Access to External Clinical Systems

The Connect Care initiative brings a comprehensive clinical information system (CIS) to wherever Alberta Health Services (AHS) has health record responsibilities throughout Alberta and across the continuum of care. This involves replacing CISs that may have served other contexts, organizations or regions. This also involves relating to the Alberta Netcare Portal electronic health record (EHR) where read-only health data from Connect Care and non-Connect Care systems is aggregated.

Connect Care enables read-only access to external CIS and EHR assets from within the CIS via an "Other Clinical Systems" section of the patient storyboard (left column of any open patient chart). Hovering over the label reveals a pop-up listing the available external systems. Selecting the system's link will open a viewer as an activity tab within the patient chart. 

The sidebar (right column of any open patient chart) can also be used for external system access via the "Other Systems" link from the index (default) inpatient sidebar view. Selecting the left arrow next an external system name will open that system in the main (middle) chart section, whereas selecting the right arrow will open the system in the sidebar itself.

More focused bi-directional exchanges with external systems are accessed, when relevant, within specific workflows (e.g., medication, problem, allergy and immunization management access to information in external systems).

Netcare EHR

Netcare can be launched within Connect Care to the current patient's Netcare record without need to re-enter a username or password. This "Single Sign On" function works when a patient's chart is opened and Netcare is selected from the pop-up that appears when overing over the "Other Clinical Systems" label in the patient storyboard (left column). Netcare can also be launched by using "Netcare" as a search term in Chart Search. Finally, a "Launch Netcare" activity tab can be added to the default activities list for any chart.

Netcare will open within the Netcare patient chart. The available tools are limited to those that can be used within a chart. If system-level tools (such as messaging or provider referral lists) are desired, then it is better to open Netcare independently outside of Connect Care (external Netcare links can be added to personal dashboards).

Note that only one instance of Netcare can be open at a time within Connect Care. If multiple Connect Care charts are open at the same time, it is necessary to close Netcare in one before being able to open it in another.

More information:

eCLINICIAN CIS

The eCLINICIAN ambulatory medical record was used in the Edmonton Zone prior to Connect Care launch. Most of its contents were transferred to Connect Care. However, some information (e.g., documents attached to the Media tab) may not transfer, and so access to a read-only eCLINICIAN viewer is provided until conversion is complete. 

Like Netcare, the eCLINICIAN viewer is most easily accessed via the "Other Clinical Systems" section of the patient storyboard. A read-only viewer opens in a browser window, also using "Single Sign On" to avoid repeat entry of user names or passwords. If there is no patient information in eCLINICIAN, the viewer will indicate this on attempted opening.

More information:

Sunrise Clinical Manager CIS

The Sunrise Clinical Manager (SCM) CIS was used in AHS facilities in the Calgary Zone prior to the launch of Connect Care. An in-context viewer can be accessed from the "Other Clinical Systems" section of the patient storyboard, opening into a Connect Care patient chart activity, much like Netcare does. The same viewer can be opened from the "Other Systems" menu in the right sidebar or inpatient charts. A right-pointing link arrow will open the viewer in the sidebar while the left-pointing link arrows opens the viewer in the main (central) chart section.

The "Calgary Historic Patient Data" viewer is a web application that allows Connect Care users to view key historical information from previous SCM encounters:

Note that the viewer will not display data from visits that were flagged as confidential or VIP within SCM. As with Netcare, only one instance of the viewer can be open at a time. If there is no patient data available in SCM, the viewer will indicate this on attempted opening.

More information: