Problem reports (help.connect-care.ca "tickets") have been well within expectations so far with Connect Care Launch 9. Of course, more tickets are expected as clinical volumes ramp up. The good news is that tickets are resolved quickly, with critical tickets resolved within minutes to hours.
Helpdesk tickets route most efficiently when the user provides clear information at the right level of detail. See our tips for impactful issue reports:
As of 05:00 today, Connect Care welcomes 155 sites from across the province into the family; with this launch, Health Link and Correctional Health facilities are now on Connect Care, as well as additional Population and Public Health programs, and Continuing Care sites including Home Care, CapitalCare facilities and Covenant Health sites! 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 Virtual Drop-in Centre 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 9 prescribers. A Launch 9 Updates section in the Connect Care Manual also flags the largest system updates and workflow changes to be aware of (for prescribers in all launches).
To prepare for Launch 9, there have been a number of system updates and new or changed workflows that affect both new and previously launched Connect Care prescribers.
A new section in the Connect Care Manual flags the largest updates and changes to be aware of - Launch 9 Updates. It includes the following topics:
Our new Connect Care Launch 8 prescribers are on the steeper part of their learning curve. Help is available!
A powerful way to reinforce basic training, while busy with clinical work, is to consider one or two high-impact tips per day. To that end, we regularly post "Tippies" on the Connect Care Tips channel (tips.connect-care.ca), which contain some simple but impactful suggestions as well as some more advanced tips.
The easiest way to follow these postings is to subscribe to the Tips blog channel. Also consider subscribing to both the FAQ (questions.connect-care.ca) and the Support (support.connect-care.ca) channels. We answer common questions on the former and provide important news about fixes and enhancements on the latter. Launch-specific issues are also flagged during the launch support period on the Support channel in "Hot Topics" posts.
As of 05:00 today, Connect Care welcomes 229 sites from across the province into the family; with this launch, most Continuing Care sites and Population and Public Health programs are now on Connect Care, as well as some Carewest and Covenant Health sites! 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 Virtual Drop-in Centre 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 8 prescribers. A Launch 8 Updates section in the Connect Care Manual also flags the largest system updates and workflow changes to be aware of (for prescribers in all launches).
All Connect Care systems activated on time at 05:00!
Today, Connect Care welcomes 79 sites from across the province into the family; with this launch, all acute care AHS sites are now on Connect Care! 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 7 prescribers.
The ambulatory component of basic Connect Care training for prescribers who also provide acute care is necessarily streamlined. However, some prescribers with a significant ambulatory workload may feel like they have not had sufficient exposure to the ambulatory tools and workflows in Connect Care via basic training to be comfortable navigating the Connect Care clinical information system during a busy clinic come launch. To help these users, the CMIO will be hosting an additional ambulatory support session.
This 1-hour Zoom session is an opportunity to see ambulatory workflows in action, to hear advice from providers who have been using Connect Care in busy outpatient practices, and to ask questions – all in anticipation of your first day in clinic on Connect Care. To join, click the Zoom link below; if you are unable to attend, a recording will be posted here.
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:
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.
All Connect Care systems activated on time at 05:00!
Today, Connect Care welcomes 135 sites from across the province into the family, including Cancer Care Alberta and Alberta Kidney Care South. 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 5 prescribers.
Connect Care is a fully integrated clinical information system. Nonetheless, it may depend upon other health information systems for core data while implementation progresses, launch-by-launch, across Alberta.
Interim states occur when Connect Care interoperates with an external health information system (e.g., laboratory services, pharmacy services) that will be replaced by Connect Care functionality later. The (temporary) dependency may require workflows different from where Connect Care is fully deployed.
Considerations for prescribers are now linked in the Connect Care Clinician Manual:
AHS uses a system called "eDelivery" to electronically deliver patient information to providers and physicians at their private community practices. With Connect Care Launch 4, there have been changes to the information distributed to providers. Providers who work at AHS facilities using Connect Care as well as at private clinics/offices in the community will want to understand these changes.
These changes affect the six types of Connect Care summative notes as well as results for lab, diagnostic imaging (DI) and other investigations. A memo summarizes the changes for the delivery of this information from Connect Care to community providers; the key messages are:
For more information, please review the full memo:
Connect Care Launch 4 continues to progress well after a remarkably smooth weekend. Most early problems are resolved and a few ongoing issues are explored by teams working to fine tune some of the more complex workflows.
Twice-daily prescriber huddles continue to triage any prescriber issues identified to Super Users, Medical Informatics Leads or the ticketing process. Rapid-response clinical system design and other task groups receive and work on issues during the day. Highlights of what is being worked on appear in a daily prescriber Support Hot Topics.
Learning curves remain steep in the first week. New users are encouraged to continue to consult with Super Users, check the Connect Care Manual (manual.connect-care.ca), and identify where new supports or clarifications could help (cmio-manual@ahs.ca). In addition, blog postings focus on the more common questions and challenges that we hear about:
Renewed thanks to all Launch 4 teams for their incredible work and resourcefulness through the launch period!
All Connect Care systems activated on time at 05:00!
Today, Connect Care welcomes 57 Edmonton and Calgary sites into the family. 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 centre and other launch supports (launchhelp.connect-care.ca).
A message to Connect Care Launch 4 teams from Interim President and CEO Mauro Chies:
Given significantly increasing demands in Alberta Health Services facilities due to COVID-19, and the rapidly spreading Omicron variant, the date for Connect Care Launch 4 is adjusted. This will ensure that frontline and support teams have the time they need to prepare.
The Connect Care Wave 3 launch continues to progress well after a remarkably smooth and collaborative cutover. Most early problems are resolved and a few ongoing issues are explored by teams working to fine tune some of the more complex workflows.
Twice-daily physician huddles continue to triage any prescriber issues identified to Super Users, Medical Informatics Leads or the ticketing process. Rapid-response clinical system design and other task groups receive and work on issues during the day. Highlights of what is being worked on appear in a daily prescriber Support Update.
Learning curves remain steep in the first week. New users are encouraged to continue to consult with Super Users, check the Connect Care Manual, and identify where new supports or clarifications could help (cmio-manual@ahs.ca). In addition, daily blog postings focus on the more common questions and challenges that we hear about:
Renewed thanks to all Wave 3 teams for their incredible work and resourcefulness through the launch period!
All Connect Care systems activated on time at 05:00! Interfaces to the WellSky blood product information system are expected to fully activate soon.
Today Connect Care welcomes many North Zone colleagues including those working in Peace Country Health Region, Fort Vermilion, High Level, La Crete and the many participating facilities and clinics. The first few days will be intense, but with lots of help at hand we are confident that progress will be fast. Cutover activities have been performed extraordinarily well... a great start.Physicians, please make use of the drop-in centre and other launch supports (launchhelp.connect-care.ca).
A welcome from our CEO: