Connect Care Manual - Newsletter

Between the Charts: CMIO Newsletter for Prescribers

The "Between the Charts" newsletter (news.connect-care.ca) summarizes key news, Epic system updates, efficiency tips and extras to help prescribers improve their Connect Care experience. A notice of when a new issue is available is published on the Connect Care Bytes blog - consider bookmarking ahs-cis.ca/cmioupdates to see these notices (as well as digests of all new blog posts).

Latest

- Issue 24 - January 2026
  - - Topics: Overdue endoscopy/bronchoscopy reports; scheduled Connect Care downtime (Feb 12) and transparent lockdown (Feb 9-12); digital Medical Certificate of Death, Autopsy Consent, and Autopsy request order; measles history in Connect Care; new inpatient cirrhosis care support tools; new blood restrictions documentation workflow; Taming In Basket - more In Basket message types to auto-expire, plus messages being permanently purged Feb 1; upcoming changes to display of glucometer results (Feb 3); upcoming MyChart proxy workflow changes; new workflow for requesting bridging medications coming soon; RNs/RPNs as authorizing providers in Connect Care coming soon; requesting external sendout (referred) lab tests, plus upcoming new cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) external send out test order; finding inpatient consult orders; keeping contact information up-to-date; February Optimization (a.k.a. Thrive) classes

2025 Archive (click to expand/collapse)

- Issue 23 - November/December 2025
  - - Topics: Connect Care 2025 User Satisfaction Survey results; lab routing optimization; removal of In Basket messages older than 180 days; "Lab Notifications" column block in inpatient Patient Lists; digital Medical Certificate of Death; re-personalization needed for diet/nutrition order sets/Patient List columns and Induction of Labour order set; drug-disease warning filters; fetal/neonatal demise Storyboard symbol; using the Admission Navigator for admission med rec in rural EDs; "Coordination of Care Recipient" for merged duplicative lab requisitions; automatic cancellation of incomplete lab orders after discharge from an inpatient unit; pop-up when attempting to cancel testing of an already submitted lab specimen; coming in 2026: RNs/RPNs as authorizing providers in Connect Care
- Issue 22 - October 2025
  - - Topics: New report types available online for patients through My Personal Records; Fall Daylight Savings Time; parenteral nutrition additive dosing unit changes; 1:1 optimization sessions for Nurse Practitioners; calculators moved to web-based versions; new PICU emergent order panels; inpatient daily lab order restrictions; new "Verify Pregnancy" Storyboard alert; placing an inpatient order for a DI procedure at another site; recovering an auto-removed In Basket message
- Issue 21 - September 2025
  - - Topics: Lab requisition printing changes; Preadmission Clinic (PAC) Optimization Project changes; quarterly reports for physicians treating patients with heart failure; updates to inpatient Problem Oriented Charting navigator; updates to previous "Inpatient Consult to Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation" order; changes to inpatient note routing due to Fall Upgrade; how to retrieve auto-removed In Basket messages; LOA for procedure workflow; save time by setting up an In Basket QuickAction; BPAs now called Our Practice Advisories (OPAs); using AI safely at AHS
- Issue 20 - August 2025
  - - Topics: Fall Upgrade (updates, transparent lockdown, downtime); upcoming changes to delivery of summative documents (inpatient notes); upcoming changes to discharge planning tools; upcoming Internet security certificate update (action may be needed for personal devices); upcoming switch to Microsoft 365 web apps for shared AHS computers; Central Zone Associate Chief Medical Information Officer announcement; Ketorolac Injection/Oral Ibuprofen Drug Stewardship initiative and related Connect Care changes; "Collateral Visit Provided" referral request rejection reason; Holter monitor orders for rural patients; viewing diagnostic images with Provincial Enterprise Imaging (PEI)/Xero Viewer; printing from Connect Care using a BYOD device
- Issue 19 - June 2025
  - - Topics: New tool for inpatient transitions of care - Discharge Transfer Gateway; improvements to Mental Health Act Forms and workflows; ambulatory referral edits; new Connect Quality project for CPSA PPIP requirements - Quality Discharge Documentation; new Pre-Admission Clinic navigator for General Internal Medicine coming soon; upcoming upgrade to Dragon Medical One, may require action to change display settings; upcoming changes for immunosuppressant medication ordering; upcoming changes to Citrix MyApps Store, may require re-favouriting; using QuickActions to manage In Basket tasks; auto-deletion of unsigned pended/saved inpatient orders; new resources on Mobile Lab ordering and managing outpatient labs and orders
- Issue 18 - May 2025
  - - Topics: Workspace ONE Catalog app retired, replaced with Hub; Panniculectomy case ordering requirements; Alberta Blue Cross Drug Special Authorization forms digitized; MFA for M365 apps on personal workstations; IFT navigator and Continuity of Care workflow enhancements coming soon; auto expiry of additional In Basket message types coming soon; how to find your Site Medical Informatics Lead (Site MIL)
- Issue 17 - April 2025
  - - Topics: Fixed Netcare printing issue; new inpatient option to CC multiple test results; new "Request for External Sendout Lab Test" consult order; improved PCP attachment links in transition planning tools; Exceptional Care Plan tool optimizations; change to availability of endoscopy/bronchoscopy procedure orders; Prehabilitation Program referral order coming soon; new Connect Quality project to fulfill CPSA PPIP personal development activity requirement; Inpatient Consult orders and the Provider Care Team field
- Issue 16 - March 2025
  - - Topics: New inpatient option to CC multiple test results; removal of delay of results release in patient portal; automatic cancellation of incomplete DI orders upon discharge; how to use an outpatient note authored by a clinical clerk; patient portal's "Day at a Glance" feature for current hospital visit; personalization recommendations via the User Settings Dashboard; new Connect Care Manual section with site/zone contacts
- Issue 15 - February 2025
  - - Topics: Spring Upgrade; Connect Care clinic-administered medications in Netcare; out of country/province/zone patients in Patient Lists; update to "Place in Outpatient/Hospital Ambulatory Surgery" order availability; Epic's instructional videos and Epic Earth
- Issue 14 - January 2025
  - - Topics: eDelivery routing method available for more types of clinical information; cleanup of pharmacy records; "Ambulatory Referral to Oncofertility" order; health insurance status info in prescriber billing tools; bulk management of therapy plans; proper use of Secure Chat for provider-to-provider communication; how to report an adverse event following immunization (AEFI); new Computerized Provider Order Entry (CPOE) System Alert Management Policy; Respiratory Therapy ordering and referral tips

2024 Archive (click to expand/collapse)

- Issue 13 - November 2024
  - - Topics: Launch 9 accomplishments; airway alerts on Storyboard; expanded access to improved transition planning and Exceptional Care Plan improvements; ordering partial patch doses coming soon; Referral Order vs. Recommendation; variables that may cause a delay in viewing images after completion of an imaging investigation; how to report broken resource links
- Issue 12 - October 2024
  - - Topics: Workflow updates for all launches due to Launch 9; patient portal access changes and referral information; simplified discharge dispositions for IFTs; H&P lookback setting extended; Op Notes in Prep for Procedure navigator; Advanced Care Planning/Goals of Care Designation updates; E0 Case Scheduling workflow updates for all STAT surgical cases; SMAT changes in pediatric/neonatal order sets coming soon; AHS Digital Scribe Project
- Issue 11 - September 2024
  - - Topics: New general Personalization training sessions; heparin infusion order panel improvements; Clinical Optimization – Continuous Improvement Sprints; upcoming auto-expiry of additional In Basket message types; upcoming update for Dragon Medical One's DragonBar; Complex Therapy Plan tab; how to avoid problems with community referrals and consults; Epic's Physician Builder courses
- Issue 10 - August 2024
  - - Topics: New Connect Quality/CPSA project on improving Problem List use; enhancement to Admission and Discharge navigators; upcoming Glucometer Overview column in Patient Lists; sorting Patient Lists by location; upcoming admission and discharge In Basket notifications; adding on additional lab tests; address-level document and results delivery for mixed-context providers
- Issue 9 - July 2024
  - - Topics: Ambulatory lab standing orders and order maintenance; referral improvements; duplicate insulin order BPA; Consult Order Optimization Project rollout; phase out of Provider Care Team field for consults; discharge readiness via transition planning tools; updating patient attachments; OneDrive migration
- Issue 8 - June 2024
  - - Topics: Dragon Medical One training sessions; results release changes in patient portal; DI appointment provider notification change; new Meaningful Use Norms metrics; upcoming removal of provider department login restriction; reordering parenteral nutrition
- Issue 7 - May 2024
  - - Topics: Connect Quality initiative; tap-badge access for consulting prescribers to EDs; inpatient pathology and Continuing Care results routing changes; add-on labs with Transfusion Medicine samples; "My Next Steps" patient resource to help prepare for discharge
- Issue 6 - April 2024
  - - Topics: Consult order optimization; copy-paste dangers; suppressing/filtering medication warnings; embedding/linking images in documentation; Home Care referrals; completed classes in Signal
- Issue 5 - March 2024
  - - Topics: Administration revisions and chart completion; Signal button; how to schedule immediate first dose when ordering a new medication; Interval H&P notes; blog screenshots
- Issue 4 - February 2024
  - - Topics: Signal button; Standard Analgesic Adult panel; ordering non-standard medications; data quality; updating inpatient provider care team and service
- Issue 3 - January 2024
  - - Topics: Provider same name; repeating therapeutic drug monitoring; weight-based dosing

2023 Archive (click to expand/collapse)

- Issue 2 - December 2023
  - - Topics: Netcare upgrade; referral order updates; rapid syphilis test; co-sign and incomplete trainee notes; outpatient DI order status; dose rounding/banding; transfer to Supportive Living vs. LTC; patient instructions; abbreviations/symbols/dose designations; acute care transfers
- Issue 1 - October 2023
  - - Topics: Prescription efaxing; MHA forms; add-on labs; additional testing for pathology samples; forms supports; Pend/Share vs. Sign; verbal/telephone orders; Database tab; finding medication orders; suspected/confirmed C. difficile infection; pediatric HEAL handouts; Care Paths