks to enhance the utility of summative documentation templates for history & physical, consult, discharge, transfer, and operative notes. Oversight is provided by the Clinical Documentation Quality Improvement Workgroup, reporting to the Clinical Documentation Committee.

While Builders, Power Users, Super Users, Informatics Leads and Superusers actively participate in much of the improvement work, any Connect Care user can have input. A presentation provides context and a plan. "Work packages" emerge from time to time on our Informatics channel, each containing a presentation on a documentation topic and instructions about how interested users can provide feedback.

2021-02-17

Submit Connect Care Improvement Ideas

Connect Care users are represented through Area Councils and Speciality Workgroups. These, together with local user groups, help generate suggestions for new functions, and improvements to existing functions. Connect Care oversight, advocacy and community structures also help to set priorities and identify urgent fixes.

Another way for users to fuel continuing improvement is to directly submit enhancement ideas for consideration. These get "ticketed" and all tickets are characterized, considered and prioritized, usually through Area Councils and Specialty Workgroups.

Submitting a suggestion is done using the same Connect Care Concierge (help.connect-care.ca) that enables non-urgent support requests. Although the online form reads like a problem-reporting tool, it is intended for both problems and suggestions. Think of the "issue title" as a "suggestion title" and enter a recommendation in the "issue description" box. A Concierge ticket is generated, and is the best way to draw attention to user suggestions.

2021-02-15

Connect Care Research Webinar - Workflow Walk Through - February 17, 2021

The next Connect Care Research Webinar, occurring February 17, 2021 from 12:00 to 13:00, is dedicated to a "Workflow Walk Through."

The webinar will explore illustrative outpatient and inpatient research visits, highlighting how research coordinators prepare for, arrive and start the visit (including queuing, signing, releasing and acting on orders); sign and close a visit; and complete research charge reviews. 

All clinical research stakeholders are welcome. However, the specific work flow steps covered are immediately applicable for Wave 1 and 2 research end users already active in Connect Care. Epic representatives will be on hand to answer questions immediately following the presentation and demonstration. 

For more information about Connect Care Inquiry and Research:

2021-02-11

Nuance and Epic Best in KLAS-mates

We've posted about Epic's continuing success in the KLAS awards for health information systems.

Connect Care users have embraced in-system dictation, speech recognition and voice activation. Indeed, in-system dictation has been so widely adopted that it has spontaneously replaced other pathways to dictation. The ability to dictate using personal devices, anywhere, anytime is wonderfully convenient.

Nuance's Dragon Medical One product has become central to the Connect Care offering. It is pleasing to see that this product also wins a Best in KLAS award for 2021!

2021-02-10

Epic stays top of KLAS... Again!

Epic System's electronic health record software, the centrepiece of Connect Care's clinical information system (CIS), continues to excel in the "Best in KLAS" awards... for an 11th straight year!

The 2020 awards, based on an annual survey of health information system users (including opinions of physicians and other healthcare decision-makers from >4,500 hospitals and >2,500 clinics), go to Epic in the categories of:
  • Inpatient (Acute Care, large hospital)
  • Enterprise Suites
  • Outpatient Clinics (over 75 physicians)
  • Practice Management
  • Artificial Intelligence
  • Patient Flow
  • Application Hosting
  • Oncology
  • Patient Portals.
We are happy to work with such a strong technology partner!

2021-02-09

CMIO Practice Charting for Connect Care Users

The Chief Medical Information Office (CMIO) has developed a Practice Charting plan for CMIO users (prescribers) who want to practice dual charting in Connect Care. CMIO Practice Charting does not replace Clinical Operations Shadow Charting. Instead, it targets CMIO users who are unable to participate in or were out of scope for Shadow Charting, or who want additional practice. (Note that Shadow Charting only targets High Risk/High Volume workflows and is not available in all clinical areas, so many prescribers will not have an opportunity to participate in Shadow Charting.)

The Practice Charting plan consists of four parts:

For more information, see the new Practice Charting page in the Connect Care Manual.

2021-02-08

Connect Care Wave 3 Workflow Dress Rehearsals - Physician Participation

An important Wave 3 Connect Care readiness event is soon upon us. A series of "Workflow Dress Rehearsals" (WDRs) occurs between March 15 and April 1.

