CMIO Prescriber Virtual Drop-In Centre - Updated Hours

As of this weekend, hours for the Virtual Drop-in Centre (virtualhelp.connect-care.ca) will slightly decrease. It remains open 7 days a week for the remainder of the month (and then will be open weekdays into June). Below are the hours for the next two weeks:  

• May 18–24: 08:00–20:00 (includes stat May 20)
• May 25–26: 09:00–17:00
• May 27–31: 08:00–18:00 

More information on the Virtual Drop-in Centre (including how to access and a full schedule of hours during the launch support period) can be found at launchhelp.connect-care.ca.

• Poster: Launch 8 Virtual Drop-In Support

CMIO Prescriber Virtual Drop-In Centre Available for Wildfire Response

The CMIO Virtual Drop-in Centre is now available for all Connect Care prescribers across the province who need support with any workflows related to patient movement due to wildfires. 

The Drop-in provides virtual help via an ongoing Zoom call, and can be accessed by going to virtualhelp.connect-care.ca using a computer or smartphone, or via the below QR code using a smartphone camera for audio-only help. From a computer, you can show your desktop if required, and, if your computer does not have a microphone, there is an option to have the Zoom session call your smartphone.

Below are the Virtual Drop-in hours for the next couple weeks:

• May 16–17: 07:00–20:00
• May 18–24: 08:00–20:00 (includes stat May 20)
• May 25–26: 09:00–17:00
• May 27–31: 08:00–18:00

Upcoming Webinar: Optimizing Dragon Medical One in Epic Hyperdrive

Are you already a user of Connect Care's in-system dictation solution, Dragon Medical One (DMO), or a Launch 8 prescriber wondering whether DMO could work for you?

A free 45-minute webinar is being hosted by the DMO vendor (Microsoft Nuance) on Tuesday, May 21, 12:00 ET/09:00 PT.

During this webinar, JM Vore, DO, FAAFP, MSHI, Chief Medical Information Officer and Family Physician at Solution Health, and Andrea Janowski, Adoption Specialist at Microsoft Nuance, will cover the following topics:

• Dragon Medical One no cost resources
• Increasing accuracy & saving time
• Adoption, efficiency, and use of commands
• Demonstration and keyboard shortcuts in Epic Hyperdrive
• Step by step commands to optimize workflow
• PowerMic and PowerMic Mobile button configurations

To sign up, click the below link (you must have an Epic UserWeb account to access):

• Register: Webinar - Optimizing DMO in Epic Hyperdrive (May 21)

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 are listed below. Reminder that a camera icon in a blog post on any of our channels indicates that there is an accompanying screenshot - just click the icon to view. 

• General
• Important Updates for All Connect Care Prescribers (Launches 1-8)
• Interim Fax Routing - Changing Connect Care Provider Communication Method to Fax
• Launch 8
• CMIO Prescriber Virtual Drop-In Centre - Updated Hours
• Launch 8: We are GO!
• Improving Issue Reports and Help Desk Interactions
• Just-in-Time Learning!
• Launch 8 Hot Topics
• Day 1 and 2 (CPOE and verbal/telephone orders; Launch 8 workflow updates; prescriber support)
• Day 3 (find/identify patients with Medical Record Number)
• Day 4 (IFTs, IFT from ED to IT bed; external vs. internal lab and DI orders; Goals of Care and Green Sleeve)
• Day 5 (Public Health immunizations in acute care; Continuing Care admission without IFT orders; IFT from ED to Continuing Care)
• Tips
• Tippy - MD Notifications in Patient Lists
• Tippy - Simple Patient List Reports
• Tippy - Custom Schedules
• Manual
• See What's New (updates and additions)
• New page: Launch 8 Updates
• Between the Charts: CMIO Newsletter for Prescribers

Just-in-Time Learning!

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.

Interim Fax Routing - Changing Connect Care Provider Communication Method to Fax

An interim routing solution is now available that may be beneficial for mixed-context providers who have limited, intermittent work in a Connect Care context and do not want all their results and documentation sent to Connect Care In Basket. Mixed-context providers can request their default communication method for results and documentation be changed from Connect Care In Basket to fax, either for all information currently sent to their Connect Care In Basket that can be faxed, or for diagnostic cardiology results only. 

• This setting change will not reduce duplication of results. By enabling fax redirect, the duplicate Connect Care In Basket result would be sent by fax instead.
• This setting change is only interim due to system-wide results routing optimizations expected to go into effect in 2024/5.
• This fax routing solution is not ideal for everyone. It has some downstream impacts such as potential increased workload for administrative staff in community/private clinics. It is recommended that providers consider the information outlined in the comprehensive FAQ prior to requesting the change. 
• If it turns out that the setting change is not a good fit, providers can request that the change be reversed.

For more details, including how to request this change, see the below resources. The FAQ includes example figures that illustrate how this change might look.

• Byte: Summary - Interim Fax Routing
• FAQ: Interim Fax Routing

Improving Issue Reports and Help Desk Interactions

Problem reports (help.connect-care.ca "tickets") have been well within expectations so far with Connect Care Launch 8. 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:

• Manual: Reporting Issues and Suggestions

Launch 8: We are GO!

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).

CMIO Prescriber Virtual Drop-In Centre - Updated Hours

As of Saturday, May 4, the Virtual Drop-in Centre (virtualhelp.connect-care.ca) will be open 7 days a week for the remainder of the month. Below are the hours for the next two weeks:  

• May 4–19, 2024 
• Monday–Friday: 07:00–20:00
• Saturday–Sunday: 08:00–20:00

More information on the Virtual Drop-in Centre (including how to access and a full schedule of hours during the launch support period) can be found at launchhelp.connect-care.ca.

• Poster: Launch 8 Virtual Drop-In Support

Countdown Checklist L8: Drop In

Continuing a list of essential actions for Connect Care Launch 8 prescribers readying for launch May 4, 2024...

• Drop In

This ends our countdown checklist, with conversion of old to new charts well underway. We hope all goes well Saturday at 05:00 when the new charts become the official record of care!

Of course that's only the start. We'll have a working system but we'll need to grow it, and grow with it, to fulfill its potential.

• Virtual Drop-in Centre help is available via virtualhelp.connect-care.ca.
• HelpDesk is always open via help.connect-care.ca.

Informatics specialists, Super Users and physician informatics leads are eager to help. Reach out.

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 are listed below. Reminder that a camera icon in a blog post on any of our channels indicates that there is an accompanying screenshot - just click the icon to view. 

• General
• Between the Charts: CMIO Newsletter for Prescribers - Issue 6 Now Available
• Optimization Training - Classes in May and June
• Important Updates for All Connect Care Prescribers (Launches 1-8)
• Launch 8
• Important Updates for All Connect Care Prescribers (Launches 1-8)
• Launch 8 Countdown Checklist
• T-minus 6: Follow the Tippies
• T-minus 5: Find Help at the Virtual Drop-In Centre
• T-minus 4: Unburden as Possible
• T-minus 3: Buddy Up, Team Up
• T-minus 2: Catch Up Dictations
• T-minus 1: You've Got This!
• T-minus 0: Share and Learn
• Launch 8 Supporters
• Handout Reminder for Launch 8 Supports
• Key Resource for Launch 8 Supporters
• Resources for Super Users and Area Trainers on Launch 8 Support Issues
• Super User Development Sessions:
• Session #7 - Complex Ambulatory Workflows
• Session #8 - User Support Tools
• FAQ
• Can I get tap-badge access for Connect Care as a consulting prescriber to EDs?
• Support
• Results Routing Changes - Inpatient Pathology and Continuing Care
• Tips
• Tippy - Linking Personal to System Patient Lists
• Tippy - Attaching Files to Charts
• Tippy - Fast Sorting
• Manual
• See What's New (updates and additions)
• New page: Launch 8 Updates
• Between the Charts: CMIO Newsletter for Prescribers

Countdown Checklist L8, T-minus 0: Share and Learn

Continuing a list of essential actions for Connect Care Launch 8 prescribers readying for launch May 4, 2024...

• Share and Learn

We are down to the final few hours. Any preparations that could be, have been. Now we must turn to one another in a spirit of collaboration.

Super Users are widely distributed. Look for yellow and orange lanyards (prescriber supports; pink caps in the OR). Don't struggle. Ask for help.

• Late breaking tips and gap-fillers will be added to the Connect Care Manual. System/workflow updates and training addendums to be aware of around launch are also flagged on the Launch 8 Updates page of the Manual.
• The Connect Care Prescriber Updates will focus on pointers to new material, key developments, tips, tricks and FAQs. Use the buttons at the top, especially Tips, FAQ and Support.
• Ask a Super User or call the IT Service Desk with urgent needs: 1-877-311-4300.
• Request non-urgent (not addressed by peers and Super Users) needs, ideas and suggestions at help.connect-care.ca.
• Use the Virtual Drop-in Centre (virtualhelp.connect-care.ca).

Super Users use social media to rapidly share learnings so they can be widely applied... ask them for help. They can also way-find when they are unable to provide immediate help themselves.

Important Updates for All Connect Care Prescribers (Launches 1-8)

To prepare for most Continuing Care sites and Population and Public Health programs joining the Connect Care family in Launch 8, 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 8 Updates. It includes the following topics, each affecting prescribers from all Connect Care launches:

• Interfacility Transfer (IFT) workflow changes
• Results routing changes for inpatient pathology and Continuing Care
• Referral and immunization workflow changes related to Population and Public Health programs going live
• Continuing Care/Long-term Care workflow changes

Any additional changes needing attention during the launch support period will be flagged on the Launch 8 Updates page of the Manual, as well as the Connect Care Support Blog channel, our regular channel for posting system updates. Check back often, and consider subscribing to the Support Blog to receive new blog posts directly to your email.

Countdown Checklist L8, T-minus 1: You've Got This!

Continuing a list of essential actions for Connect Care Launch 8 prescribers readying for launch May 4, 2024...

• You've Got This -- And We've Got Your Back

Physicians, nurse practitioners and other prescribers have dedicated time and energy to preparing for Connect Care Launch 8. You've got this! 

• There are approximately 280 CMIO end users across the North, Edmonton, Central, Calgary, and South Zones who are part of Launch 8: physicians, nurse practitioners, clinical assistants, physician assistants, dentists, residents, medical learners, and nurse practitioner students.
• 26 CMIO Super Users are deployed across the province, for CMIO end user support totalling over 1,062 hours of scheduled availability (this is expected to increase in the coming week). 
• 1,272 hours of virtual drop-in support are scheduled for prescribers during the pre- and post-launch period.

Watch for Connect Care posters in Launch 8 sites, prescriber updates, and the launch support pages in the Manual.

• Poster: Launch 8 Virtual Drop-In Support

Countdown Checklist L8, T-minus 2: Catch Up Dictations

Continuing a list of essential actions for Connect Care Launch 8 prescribers readying for launch May 4, 2024...

• Dictate any pre-launch admission or transfer notes

Launch 8 inpatient facilities are supported for dictation of admission histories, transfer notes, consultation reports and discharge summaries. This is done through the provincial eScription service, with products appearing in the Netcare electronic health record. These dictations will also be available to refer to in Connect Care when it launches.

Succinct initial progress notes become possible in Connect Care if they can refer to an existing digital admission or transfer record and simply note any changes since. The same applies for Consults performed in the coming week for patients expected to still be in-hospital post-launch.

• Take advantage of eScription to facilitate easier Connect Care cutover this weekend!

Optimization Training - Classes in May and June

We previously posted that the CMIO Training team is now offering Optimization classes (previously called Thrive classes), where Connect Care prescribers can learn how to take full advantage of the features of the clinical information system, to help maximize their productivity and spend more time with patients. Classes are 60 minutes in length each and focus on completing common workflows more efficiently.

Below are the Optimization classes scheduled for May and June 2024:

• Anesthesia
• May 14, at 18:00 and 19:00
• May 23, at 18:00 and 19:00

• In Basket Management
• May 2, at 12:30
• May 6, at 09:00
• May 9, at 10:30
• May 22, at 12:00
• May 30, at 08:00
• June 6, at 12:30
• June 7, at 09:00
• June 12, at 16:00

• Orders Optimization
• May 7, at 12:00
• May 9, at 09:00
• May 13, at 13:00
• May 16, at 12:30
• May 22, at 09:00
• May 28, at 11:00
• May 31, at 14:00
• June 3, at 09:00
• June 6, at 15:00
• June 11, at 12:30
• June 12, at 14:00

• Notes and Documentation SmartTools
• May 9, at 12:00
• May 15, at 12:00 
• May 23, at 12:00 
• May 27, at 12:00 
• June 11, at 12:00
• June 21, at 12:00
• June 25, at 12:00

• Therapy Plans
• June 11, at 12:30
• September 17, at 12:00

Prescribers can register for these Optimization classes at the below link. Classes will be added regularly, so please continue to check back. Spots are limited to ensure trainers can address individual questions. Please ensure that you review your confirmation email from "Bookings CMIO Thrive" for the class link, and requirements for the session.

