2025-09-12

On Other Channels...

Below is a digest of new blog posts across all the Connect Care clinician blog channels in the last two weeks. For more info on the blogs, click here. 

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2025-09-11

Changes to Discharge Planning Tools

As part of the Fall 2025 Upgrade, a number of enhancements are made to Connect Care's discharge planning tools. These simplify user experiences, speed data updates, and ensure consistency across workflows. 

While the greatest change relates to how nursing and Allied Health track readiness for discharge, prescribers should note updates to the discharge-planning sidebar, multidisciplinary readiness “traffic lights”, and standardization of discharge disposition options.

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2025-09-09

Connect Care Scheduled Downtime and Fall Upgrade - Thursday September 11, 2025, 00:30-04:30

What you need to know

The Connect Care clinical information system needs periodic maintenance. The next scheduled update will occur during downtime on Thursday, September 11, 2025, between 00:30 and 04:30. On this occasion, all Connect Care production systems are affected, including Hyperdrive, Transfusion (WellSky), Content (Quanum), Dictation (Dragon Medical One), MUSE and ECG Web, MyAHS Connect, and the Link Provider Portal.  

  • PRD SRO (the read-only copy of the production environment) will be available during this outage; PRD SRO is accessible from any computer used for documenting in Connect Care regularly. Netcare also remains available. 
  • Note there are also limitations on managing personalization settings before (and during) this period due to the transparent lockdown, previously posted about here. 
  • Users can preview the upgraded applications in the PLY/PLY2 environment and practice using the exercise booklets starting September 2.

This downtime window is specifically for the Fall 2025 Upgrade, with changes to most Connect Care applications. These changes are primarily enhancements and will affect all prescribers using Connect Care. Also, as part of this upgrade, MyAHS Connect will be renamed to MyChart. General summaries of the change impacts for Ambulatory and Inpatient Orders are available in comprehensive slide decks linked below, with additional slide decks detailing track-specific changes. These slide decks include links to tip sheets hosted by Epic; users will need to have an Epic account to view them. In addition, a tip sheet details changes specific to Mobility (Haiku/Canto). All these resources are also linked to from the Manual. 

What you need to do

BEFORE DOWNTIME

    • Complete orders and documentation in the chart before downtime begins.
    • Stop using PRD for orders 15 minutes prior to downtime, as they may not be processed.

DURING DOWNTIME

    • Check with Unit Clerk/Charge Nurse to confirm processes for ordering, documentation, and patient movement.
    • Use paper documents provided in clinics and inpatient units, with forms appropriate for orders and/or charting.
    • Postpone, if possible, routine orders or documentation until after downtime. This will limit amount of data entry and reconciliation required post-downtime.
    • Orders: Use paper order sheets for essential orders during downtime.
    • Documentation: Use paper forms for essential documentation for procedures or intervention results and reports.

AFTER DOWNTIME

    • Prescribers are responsible for the following activities for any patient admission, transfer, or discharge:
      • Updating the problem list
      • Completing medication reconciliation
      • Entering admission, discharge, or visit diagnosis
    • Prescribers receiving In Basket messages about missing chart elements should follow the link to the missing chart element and, for non-ED prescribers, enter “.DOWNTIME” (SmartPhrase) to complete the chart element, indicating that content is available elsewhere in the chart. For ED prescribers, use the SmartPhrase ".DTNOTE".

Where you can find more information

For essential information on downtime procedures, see the 1-page tip sheet. For additional information, see the Connect Care Manual:

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Enhancements to Summative Document (Inpatient Notes) Delivery

Starting September 11, 2025, Connect Care is introducing improvements that give authoring providers greater control over how inpatient notes are routed. 

  • Authors will be able to:
    • view all automatic recipients, 
    • add additional providers as needed, 
    • choose delivery methods (eDelivery, Fax, Mail, or In Basket), and 
    • send a broader range of inpatient note types, including sensitive ones.
  • As a result of these improvements, automatic routing of some summative documents to authors will be disabled, as authors will have the option to include themselves as recipients. 
  • The six summative document types (Discharge Summaries, ED Provider Notes, etc.) will continue to be automatically routed to the patient’s primary care provider (PCP) to support continuity of care.

If you need support, contact the Alberta Health Services Solution Centre at 1-877-311-4300.

For more information, see: 

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PAC Optimization Project Launching October 21

The Preadmission Clinic (PAC) Optimization Project will launch on October 21, 2025, bringing important updates to pre-procedure workflows that directly affect prescribers across surgical and non-surgical specialties. These changes are designed to improve scheduling accuracy, reduce late cancellations, and streamline ordering.

This project affects over 3,500 prescribers across Alberta, including surgeons, anesthesiologists, proceduralists, and others. The CMIO Prescriber Experience and Training Team is committed to supporting you through these changes.

