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:

• Webinar: Synopsis Views and the Timeline Framework
• Webinar: Flowsheet Views and the Timeline Framework

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.

• Manual: SmartTools

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.

• Manual: Patient Lists
• Crib-Sheet: Personal Patient Lists
• Handbook: Patient Lists
• Handbook: Patient Lists Style Guide
• Handbook: Patient List Columns

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. 

• Builder Handbook: Beaker Order Properties
• Catalogue: Beaker Order Properties

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:

• Email: innovation@ahs.ca

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:

• Demo: Builder Masterclass - Interaction without Distraction
• Handbook: Links
• Handbook: EpicACT Link Types
• Handbook: Common Linkable Activities
• Handbook: EpicACT Link Library

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.

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

Health Evidence Exchange - Information for Builders and Analysts

Clinical content (documentation, decision and inquiry supports) within the Connect Care clinical information system (CIS) can include "resource links". These serve users who, for example, are able to jump to a different section of the chart (internal links) or open an external information resource that explains a new task (Internet links). 

When designers insert Internet links (external URLs) into clinical content, it is important to take advantage of link management tools. The Health Evidence Exchange (HEE, ahs-cis.ca/hee) is used for link management in Connect Care. It makes it possible to insert a standardized link into new content. That link points to the HEE, which in turn redirects to the desired external Internet resource. 

• Handbook: Health Evidence Exchange
• Presentation: Health Evidence Exchange

Connect Care Builder Club Master Class - Meeting #1

On behalf of the Connect Care Builder Program, we would like to invite clinical informaticians who are part of the builder community to participate in a first Builder Club Master Class. Through these builder-lead sessions, we will cover tools available to certified Connect Care Physician Builders and Clinical Content Builders. A portion of the meeting is allocated to open discussion of the builder program and related questions.

Many builders are focusing on best practices with Smart Tools. For our first Master Session, please join Dr. Devin Nielsen as he begins our journey covering "SmartLinks and SmartTools for Smart AHS Clinician and Physician Builders".

Register in advance for this meeting: ahs-cis.ca/builderclub

• After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.
• If you’ve never used Zoom, we highly recommend you do a test call prior to the class here: zoom.us/test
• Short demo videos on how to join a call can be found here: zoom.us/resources

Part 1: SmartLinks Overview and Search – December 19 – 1600 to 1645

• Overview
• SmartLink parameters: none, user, system
• System-level SmartLink build review
• SmartLink Search engine
• SmartLink search and build examples 

Part 2: SmartLinks for FlowSheets & Print Groups – January 2020

• Basic review of Flowsheets and Print Groups
• Flowsheet & Print Group search engine
• Report Assistance (Report and Print Group IDs)
• Data Handbook (UserWeb)
• Build examples of how-to have a SmartLink pull a Flowsheet or a Print Group into a note