• Register: CMIO Optimization Classes
• Manual: Optimization Training
• Questions: CMIO.Optimization@ahs.ca

Countdown Checklist L8, T-minus 3: Buddy Up, Team Up

Continuing a list of essential actions for Connect Care Launch 8 prescribers readying for launch May 4, 2024...

• Buddy-Up and Team-Up

Every clinical group will have members who like, and others who dislike, information management. This is a good time to recognize this reality and identify buddies for providers who may struggle.

There are valuable human resources embedded in Launch 8 sites and others flowing in from Zone sites already on Connect Care. Pre-socialize your Super Users, Medical Informatics Leads, Area Trainers and other specialty, ward or clinic informaticians. Create and share a launch contact list that fits your local group needs. Prescriber launch supports (launchhelp.connect-care.ca) link to a Super User schedule - good contacts to start with.

This is also a good time to consider how clinical information system adoption work can be divided and shared. Some personalization tasks, for example, can dramatically improve the user experience but take time to set up. Many can be initiated by a team member who understands the preferences of colleagues then shared for adoption by a larger group. Examples of allocatable personalization tasks are listed in the Connect Care Manual.

Consider devoting group, division, or other business meetings to identifying, and sharing, remaining team readiness tasks.

Countdown Checklist L8, T-minus 4: Unburden as Possible

Continuing a list of essential actions for Connect Care Launch 8 prescribers readying for launch May 4, 2024...

• Unburden where and when Possible

Many clinical services have limited abilities to control patient numbers or clinical workloads. However, each Launch 8 zone is implementing strategies to ease launch pressures in ways that befit their units and capabilities. In addition, clinicians can help by:

• Identifying and flagging complex continuing patients who may need more cutover attention during the pre-launch week (see previous posts on pre-launch cutover tasks here and here). 
• Printing patient lists the evening before launch to ease populating provider care team lists on launch day.
• Protecting time before launch to confirm access to the Connect Care production environment for re-familiarization with training activities and high-value personalizations.

See our Byte about workload planning for more information.

Countdown Checklist L8, T-minus 5: Find Help at the Virtual Drop-In Centre

Continuing a list of essential actions for Connect Care Launch 8 prescribers readying for launch May 4, 2024...

• Take advantage of the Prescriber Virtual Drop-in Centre

The Virtual Drop-in Centre provides Launch 8 prescribers with support virtually, and is good for troubleshooting issues related to: mobility, personal devices, dictation, personalization and workflows; login, role and access problems; and more complex issues.

The Virtual Drop-in Centre is already open! More information on the Virtual Drop-in Centre – including how to access and a full schedule of hours during the launch support period –  can be found in the Connect Care Manual (launchhelp.connect-care.ca).

• Manual: Launch Supports
• Poster: Launch 8 Virtual Drop-In Support
• Tip: How to Find Help Before, During, and After Launch - Launch 8 Prescribers

Countdown Checklist L8, T-minus 6: Follow the Tippies

Continuing a list of essential actions for Connect Care Launch 8 prescribers readying for launch May 4, 2024...

• Follow Connect Care Tippies

With most Launch 8 prescribers having full Connect Care production access, this is prime time for setting up starter personalizations that can streamline Connect Care workflows at launch. This is also a great time to collect simple best practices that colleagues have found most useful. These "Tippy" peer-to-peer tips can be considered within a moment, with many able to speed things up for most users.

Tippies are published on our "Tips" channel (button above or tips.connect-care.ca) and are re-released approximately twice a week in the peri-launch period. Please consider subscribing to the Tips channel.

The entire Tippies collection can be viewed via tippies.connect-care.ca or tippy.connect-care.ca (worth bookmarking).

