2022-07-29

On Other Channels...

Thank you for continuing to check the Connect Care update blog for prescribers (ideally, subscribe to multiple channels; see instructions). Recent additions to this blog and its various channels:

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Unique Workflows During Interim States

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:

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2022-07-28

Connect Care Summative Documents - Mindful Signing

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

Mindful Signing of Summative Documents

Connect Care automatically shares key summative documents with the Alberta Netcare Portal electronic health record and with eDelivery-compatible electronic medical records (EMRs).

Automated sharing is triggered when an eligible note is signed (co-signed in the case of trainee-authored notes). If the same note is later edited and re-signed, a new copy is distributed to external systems. This can create a lot of work for providers using external EMRs. It is especially disruptive for community practices to sort through multiple copies of shared documents to determine which is definitive and what has changed. 

Summative document contributors should “pend” or “share” their work, saving "signing" for the most responsible prescriber after all reviews are complete. A document should be signed just once; and so shared just once.

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2022-07-27

Connect Care to Netcare: Summative Document Sharing Update

Summative documents are high-value clinical notes that organize observations and offer goal-directed assessments and plans. Included are admission history and physicals, discharge summaries, consultation reports (inpatient and outpatient), operative reports, transfer summaries and emergency provider notes. 

Connect Care inpatient summative documents are automatically copied to the Netcare electronic health record, as well as compatible external electronic medical records via eDelivery. Outpatient communications are also copied to external systems if the author selects a Netcare-destined document template. 

Progress documents (which depend upon the rest of the chart for context) are not automatically shared with external systems.

A few best practices can help reduce incoming document management burdens for receiving providers:
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2022-07-11

All User Bulletin: ED Provider Note Not Auto-copied to Author EMRs

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

ED Provider Notes No Longer Automatically Copied to External EMR of Authoring Providers

Connect Care prescribers may provide services where Connect Care is the record of care, and additionally provide follow-up services where a community electronic medical record (EMR) is the record of care. Physicians working in emergency departments, for example, may find themselves subject to "mixed-context" workflows. When these prescribers author summative documentation in Connect Care, copies are sent to their external EMR if it supports this type of eDelivery. 

Emergency Department Provider Notes are an exception. These are no longer copied to compatible external EMRs of authoring prescribers. Mixed-context prescribers who use these reports as part of externally managed (non-Connect Care) billing workflows can adopt other strategies for tracking billable ED events, as described in the following bulletin:

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2022-07-05

All User Bulletin - Update: Ultrasound Reports for Referring Providers

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

Ultrasound Reports for Referring Providers via Astraia

[This post originally appeared in June, with subsequent updates indicated with strikeout and dark red font below.]

Astraia, a third-party specialized perinatal documentation system that is used in conjunction with Connect Care to provide comprehensive Maternal Fetal Medicine (MFM) assessment and consultation, provides highly specialized, in-depth MFM ultrasound reporting. Astraia generates detailed ultrasound reports for referring healthcare providers; these reports are available in Connect Care in text-only and full PDF versions:

  • Text-only: The text portion of the ultrasound report contains the consulting MFM physician’s summary, recommendations but does NOT contain the specific ultrasound measurements, anatomical assessments and graphs which includes fetal and maternal assessments. Currently the text-only report does not provide all fetal measurements and assessments. Critical results will be communicated to referring providers via a telephone call and facsimile of the full report. The text-only portion is displayed in Connect Care, and is also faxed to the referring healthcare provider. 
  • Full report: The complete report that includes specific ultrasound measurements, anatomical assessments and graphs is available as a PDF. Referring providers can find the PDF in the Chart Review activity:
    • Click the "Imaging" section. Select the target ultrasound, scroll down below the text to the section entitled "Order-Level Documents", and click on the hyperlink. 
    • Tip: To move the "Order-Level Documents" section to the top of your viewing screen, use the wrench tools on the top-right corner of the report window and drag this section to the top of the list.
                               
    • Note: The complete report PDF can also be found in Netcare (click the diagnostic imaging section and find the target ultrasound report by date).

As of June 7, 2022, all text-only reports issued by Connect Care will contain the following statement to direct healthcare providers to the full PDF report:

“This is the text portion (Consultation) of the Maternal Fetal Medicine ultrasound report. At the present time, Connect Care, Millennium, SCM and Impax are unable to accept the graphics portion of the report. For the entire report including graphs, please view this ultrasound report through the Alberta Netcare Portal (for access go to http://www.albertanetcare.ca/) or view through Connect Care by clicking on the Order-Level Documents PDF link found in the section below the imaging text result.”  

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