Key Changes for Prescribers

Prescribers will see updates to the following (see the PAC Optimization Project page in the Connect Care Manual for more details). The order set changes will break existing personalization, so prescribers will need to re-personalize their order sets.

  • Case Request Order: New questions and layout changes.
  • PAC Appointment Request: Will be a standalone order.
  • Preprocedure Order Sets: Revised with new and updated orders. 
  • PAC Orders in Preprocedure Sets: All PAC orders will be signed and held.

Support for Re-Personalization

To help prescribers navigate these changes, there will be various levels of support available (see the PAC Optimization Project Manual page for more details):

  • Virtual Drop-in Room: October 21-24 and 27-31 during daytime hours.
  • Help Desk Support: For non-urgent and after hours support.
  • Premade Preprocedure Order Sets: Available in system October 21.
  • Updated Training Materials: Available by October 20.

What You Can Do Now

  • Review your current order sets and prepare for re-personalization.
  • Watch the PAC Optimization Project page in the Connect Care Manual for updates closer to launch.
  • Bookmark Help Desk contact info for launch week.

For questions or personalized support, contact:

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2025-09-08

Fall 2025 Upgrade: 4 New Things in Connect Care for Inpatient Users

As previously posted, the Fall 2025 Upgrade to the Connect Care clinical information system will occur on September 11, with changes to most Connect Care applications. Slide decks with general and track-specific summaries are available in the downtime notice and the Connect Care Manual. 

In addition to those detailed summaries, a short video highlighting four of the key changes for the Inpatient context is now available! It goes through the new orders taskbar, ability to easily graph patient lab results, ability to create customized Results Review views, and increased functionality of the Search bar.

If you have a few minutes, check it out.

2025-09-05

All User Bulletin - Internet Security Certificate Update (Action May Be Needed)

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

Internet Security Certificate Update - Personal devices may require user action

On September 4 and 5, 2025, AHS IT Identity-Directory Services will renew its Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) certificate servers. This PKI service manages electronic security certificates and unique electronic keys that verify end users, devices, systems and servers throughout AHS and its affiliates. AHS devices and personal devices enrolled in the AHS Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) program should not be impacted, but personal devices not enrolled in BYOD may be impacted and require user action. Prescribers who haven't yet done so may want to consider enrolling their device in BYOD prior to this change.

  • AHS devices and personal devices enrolled in BYOD: No action is required by users if their computer or mobility device is enrolled in BYOD. PKI certificates will be automatically updated.
  • Personal devices not enrolled in BYOD: Both Android and Apple devices may be impacted by this change. Users may see warnings to the effect that a security certificate cannot be verified, and will then need to follow a few simple steps on or after September 5 to restore AHSRestrict wireless connectivity following the PKI update (see memo for more details).

For instructions for affected users on what actions may be required, see the memo.

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2025-09-04

Using Generative AI Safely at AHS

The CMIO's Physician Design Lead for artificial intelligence (AI), Dr. Darren Hudson, has produced an instructional video for clinicians on using generative AI safely at AHS. 

In the video, Dr. Hudson first walks us through the basics of what generative AI is, what some potential issues of using generative AI are, and what form of generative AI is available and approved for use at AHS (i.e., Microsoft Copilot Chat). He then demos a variety of Copilot functions and answers common questions clinicians may have about using AI. 

If you have a few minutes, take a look! IT also has a number of 1-hour Virtual Office Hours sessions on Copilot coming up in September and October, for anyone wanting to ask further questions. Registration information and other IT resources available on Copilot are linked below. 

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2025-09-03

Phased Replacement of IMPAX Viewer - Calgary Zone Next

As previously posted, Provincial Enterprise Imaging (PEI) is replacing the IMPAX system as the new Picture Archive and Communication System (PACS). The final phase of implementation will be in Calgary Zone, on Tuesday, September 23, 2025. With PEI implementation, OrthoView will also replace MediCAD as the orthopedic templating software. 

  • PEI Implementation
    • After PEI implementation, many medical staff will view diagnostic images and reports via the XERO Viewer in Connect Care.
    • Training is required to access PEI; training is available through MyLearningLink (MLL). Calgary Zone physicians and staff who require PEI access should be able to see the PEI course in their MLL.
    • If your role requires emergent access to images and you do not have the course in your MLL, please contact ProvincialEnterpriseImaging@ahs.ca. 
  • OrthoView Implementation

    • OrthoView is an advanced orthopedic planning tool integrated within PEI.
    • To learn more about OrthoView, see the poster for links to resources, including a recorded 1-hour OrthoView training session. 
    • Live training for OrthoView is available September 10, 16, and 22. To register, please email ProvincialEnterpriseImaging@ahs.ca.

For more information, see the posters. 

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