Between the Charts: CMIO Newsletter for Prescribers - Issue 6 Now Available

We previously posted about our new monthly newsletter for prescribers, called "Between the Charts". This newsletter summarizes key news items, Epic system updates, efficiency tips and extras that will help prescribers optimize their Connect Care user experience, all in two pages.

Our next issue is now out, available at the below link! This issue includes information on:

• Interfacility Transfer (IFT) workflow changes
• Dangers of copy-paste
• Suppressing/filtering medication warnings
• Home Care referrals
• Embedding/linking to images in documentation
• An upcoming project on consult order optimization
• Optimization Training classes in May
• And more!

The previous issues can still be accessed, via the archive in the Connect Care Manual. 

If you have any feedback on this issue or have a suggestion for content you'd like included in a future issue, please send us an email.

• Newsletter: Between the Charts - April 2024
• Manual: Between the Charts Archive (news.connect-care.ca)
• Feedback: CMIO-Manual@ahs.ca

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 are listed below. Reminder that a camera icon in a blog post on any of our channels indicates that there is an accompanying screenshot - just click the icon to view. 

• General
• All User Bulletin - Copy-Paste Dangers
• Launch 8
• CMIO Prescriber Virtual Drop-In Centre Now Open
• Launch 8 Countdown Checklist
• T-minus 13: Get Ready for RAAPID
• T-minus 12: Know Where to Get Downtime Help
• T-minus 11: Anticipate Post-Acute Cutover
• T-minus 10: Anticipate Computerized Prescriber Order Entry (CPOE)
• T-minus 9: Check In Basket
• T-minus 8: Complete Login Lab
• T-minus 7: Support Cutover Activities
• Launch 8 Supporters
• Handout Reminder for Launch 8 Supports
• Super User Development Sessions:
• Session #6 - Portals, Community and Mixed-Context Providers
• FAQ
• Can I suppress or filter a medication warning?
• How do I manage orders for Long-Term Care/Supportive Living patients on dialysis?
• Support
• Interfacility Transfer Workflow Changes
• Lab Update - Massive Hemorrhage Protocol Order Change
• Tips
• Tippy - Changing Jobs
• Tippy - Changing Context
• Tippy - Documenting with Images
• Manual
• See What's New (updates and additions)
• Between the Charts: CMIO Newsletter for Prescribers

Countdown Checklist L8, T-minus 7: Support Cutover Activities

Continuing a list of essential actions for Connect Care Launch 8 prescribers readying for launch May 4, 2024...

• Support Cutover Activities

Key for attending physicians, nurse practitioners and trainees anticipating Launch 8 inpatient and/or outpatient launch is work to make sure that essential information is ready for loading or linking into the Connect Care clinical information system before launch... and that legacy systems are tidied up so that they can be retired. Related preparations include: 

• General inpatient: Make sure that all dictations are complete and signed; use dictation (eScription) for all admissions, transfers and consults between now and launch, if possible, so that transition notes at launch can refer to recent documentation in Netcare. 
• Outpatient: Make sure that all clinic documentation is complete, signed and routed, while also taking care to close any charts still open in legacy systems.
• Long-term care (LTC): Review orders entered into Connect Care for LTC residents to ensure accuracy of medication and non-medication orders. 
• Complex patients: Consider pre-launch problem list documentation to support easy transition note generation at launch. Please be aware that clinical teams may still be entering information up until May 3 at 23:30.
• Post-acute: Please ensure all forms are reviewed and signed by May 1. All new patients admitted from May 1 to May 3 will need cutover forms signed. 

Reminder: All team members should be logged out of the legacy and Connect Care systems by May 3 at 23:30, and remain out of the system until May 4 at 05:00.

Key resources:

• FAQ: Prescriber Role at Cutover – Launch 8 Post-Acute Care
• FAQ: Prescriber Role at Cutover – Launch 8 LTC
• FAQ: Prescriber Role at Cutover – Launch 8 DSL and LTC with Contracted Pharmacy
• Checklist: Prescriber Checklist for Cutover – Launch 8 Post-Acute Care
• Checklist: Prescriber Checklist for Cutover – Launch 8 Continuing Care
• Manual: Cutover

Countdown Checklist L8, T-minus 8: Complete Login Lab

Continuing a list of essential actions for Connect Care Launch 8 prescribers readying for launch May 4, 2024...

