2024-03-18

Super User Development Session #1 - Orientation and Resources

We've previously posted about the current series of Super User Development Sessions offered in the weeks leading up to Connect Care Launch 8 on May 4, 2024.

This week's 1-hour webinar, on Tuesday March 19, 2024 (12:00, via Microsoft Teams), is facilitated by Rob Hayward, and gives an initial orientation, including review of resources and communication aids of particular value to Super Users.

Participants wanting to follow-up on some of the topics covered are encouraged to check related resources:

2024-03-13

Super User Development Sessions - New Series

Super Users help peers by promoting readiness activities, supporting training and providing “at the elbow” peer help prior to, during and immediately following launch. Super Users grow their own capacity through supplemental training, self-help resources and participation in a Community of Practice.

A new series of Super User development sessions is offered in the weeks leading up to Connect Care Launch 8, beginning March 19, 2024. With the exception of the final session (Super User boot camp), these 1-hour Microsoft Teams webinars are all at 12:00-13:00. The focus is on Super User needs, but the sessions are open to any interested Connect Care user.
  1. March 19, 2024 - Orientation, External Communication Tools, Manual, Learning Dashboard
  2. March 26, 2024 - Charting Etiquette, Minimum Use Norms, Escalation Paths for Non-Compliance
  3. April 2, 2024 - Dragon Medical One and Mobility Apps
  4. April 9, 2024 - Therapy Plans, Patient Movement (Interfacility Transfer)
  5. April 16, 2024 - In-system communications: In Basket, Sticky Notes, Secure Messaging, Pools 
  6. April 23, 2024 - MyAHS Connect, Provider Portal, Community and Mixed-Context Provider considerations
  7. April 30, 2024 - Complex Ambulatory Workflows: Referrals/Consultations, Order Panels and Preference Lists, Exception Care Plan Note, Compass Rose, FYI Flags
  8. May 3, 2024 (all-day boot camp) - Orientation to Command Structure, Submitting a Ticket, Ticket Flow; day also includes breakout sessions for individual training tracks
Sessions are recorded for the benefit of those who cannot attend, with post-session recordings and slides available on SharePoint

Questions and requests for Microsoft Teams meeting links can be directed to your zone ACMIO team (North Zone: cmio.nz@ahs.ca; Edmonton Zone: cmio.ez@ahs.ca; Central Zone: cmio.cez@ahs.ca; Calgary Zone: cmio.caz@ahs.ca; South Zone: cmio.sz@ahs.ca).

2023-03-01

Synopsis Updates and Timeline Framework

A number of enhancements are coming to clinical information review tools in Connect Care, including results review, synopsis views and timeline views. Indeed, we've already seen a number of user interface changes to results review.

Timeline-keyed tools are invaluable to getting the "big picture" of a patient's health care journey. We have not promoted these in training yet, but anticipate doing so. Accordingly, we are implementing a change freeze on synopsis views until after the Fall 2023 upgrade is implemented.

An Epic webinar nicely explains underlying design considerations for what's coming:


2022-11-20

AHS Preferred SmartLink Catalogue

The Connect Care Documentation Quality Improvement (DQI) initiative has worked to design and promote use of provincially standardized documentation templates (e.g., discharge summary). Along the way, the "Smart" building blocks (e.g., SmartLinks) used to assemble the templates have been carefully reviewed to ensure that Alberta Health Services style, format, safety and other norms are complied with. 

A helpful byproduct for designers, builders, analysts and super users -- as well as Connect Care users who build SmartPhrase personalizations -- is a curated catalogue of AHS approved and preferred SmartTools. This is maintained in the Builder Handbook and is linked from the Clinician Manual and from prescriber learning home dashboards.

2022-10-27

Builders - New Style and Content Resources for Patient Lists

Patient List Style Guide and Catalogue


The Connect Care clinical information system (CIS) includes powerful tools for accessing, personalizing, building and sharing patient lists. Indeed, lists are the gateway to inpatient care.

User efforts to set up personal "My Lists" are frustrated when there are large numbers of inconsistently named, duplicative, and malfunctioning list columns to choose from. A new patient lists working group is selecting and optimizing a core set of AHS approved and recommended columns, together with My List templates that users can copy to initiate list configurations suited to specific use cases.