WDRs provide clinicians with opportunity for hands-on practice using the Connect Care clinical information system (CIS) in simulated workflows. The current CIS build is exposed for testing in real clinical contexts, usually with the computers and devices that will be used at Wave 3 launch. Physicians, nurses, other clinicians, managers and the project team work together to identify any issues and find solutions pre-launch.

The WDR events (at each Wave 3 facility) promote end user confidence, give teams a chance to check that workflows work as intended, demonstrate that end users can successfully complete Connect Care and facilitate end user understanding of downstream effects of their actions.

Physician participation (and help with demonstration) is very important! To sign up for participation or observation (physician roles are listed in the schedule, linked below), please email cmio.nz@ahs.ca.

For more information:

2021-02-07

All User Bulletin - Workspace ONE Hub App

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

Workspace ONE Hub App

On February 9, you may notice a request to approve the installation or upgrade of the Workspace ONE Hub application (app) on your mobile device. If you experience this message, please tap "Accept".

Workspace ONE is the device management software Alberta Health Services uses to ensure protection of sensitive data, and to facilitate distribution and maintenance of apps on mobile devices (including iPhones, Android phones, iPads) in the Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) program. This program needs to upgrade the Workspace ONE app to a newer supported version. The upgrade will automatically be pushed to devices enrolled in the BYOD program. Some users may receive a request to install the app; users will need to accept the installation to continue to receive support for the BYOD program.

2021-02-04

Netcare Timeout Defaults Restored

Netcare session timeouts and personalization have been restored as of Thursday, February 4, 2021.

The forced 30-minute timeout for Netcare idle sessions has been removed. Individual timeout settings have been reverted and users are now able to personalize their timeout durations again (to a maximum of 2 hours). 

For any questions or concerns, AHS employees can contact 1-877-311-4300, while Community Alberta Netcare users (outside AHS) can contact the Provincial Helpdesk at 1-877-931-1638.

2021-02-03

Connect Care Waves Update

As previously announced, Connect Care's Wave 3 launch date was moved from February 2021 to April 2021 to accommodate pandemic pressures. This, in turn, impacts the scope and timing for Waves 4, 5 and 6. These highlights reflect changes being announced today:

  • There will still be nine implementation waves in total, to be completed in 2023.
  • A modified Wave 3 launches April 10, 2021, primarily in the North Zone.
  • Wave 4 will launch November 7, 2021, to include the Royal Alexandra Hospital and Glenrose Rehabilitation Hospital in Edmonton, the Alberta Children’s Hospital and Peter Lougheed Centre in Calgary, as well as Calgary Zone rural and urgent care sites (with aligned clinics and services), the Southern Alberta Forensic Psychiatric Centre, Central Production Pharmacy and all labs in the Edmonton Zone which have not already implemented Connect Care. 
  • Wave 5 will launch May 14, 2022, to include the west area (former David Thompson Health Region) of Central Zone, Centennial Centre for Mental Health and Brain Injury in Central Zone, Richmond Road Diagnostic and Treatment Centre and Foothills Medical Centre in Calgary, Cancer Care (and associated pharmacies), Alberta Kidney Care South, and all lab services in the rural portion of the west area of Central Zone.
  • Wave 6 will launch November 6, 2022, to include Grey Nuns Hospital, Misericordia Hospital and Alberta Hospital Edmonton in the Edmonton Zone, the east area (former East Central Health Region) of Central Zone, the Rockyview General Hospital and the South Health Campus in Calgary Zone, the associated pharmacy services in Edmonton, Central and Calgary zones, lab services in the rural portions of the east area of Central Zone, and Alberta Precision Laboratories in the Calgary Zone.
  • Wave 7 will launch in the spring of 2023, to include the east side of the North Zone (former Aspen and Northern Lights Health regions), the South Zone, including the stand-alone long-term care sites, and the associated pharmacy and lab services for these sites and programs.
  • Details for Waves 8 and 9 are still being determined and will be shared when available.

More information about the scope and sequencing of the waves is available on an updated Wave Implementation Diagram.

It’s important to understand that future adjustments may be needed as we continue to rollout Connect Care. Patients and our healthcare teams will continue to come first in every decision we make, as we work to ensure each wave can be launched effectively and safely. 

The commitment to Connect Care has not changed and its successful implementation remains an organizational priority.