• Complete CMIO Login Lab

It is essential that all Launch 8 prescribers confirm access to the AHS Network (insite.ahs.ca), to the Unified Access Portal (myapps.ahs.ca) and to Production (PRD) Connect Care.

In addition, all prescribers are required to complete a "CMIO Login Lab" found within Connect Care Hyperspace. This checks that the right tools are assigned to the user in the right way. 

Step-by-step instructions are provided in a tip:

• Tip: CMIO Login Lab
• Manual: CMIO Virtual Login Lab

Countdown Checklist L8, T-minus 9: Check In Basket

Continuing a list of essential actions for Connect Care Launch 8 prescribers readying for launch May 4, 2024...

• Check In Basket

Launch 8 prescribers who have completed basic training and the associated proficiency assessment gain access to the Connect Care production environment (PRD), where they can complete personalizations and otherwise get ready for launch. As soon as a prescriber gains access to PRD, they also have an active "In Basket", with immediate implications to the routing of patient test results and communication.

Some prescribers participate in or are affected by early cutover and conversion activities; they can line up orders that need to be ready in the system at launch. There may be communications that relate to setting up surgical cases or outpatient encounters that will occur post-launch. In addition, once a prescriber's account is activated in PRD, new test results will start to automatically route to the prescriber's In Basket, and other Connect Care users can send messages to the prescriber via In Basket.

More information on managing results and reports is available in the Connect Care Manual. A Results Management Toolkit has been prepared (and is continually enhanced) to help prescribers hone effective and efficient results management habits. Prescribers with "mixed-context" practices need to be aware of situations where results might route to both their Connect Care and external EMR systems.

For these and other reasons, it is best to start regular In Basket checks now. A useful In Basket personalization sends alerts to an email of one's choice when there is new In Basket content.

• Tip: Email alerts to In Basket tasks
• Manual: In Basket
• Toolkit: Results Management
• FAQ: Results Routing for Mixed-Content Prescribers

Countdown Checklist L8, T-minus 10: Anticipate Computerized Prescriber Order Entry (CPOE)

Continuing a list of essential actions for Connect Care Launch 8 prescribers readying for launch May 4, 2024...

• Anticipate CPOE

Computerized Prescriber Order Entry (CPOE) refers to the process of a medical prescriber entering orders electronically via a digital health record instead of using paper-based processes. 

CPOE offers an important means by which health processes and outcomes can improve. Entered orders trigger clinical decision supports that can help avoid unsafe medications, promote best practices and improve system performance. Studies show that the move from paper to CPOE decreases common medication errors by 50% or more.

Accordingly, it is a Minimum Use expectation that all tests, interventions and medications that can be ordered in Connect Care must be ordered in Connect Care. Very few exceptions are acceptable.

Connect Care provides tools that make CPOE as easy as possible. Indeed, with the convenience of ordering personalized favourites on any computer or mobile device, anywhere, anytime, ordering is easier to do, and do well, than when constrained by paper. Still, Launch 8 will bring significant change for many providers at facilities moving from paper to computerized order entry. This is a good time to anticipate and prepare for CPOE. Launch 8 prescribers should discuss with their medical leadership about expectations of CPOE as well as their department’s non-urgent communication tools pact.

• Manual: Clinical Ordering Norms
• Byte: Consultant Orders
• FAQ: Prescriber Orders
• Norm: Prescriber Orders

All User Bulletin - Copy-Paste Dangers

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

Inter-System Copy-Paste Dangers

Copy-paste of clinical content from one health information system (e.g., Netcare) to another (e.g., Connect Care) is not appropriate and should not be done. There are a number of dangers, including:

• Copy-paste between discrete health information systems is subject to legislated requirements of the Alberta Health Information Act.
• Copied text may have encoding dependencies that differ between systems, causing pasted material to change appearance in ways that could change its meaning.
• What can be copied is but part of the source health information data, missing properties essential to confirming the right patient and encounter.

There are alternative workflows that protect against these and other dangers:

• Manual: Copy-Paste

Countdown Checklist L8, T-minus 11: Anticipate Post-Acute Cutover

Continuing a list of essential actions for Connect Care Launch 8 prescribers readying for launch May 4, 2024...