Builders working with lists should be aware of this work and heed emerging guides and preferred components.

2022-10-14

Builders - New EAP (Test Orders) Resource

Beaker Procedures (Test Order) Properties Catalogue


Laboratory test (EAP) records are created and maintained by an application group (i.e., Beaker). However, the same records are used by other groups and property settings can differ when the order is used in different tools or contexts. For example, the "questions" associated with a microbiology sample test may be organized in one way when the test presents within a surgical navigator but in a different way when presented through an order composer workflow.

A new resource has been developed to help designers, analysts and builders quickly recognize how test requests are presented in different contexts. This exposes the questions, or meta-data, captured in each context and, hopefully, will facilitate closer alignment.

The interactive order properties catalogue is available via the "Resource Links" pick-list in the Hyperspace title bar. 

2022-10-13

Launch 6 Planning - Report Development Scope and Planning

The following message if of importance to Area Councils and Specialty Workgroups participating in clinical system design.


The Connect Care Business Intelligence - Reporting Support Team is looking to finalize report development scope for Launch 6. To that end, we are reaching out to Area Council Co-Chairs and ACSUs to ensure that we have captured any outstanding Launch 6, launch-critical reporting needs in your areas. Launch-critical reports = reports that are essential for making day-to-day operational decisions at launch and six weeks beyond. 

 

Please be assured that work has been ongoing to gather Launch 6 reporting scope and Operational Leaders have been engaged by the CORe Lead for Business Intelligence (the CORe Lead is Carrie Farnell) regarding Launch 6 reporting needs over the past several months. Please consider whether your area is launching any new departments in Connect Care with Launch 6 and subsequently, whether any new launch critical reports may be required that have not already been identified and brought to the attention of your Clinical Informatics Lead (CIL) representative.

 

If you are aware of any potential missing launch critical reports in your area, please submit a request to your CIL representative, no later than Oct. 14. Solange Pomerleau is the CIL for Medicine Areas (excluding Lumens).

 

In the interests of being proactive for future launches (7-9), please consider the following: 

       Are there any new departments in your area launching in L7-L9?

       If yes, consider if the new departments have any launch critical reporting needs

       Outside of the Area Council forums, the CORe Lead for Business Intelligence will continue to engage Operational Leaders as we progress through the Launches 

 

If you have questions, please contact us at: ConnectCare.SupportTeam.ClinicalInformaticsLeads@albertahealthservices.ca

2022-10-12

Builder Alert - Fall Update Change Freeze

Builder Alert - Transparent Lockdown 14-20/10/2022

As part of the Scheduled Downtime on October 20, 2022 there is an Epic Transparent Lockdown process needed to prepare the upgrade for production. This process requires a Production Change Freeze from October 14, 2022 1200 hrs until October 20, 2022 0430 hrs. 

For more information about this change freeze please refer to the Epic Special Updates - Transparent Lockdown document.

2022-08-22

Hyperspace - Paradigm Change Coming

Epic has been working on a fundamental change to its workstation user-interface. Indeed, this is already in production for clients already adopting the May 2022 version. Connect Care will catch this update sometime in the next year.

The shift from a Window-based to a Web-based application opens up many more opportunities for innovation and enhancement. 

For now, a short video explains a bit more about why the change is important and some early features that users may notice:

2022-08-17

New Database for Area Trainers, Core Trainers, and Super Users

We are transitioning from SharePoint to a database for our Area Trainers (ATs), Core Trainers, and Super Users, where you can easily:

  • see what training you have completed,
  • sign up to deliver or support training/practice charting/shadow charting sessions,
  • review the training and launch sessions you have signed up for, and
  • review and validate your hours.

You will no longer use the SharePoint site to validate your hours. All previously validated sessions have been transitioned from SharePoint to the new database. 

To access the database, go to https://cmiotracker.ahs.ca/ and log in using your AHS username and password. For further details, see the tip sheet:

2022-07-14

Seeking Feedback: Connect Care Innovator Toolkit

We are pleased to present a sneak-peek of version 1.0 of the Connect Care Innovator Toolkit (innovators.connect-care.ca). The Innovator Toolkit was developed by the App Orchard Working Group and gathers tips, guides and resources for internal (Alberta Health Services) or external innovators who facilitate the design and development of technologies that can work within or in conjunction with the Connect Care clinical information system (CIS).

