Patient Movement Presentations

We've previously posted about the Patient Movement Readiness Series, which has now ended. Almost 300 operational staff attended the Patient Movement Fundamentals and Live System Demonstrations over the past two weeks. In case you missed these events, you can access recordings of the sessions at the following links:

• Presentation: Patient Movement - Fundamentals
• Presentation: Patient Movement - Inpatient Units (includes: ED to IP, IP to OR to IP, LOA, discharge and discharge planning)
• Presentation: Patient Movement - Interfacility Transfers & LOA for Procedure (includes: IFT to Connect Care, IFT to non-Connect Care, LOA for procedure)
• Presentation: Patient Movement - Labour & Delivery (includes: arrive/triage, L&D to OR and back, L&D to postpartum)
• Presentation: Patient Movement - Emergency Department (includes: ED to IP, ED to another site for procedure, ambulatory appointment in ED)
• Presentation: Patient Movement - Bed Planning & Portering (includes: ED to IP, IP to OR, OR to ICU, ICU to acute, direct admit from hospital outpatient department, direct admit from ambulatory clinic)
• Manual: Readiness Events
• Contact: connectcare.patientmovement@ahs.ca

Patient Movement IFT Demonstration - Tuesday March 2, 2021

We've previously posted about the Patient Movement Readiness Series, with live system demos of patient movement workflows happening this week. The next Patient Movement Demonstration, occurring March 2, 2021 from 12:00 to 13:00, is dedicated to interfacility transfers (IFT). Topics include:

• Transfers to a Connect Care site
• Transfers to a non-Connect Care site
• Leave of absence (LOA) for procedure

Use the link below to register for this one-hour event. The remaining sessions are described in a Patient Movement Readiness Handbook, and a self-guided learning video series with area-specific videos is available via a guide, both linked below.

• Register: Patient Movement Demo - Interfacility Transfers
• Handbook: Patient Movement Readiness
• Guide: Patient Movement Recording Viewing
• Manual: Readiness Events
• Contact: connectcare.patientmovement@ahs.ca

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.

• Register: Patient Movement Fundamentals Readiness Events
• Handbook: Patient Movement Readiness
• Guide: Patient Movement Recording Viewing
• Manual: Readiness Events
• Contact: connectcare.patientmovement@ahs.ca

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.

• Byte: CMIO Practice Charting
• Guide: Wave 3 CMIO Practice Charting 
• Manual: Practice Charting
• North Zone CMIO supports (educators, training team members and ACMIO team): cmio.nz@ahs.ca 
• CMIO Prescriber Support: help.cmio@ahs.ca 

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:

• FAQ: Workflow Dress Rehearsals
• Schedule

Connect Care Wave 2 Workflow Dress Rehearsals - Physician Participation

An important Wave 2 Connect Care readiness event is soon upon us. A series of "Workflow Dress Rehearsals" (WDR) occur between October 5-6 and 13-14 in outpatient and inpatient settings respectively.

Workflow Dress Rehearsals (WDR) 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 2 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 2 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!

For more information and to sign up for participation or observation (physician roles are listed in the schedules):

• FAQ: Workflow Dress Rehearsals
• Schedule: Wave 2 WDR Ambulatory (Oct 5-6)
• Schedule: Wave 2 WDR Inpatient (Oct 13-14)

Medical Students Step-up for Connect Care

Alberta's 3rd and 4th year medical students -- off-ward during the COVID-19 pandemic -- make invaluable contributions to our pandemic response; including contact tracing, patient education and direct supports to front-line physicians.

In addition, University of Alberta medical students have rallied to help to Connect Care clinicians at Wave 1 sites in the Edmonton Zone. Many pandemic-response providers are newly trained, or re-trained for new roles, as part of staff redeployment. For these clinicians, COVID challenges can be complicated by unfamiliar Connect Care workflows.

Medical students are tooling up to serve as super-users. They will help clinicians who may struggle with new ways of ordering, documenting and communicating. Other clinical informatics roles expand our clinical system design and testing capacity, while fanning-out practical tips for busy physicians.

Student contributions reflect a lot of work! Super users complete advanced learning modules in multiple tracks (e.g., surgery, emergency, inpatient, critical are), while mastering virtual user-support technologies. Medical student leaders also organize scheduling so that supports are available at all times.

A big thank-you to our medical learners and education leaders! Their initiative helps clinicians stay on task.

IT Grounds Us

The COVID-19 pandemic is "in our face"; totally.

Societal, professional, clinical, business and personal disruption could not be more visible. We see a world of new challenges and appreciate the many responses already in play.

It can be easy to miss what is less visible. Our informational infrastructure is below the surface, but essential to our capacity to respond to new challenges. All IT teams are working flat out, with constant overtime, to ensure that our information systems handle massively increased demands.

Thank you!!!! to help desk, health link, unified communications, patient & provider access and all the other information technology teams working so hard to keep the rest of us working!

Adjustments to Waves 2-3 Readiness Activities

A number of adjustments to Waves 2-3 readiness activities are in the works, all the consequence of our decision to focus efforts on COVID needs. Details of the following will be communicated to those affected:

• Connect Care Oversight
• Many user groups, advisory groups, committees and area councils will temporarily suspend or reduce meetings. Some oversight groups most involved in new clinical system design activities may temporarily ramp up in order to respond to rapidly evolving needs. This includes the Coordinating Support Unit and task groups dealing with COVID-related decision, documentation and inquiry (reporting) supports.
• Technical Dress Rehersal
• As this is light on clinician demands, it will proceed as planned so that infrastructure readiness meets milestones that remain important.
• 60 and 30 day Launch Readiness Assessments
• These will be rescheduled
• Non-medical device roadshows
• Also postponed until further notice; although some activities will move to online and other means to continue exposure and awareness.
• Command structures
• These resources shift to COVID planning and support.

Connect Care Waves 2-3 90 Day Launch Readiness Assessment

Among many preparations for the Connect Care launch later this year are Launch Readiness Assessments (LRA). These bring together all participants in the Connect Care initiative to  report on progress and to problem-solve impediments. This taking-the-temperature is invaluable for nimble adjustments and collaborative coordination.

An important 90 day LRA occurs today, March 4 2020, via Skype and Telehealth locations in Edmonton and Calgary. Connect Care team members and Wave 2-3 leaders and participants, review all streams of work for progress, risks and launch readiness.

• Insite: Connect Care Readiness Activities
• Edmonton Zone Readiness Resources: edmonton.connect-care.ca
• Calgary Zone Readiness Resources: calgary.connect-care.ca

Wave 2-3 Workflow Walkthrough February 5, 2020

With the Connect Care Wave 2-3 launch (May 30, 2020) getting closer, there are more opportunities to validate how the clinical information system (CIS) will support workflows at new launch sites.

"Workflow Walkthroughs" allow clinicians to see how Connect Care can support clinical work. A Walkthrough event includes demonstration of one or more high-risk, high-complexity, multidisciplinary or high-volume workflows. Patient journey videos are interspersed with feedback and discussion opportunities. The goal is to discover what more we need to do to get the system attuned to specific site challenges.

The Wave 2-3 Walkthrough event will be held February 5, 2020, at a variety of locations, including online, supported by Skype teleconferencing. The Workflow Walkthrough videos are available on Insite (links below).

• 08:15 - Welcome and Introductions
• 08:30 - End-to-end Patient Journey
• 09:00 - Scheduling and Registration Demonstration
• 09:50 - Rural Nursing Workflow
• 11:00 - Long Term Care 
• 12:35 - Ambulatory Care
• 13:10 - Labour and Delivery
• 14:10 - Surgical Workflows

Although all interested physicians are encouraged to contribute, the Walkthrough event spans an entire workday. Only some parts will pertain. Please take a look at the agenda and consider whether any of the blocks offer an important feedback opportunity. Session recordings will be posted on Insite afterwards.

• Video: Rural Patient Journey
• Video: Long Term Care
• Video: Labour & Delivery
• Video: Surgery

Connect Care Waves 2-3 120 Day Launch Readiness Assessment

Among many preparations for the next Connect Care launches are Launch Readiness Assessments (LRA). These bring stakeholders together to assess progress and mitigate impediments.

Launch waves 2 and 3 occur May 2020, with tomorrow the 120 day LRA. Wave readiness representatives meet (Skype invites sent) to share information and contribute suggestions.

For more information:

• Agenda: Waves 2-3 120 Day LRA
• Insite: Connect Care Readiness Activities

More Onsite Resources for Clinicians

In addition to the physician drop-in centre and dictation drop-in sessions, new in-person supports are available from today at the Walter Mackenzie Centre:

• Physician Training Drop-in (open to all questions)
• October 29 - November 1
• WMC 5G1.11 (5th floor northeast)
• 0700-2300
• November 2 - November 10
• WMC 4B1.39
• 24 hours availability
• November 11 forward
• WMC 4B1.39
• 0700-2300
• Mobile Device Support
• WMC 4th Floor Atrium
• Monday-Friday, 0700-1500
• October 29 - November 15, 2019
• Point of Care (Ward & Clinic) Scanner Support
• Medical Records Conference Room, WMC 0E1.25
• Wed, Thurs, Fri, 0800-1700
• October 30 - November 1, 2019

Virtual Login Lab - Very Important for Wave 1 Physicians

We thank all Wave 1 physicians for their patience, resourcefulness and continuing support getting ready for Connect Care. Launch is very close. We ask that all Wave 1 medical staff confirm that they have the working access to the Production (PRD) version of the Connect Care clinical information system (CIS). The following "virtual login lab" allows physicians to take advantage of supports newly put in place.

To ensure your access is live take these steps:

1. Logon to the access portal with your AHS username and password --> myapps.ahs.ca 
2. Ensure that the Connect Care "PRD" icon is available
3. Logon to PRD with your username and password
4. Confirm that you have the expected Connect Care tools for your role(s)

If all 4 steps work, you are ready to go! 

If any step fails, report the problem with a quick online report --> ahs-cis.ca/check

A login trouble-shooting team will contact you within 24 hours of report submission. If you have not heard from the team within 24 hours, please  call 780-735-1600. Phones will be active from 0700- 1700.

There is currently a prescribers’ Drop-In Centre at WMC 5G1.11, available from 0700-2300, where login help is available.  This will continue through go live but will be open 24 hours a day from November 2-12 at a location TBD. Pre-emptive testing will ensure we have the opportunity to correct any deficiencies thereby preventing further disruption on November 3 when Connect Care launches.

Physicians' Role in Cutover

Cut-over is a process through which key pieces of information about admitted inpatients are entered into the Connect Care clinical information system (CIS) in the 48 hours prior to launch. Cutover includes both technical and clinical elements.

The primary concern for physicians will be the management of medication and non-medication orders, and the translation of important information about patients’ clinical status from a paper record to an electronic one.

Physicians facilitate five tasks as part of cutover processes:

1. validating continuing medications to be entered by pharmacists,
2. documenting continuing non-medication orders to be entered by the cutover nurses,
3. optionally entering or validating patient-level health information for patients with complex problems,
4. validating entered orders on the launch morning, and
5. providing a brief summary note of the patient’s status at launch.

The following resources can help physicians understand and participate in cutover activities:

• Manual: Cutover
• FAQ: Physician Role at Cutover

Filling Workflow Gaps

Workflow is about how a series of tasks are organized, assigned and accomplished to serve a specific purpose. Clinical workflow serves a clinical purpose. Connect Care workflow focuses upon how the organization, assignment and accomplishment of tasks is optimized to take advantage of clinical information system (CIS) features and functions.

Most workflows are explored during Connect Care training and readiness activities. Some gaps remain. Some workflows are complex. Some differ significantly from paper-enabled processes. A workflow section of the Connect Care Physician Manual grows with tips, guides and demos that address particularly challenging or complex workflows. The sections are short; more guides to support materials for those who find a workflow that matters to their work.

Keep an eye on the manual this week, as new workflow sections appear addressing professional billing, consent management, handoff reports, medication reconciliation and triplicate prescriptions. Recent additions include:

• Manual: Early Warning Systems
• Manual: Referral & Consultation
• Manual: Virtual Encounters

Tell me what to do!

Approaching 3 weeks from launch, there is no shortage of Connect Care awareness... perhaps a surfeit of Connect Care anxiety.

We hear from clinical colleagues that the upcoming change seems overwhelming, even impossible. As Cam Chell reminded us, doing impossible is about just taking the next step!

From now through launch we'll post a short, specific and actionable suggestion about a tangible next step that physicians can take to be ready for a safe launch that we will all be proud to have made possible. You can find the daily checks in this blog, marked with a yellow background, or you can bookmark the series:

• Blog Series: Connect Checklist (checklist.connect-care.ca)

Workflow Dress Rehearsals Coming

Another important Wave 1 Connect Care readiness event is soon upon us. A series of "Workflow Dress Rehearsals" (WDR) occur between October 9-10 and 15-16 in outpatient and inpatient settings respectively.

Workflow Dress Rehearsals (WDR) provide clinicians with opportunity for hands-on practice using the Connect Care clinical information system (CIS) in simulated workflows. Our own CIS build is exposed for testing in real clinical environments, usually with the computers and devices that will be used at launch. Physicians, nurses, other clinicians, managers and the project team work together to identify issues and find solutions pre-launch.

For more information:

• FAQ: Workflow Dress Rehearsals

A good day!

It will take a lot of discipline to stick to daily postings! There is so much happening that weeks of accomplishments are packed into a single day. And the pace increases daily.

We are down to a month left before Wave 1 launch!

Our 30 day Launch Readiness Assessment (LRA) was well attended today, with deep gratitude to the many who have worked tirelessly to overcome obstacles and meet milestones. Yes, some worries remain. But resolution of so many seemingly impossible challenges is reassuring to witness.

Prior to the LRA meetings, our Provincial Practitioner Executive Committee met and considered Connect Care compacts and norms (see yesterday's posting), giving positive review and endorsement. It is important for leadership to be fully aware of the best behaviours that our physician communities need to promote.

After the LRA meetings, Wave 1 medical leadership worked through a number of vexing launch readiness plans, yielding clear direction about cut-over processes for inpatient charts.

We are thrilled to see two physicians celebrated as Connect Care Champions: Dr. Branko Braam and Dr. Neal Chatterjee.

And it was pleasing to finish the day getting report that Connect Care integration with the Pharmacy Information Network is ready for physician testing, as blogged in our Informatics channel.

Wave 1 Shadow Charting Sept 23-25

Shadow Charting helps Connect Care participants assure readiness for launch of the clinical information system (CIS). It focuses front-line attention on complex, high-impact and high-volume workflows. It also provides opportunity to confirm that medical device interfaces, multidisciplinary workflows, and information processes are properly supported by the CIS.

By performing documentation tasks in parallel (legacy and new Connect Care), important gaps can be identified while there is still time to take corrective action. Change management plans can be fine-tuned based on Shadow Charting experiences. For more information, check the following 1-pager:

• Byte: Shadow Charting