• Anticipate Post-Acute Cutover

Cutover for post-acute care is a process through which key pieces of information about admitted patients are entered into Connect Care prior to launch. The primary concern for prescribers 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 Connect Care.

Prescribers facilitate six key tasks as part of post-acute cutover processes:

• Pre-Launch (April 22–May 3)

1. Clean up medication orders in legacy systems and fill out Facility Living Order Forms. Remove unnecessary orders or unused PRNs.
2. Fill out or review and sign Non-Medication Order Forms for each admitted patient. Should be found on the front of charts. Deadline is end of day May 1 for post-acute care teams. Ensure the orders are predictive of the patient needs as of May 4 at 05:00.
3. Optional: Create list of all patients the team is following before May 3 at 23:00, to ensure smooth creation of provider specific and specialty lists.
4. Order Validation and Problem List confirmation starting on April 30. Clinical teams will be entering orders at the same time, so please be patient as information is entered into the system. Note this step can also be done post-launch, if teams are not able to do it ahead of launch. 

• Reminder: All team members should be logged out of the legacy and Connect Care systems by May 3 at 23:30, and remain out of the system until May 4 at 05:00.

• Post-Launch (May 4)

1. If not done pre-launch and required for area, create provider specific patient lists.
2. Compare legacy Medication and Non-Medication orders to Connect Care orders. Orders that will be missing include but are not limited to: 
• Reoccurring medications that were ordered after pharmacy closure time. 
• Wound Care orders. 
• Area specific orders.
• Orders that have changed since cutover occurred for patient.

The following resources can help prescribers prepare for post-acute cutover activities (for long-term care/Continuing Care activities, see this post):

• FAQ: Post-Acute Care Prescriber Role at Cutover - Launch 8 
• Checklist: Post-Acute Care Prescriber Checklist for Cutover – Launch 8
• Manual: Cutover
• Form: Cutover Non-Medication Orders (example)
• Tip: Medication Reconciliation at Cutover

Countdown Checklist L8, T-minus 12: Know Where to Get Downtime Help

Continuing a list of essential actions for Connect Care Launch 8 prescribers readying for launch May 4, 2024...

• Know where to get Downtime Help

The Connect Care clinical information system (CIS) needs periodic maintenance. Scheduled downtimes can happen as often as monthly, usually in the early hours of a weekday (e.g., between 00:30 and 04:30), avoiding peak patient care times. Downtimes can affect CIS parts (e.g., linked WellSky transfusion system) and/or the entire digital health record. Details about affected sub-systems are posted in advance of a planned downtime, and a variety of backup systems ensure that things like test results, order sets, documentation and other key tools remain accessible. During downtime, a CIS environment that provides a read-only view of chart information is available.

Most clinicians rarely, if ever, experience a scheduled downtime, and unscheduled downtimes are even rarer. The key is to know where to find just-in-time information and support.

The Connect Care Manual is hosted on separate servers not affected by AHS infrastructure, and so remains available during downtimes. In preparation for launch, check out the following link to see what the Manual covers. Essential information on downtime procedures is covered in a 1-page tip sheet, worth bookmarking. The first downtime scheduled after launch will be in September, so there will be plenty of time to prepare.

• Manual: Downtime Procedures for Prescribers
• Tip: Downtime Essentials for Prescribers

Countdown Checklist L8, T-minus 13: Get Ready for RAAPID

Continuing a list of essential actions for Connect Care Launch 8 prescribers readying for launch May 4, 2024...

• Get Ready for RAAPID

Transferring admitted patients between facilities may seem a confusing process, particularly when the receiving facility is not on Connect Care. But there's help! 

• RAAPID: The RAAPID (Referral, Access, Advice, Placement, Information & Destination) service manages all consultation requests within Connect Care, streamlining the process into a single "Intake Encounter". If transferring a patient to an alternate level of care or to emergency care, call RAAPID first.
• Leave of Absence (LOA): Once RAAPID is involved in the process, a Leave of Absence order should be entered to communicate the unit to start the transfer process in Connect Care.

For additional information on RAAPID and LOA workflows, see the Connect Care Manual. 

• Manual: RAAPID
• Manual: Leave of Absence (LOA)