We continue to grow the content of this resource and welcome your feedback (e.g., topics to consider, questions, comments). Please have a look and submit your feedback:

2022-06-20

Seeking Physician Design Lead – CMIO

Alberta Health Services (AHS) is seeking a passionate leader to fill the role of Physician Design Lead (PDL) – Chief Medical Information Office (CMIO). This is a leadership position that demands excellent communication skills, unwavering credibility among peers and experience with clinical operations. The successful candidate would report to the Chief Medical Information Officer and work closely with Clinical Operations and Information Technology partners. As one of five PDL-CMIOs, accountabilities include clinical leadership, as well as the implementation and optimization of the provincial clinical information system (CIS). 

The PDL-CMIO will be a well-established physician within the province of Alberta who understands the complexities of undertaking transformational change, large-scale system integration and continuous quality improvement and innovation to deliver on a commitment to excellent performance. The successful candidate will be providing medical leadership direction for the provincial CIS design, configuration, deployment, training, adoption and operational usage across the full continuum of care.

The posting closes June 26, 2022. 

For more information and to apply:

2022-03-20

Builder Master Class: Interaction without Distraction

On behalf of the Connect Care Builder Program, we would like to invite clinical informaticians who are part of the builder and analyst communities to participate in an upcoming Builder Master Class. Through these builder-lead sessions, we explore tools available to certified Connect Care Physician and Clinician Builders and analysts. 

The March 23, 2022 session will be facilitated online from 1600-1700 by Dr. Rob Hayward. 

The session will illustrate how "EpicACT" links can be used to provide Connect Care users with easy access to needed information without breaking clinical workflows. On-demand information and activities can be integrated into common tasks in order to spare users from having to go elsewhere in the chart or to know how to update infrequently accessed data. 

The emphasis will be on functional flows uniquely enabled by EpicACT links. Resources explaining how to achieve such effects will be introduced. Topics include:

  • Examples of interactive workflows
    • Interactive orders
    • Interactive documentation
    • Interactive sidebars
  • EpicACT syntax
  • EpicACT categories
  • Using EpicACT specifications without links
  • Interactive link resources

Connect Care builders and analysts are welcome March 23, 2022, 1600. The session recording and resources can be found at:

2022-03-03

All Builder Bulletin - JIRA unavailable Sunday March 6, 2022, 18:00-22:00

All-builder-bulletins share information about emerging issues that can affect build activities and build environments.

JIRA Planned Downtime  

The JIRA Production Environment: Planned outage for project consolidation Sunday March 6, 2022 from 18:00 to 22:00. 

Check the builder handbook (builders.connect-care.ca) for updates. This post updates when build environment function is restored.

2022-03-02

All Builder Bulletin

All-builder-bulletins share information about emerging issues that can affect build activities and build environments.

SUP Environment Outage  

The SUP Connect Care environment is: back up

Check the builder handbook (builders.connect-care.ca) for updates. This post updates when build environment function is restored.

2022-03-01

Seeking Senior Advisor - Senior Trainer, CMIO

Alberta Health Services (AHS) is seeking a Connect Care champion with extensive clinical or health system experience to fill the role of Senior Advisor - Senior Trainer, CMIO (Chief Medical Information Office). This is a position that facilitates the learning required during preparation and implementation of Connect Care. The successful candidate must become certified in Epic and maintain certification. They must also collaborate with the office of the CMIO on the following: develop all learning materials; determine specialized and role-based/generic learning requirements; create certification or assessment programs; implement an overall learning schedule for each user level; and identify ongoing learning after go-live. 

The Senior Advisor - Senior Trainer will have extensive experience in clinical roles in the provision of healthcare, or a strong working knowledge and intimate understanding of healthcare delivery. Travel within Alberta and to the United States is required. 

This posting closes March 7, 2022.

For more information and to apply:

2022-02-16

JIRA Harmonization Project - Change Freeze February 28-March 8, 2022

We've previously posted about an upgrade and reorganization of the "JIRA" project management tool used by builders and clinical system designers to support their Connect Care work.

Preparations have progressed and launch of the new JIRA implementation occurs March 8, 2022. This becomes the single repository for intake, tracking, assessment, prioritization and project management for enhancements and optimizations of the Connect Care clinical information system.

A change freeze, from Monday February 28 to Tuesday March 8 will allow the final integration steps to proceed. The following projects will be available in a read-only state during that time:

  • Connect Care CSI Register (CSIR)
  • CSD Clinical Documentation (CSDCD)
  • CSD Clinical Knowledge Topics (CSDCKT)
  • CSD Foundational Knowledge (CSDFK)
  • CSD Inquiry Support (CSDIS)

No new tickets can be entered, and no existing tickets can be modified during the change freeze.

Please direct questions to: ConnectCare.JIRA@ahs.ca.

2022-01-04

JIRA Harmonization Project - Impacts for Connect Care Designers and Builders

Participants in Connect Care clinical system design and build work will want to know about a recent initiative that will soon affect how design and build activities are tracked in "JIRA". 

"JIRA" is the name of an enterprise software tool published by Atlassian. The system is designed to facilitate software development, bug tracking, issue resolution and project management. AHS uses this platform to support a wide range of information technology processes, including clinical content design for Connect Care.

To date, continuous improvement requests for Connect Care have been logged and managed in multiple JIRA projects; some of these project focus on clinical system design while others track application build and operational supports. Unfortunately, separating these domains has resulted in some duplication of items and inconsistency of documentation. Moving forward, all Connect Care improvement requests are handled similarly, using consistent processes that are followed consistently by governance, design, technical and operational stakeholders. The "Connect Care JIRA Harmonization Project" consolidates intake, assessment, workload estimation, governance review, stakeholder approvals, prioritization, build, implementation and change management tracking. The first phase integrates the following previously independent JIRA projects:
  • CSI Register
  • CSD Clinical Documentation
  • CSD Clinical Knowledge Topics
  • CSD Foundational Knowledge
  • CSD Inquiry Support
Once the newly harmonized Continuous Improvement Register project is launched in JIRA, early in 2022, it will over time become the home for all continuous improvement requests across all Connect Care teams (including communication and training). A JIRA Harmonization Working Group defines documentation standards, workflows and required fields. New user training and support resources will be available at  launch.

In preparation:
  • Data review and clean-up continues in the five phase 1 JIRA projects to prepare for migration of their contents to the new consolidated project, emphasizing closing completed tickets and removing inter-project duplicates. 
  • Identify and reconsider any alternate tools that may be used by specific groups to track Connect Care improvement work, as these should all move to the harmonized JIRA instance.
  • Contact ConnectCare.JIRA@ahs.ca with questions about the transition.
  • Handbook: JIRA

2021-11-08

Soft Launch: Minimum Use Norms Prescriber Feedback Dashboard

Connect Care minimum use norms highlight a set of practices that all clinicians need to adhere to in order to preserve the integrity of patients' digital health records while not unduly burdening other Connect Care users. The norms, together with practical tips and metrics, appear in:

Feedback about norms compliance can help clinicians identify potential workflow challenges and consider options for optimizing both the user's experience and the quality of the health record. 

Workgroups overseen by the CMIO portfolio and the Connect Care Clinical Improvement Support Committee have examined metrics that can reflect compliance with minimum use norms. The first of these relate to adverse reaction, medication and problem list review. Assembled in a new Connect Care dashboard for prescribers, the feedback metrics are ready for review by interested stakeholders:

2021-10-20

Seeking Physician Design Lead – CMIO Training

Alberta Health Services (AHS) is seeking a passionate leader to fill the role of Physician Design Lead – Chief Medical Information Office (CMIO) Training (PDL). This is a leadership position that demands excellent communication skills, unwavering credibility among peers and experience with clinical operations. The successful candidate would report to the Chief Medical Information Officer and work closely with Clinical Operations and Information Technology partners. Accountabilities include clinical leadership, as well as the implementation and optimization of the provincial clinical information system with a specific focus on the CMIO Training program. 

The PDL will be an established physician within the province of Alberta who understands the complexities of undertaking transformational change, large-scale system integration and continuous quality improvement and innovation to deliver on a commitment to excellent performance.

The posting closes November 18, 2021. 

For more information and to apply: