UPDATED: Hazardous Medication Alerts for Non-Ambulatory Patients

Enhancement updates provide short alerts to new, fixed or improved Connect Care functions...

• Hazardous Medication Storyboard Alerts

On May 5, 2025, an alert in Connect Care was introduced to identify patients receiving hazardous medications. This alert was available to inpatient departments and multi-function departments that serve both inpatient and outpatient contexts. Since the alert was launched, feedback has been received requesting streamlined workflows, reduced alert fatigue, and visibility of the KNOWN hazard medication alert in non-encounter views. 

As of August 6, 2025, the following changes will be made to the hazardous medication alert:

• Storyboard will now display only KNOWN Hazard Medication alerts, visible in both encounter and non-encounter views (click the camera icon to see screenshots). 

• POTENTIAL and REPRODUCTIVE hazard medication alerts will no longer be identified on the Storyboard.  
• When handling blood or body fluids from patients receiving POTENTIAL or REPRODUCTIVE hazard medications, refer to the AHS/COV Hazardous Medication PPE Guide to determine the required personal protective equipment (PPE).
• For patients admitted to inpatients and who had received a KNOWN Hazard Medication at home or in the community, the system will use the admit date as the assumed last dose date to calculate the precautionary period timeline.

KNOWN hazard medication alerts will remain active until: the indicated precautionary period has passed (if the medication was administered through the MAR); the medication has been discontinued, cancelled, or expired (by a patient report or an authorized community prescriber); or the admit date to calculate the precautionary period has passed. Non-prescribers will continue to be able to see the KNOWN, POTENTIAL, or REPRODUCTIVE hazardous medication alerts in other locations, including lab specimen labels. 

This change is phase 1 of integrating hazardous medication identification into Connect Care; phase 2 will expand identification to all other departments, with implementation planned for a future date.

For more information, see the FAQ:

• FAQ: KNOWN Hazard Medication Storyboard Alert

New Ambulatory Feature - Common Diagnosis Quick Buttons

Enhancement updates provide short alerts to new, fixed or improved Connect Care functions...

• New Ambulatory Feature - Suggested "Perfect Fit" Visit Diagnoses

Epic has an available feature called "Perfect Fit" that is a machine learning engine which, over time, analyzes users' patterns so it can then update various areas of the system to give the users easy access to the values they select most frequently. Currently, this feature is seen in In Basket, when it makes suggestions of message recipients based on the most common recipients a user has previously sent messages to. 

Starting in August 2025, the Perfect Fit feature will be implemented in Connect Care specifically in the area of ambulatory visit diagnoses. When turned on, it will begin to "learn" what an individual ambulatory prescriber's most common visit diagnoses are, and then will make diagnosis suggestions specific to that prescriber in the "Visit Diagnoses" section via a list of quick buttons (click the camera icon below for a screenshot). This feature will improve prescribers' user experience by helping them quickly complete visit documentation, and will decrease the need to build and maintain preference lists that might be too generic for some prescribers.

New Referral Reject Reason - Collateral Visit

Enhancement updates provide short alerts to new, fixed or improved Connect Care functions...

• New Referral Reject Reason - "Collateral Visit Provided"

As previously posted, "Collateral Visits" are visits with a person other than the patient (e.g., parent, partner, caregiver, provider, multidisciplinary team) regarding the health care of the patient. The appointment is scheduled to the patient but attended by the collateral person, and the encounter is on the patient’s health record. These visit types should not be used to link referrals to. 

As of August 7, 2025, to support proper workflows for referrals, if a referral request is actioned by the referred-to provider through a Collateral Visit, when the referral is triaged it will be rejected with the new reason of "Collateral Visit Provided" and the referral record will show as closed. If the referring provider has follow-up questions about the Collateral Visit, they should communicate with the referred-to provider who provided the Collateral Visit. 

For more information on Collateral Visits and referrals, see:

• Guide: Collateral Visit
• Manual: Referral Workflows

Anesthesia Users - Handoff Activity Update

Enhancement updates provide short alerts to new, fixed or improved Connect Care functions...

• Anesthesia Users - Handoff Activity Update

The "Handoff" report(s) can be accessed from Patient Lists within an open chart. Previously, anesthesia users were able to view but not update existing Handoff reports. As of August 5, 2025, anesthesia users will see a "Write Handoff" button in the Patient List toolbar. When this button is clicked, updates can be written within the text fields of the Handoff tab in the right sidebar (click the camera icon below for a screenshot). 

Note that only one Handoff report will be kept for users from the same specialty, the next provider from the same specialty will be updating the same Handoff report. 

Lab Order Update - Expiring Lab Orders

Enhancement updates provide short alerts to new, fixed or improved Connect Care functions...

• Lab Order Update - Expiring Lab Orders

As of July 17, 2025, expiring repeating inpatient lab orders will now show up in the "Expiring Orders" section of the Orders activity 3 days before they expire. Quick buttons can be used to renew, modify, discontinue, or let expire these orders (click the camera icon below for a screenshot). 

• As before, any lab orders expired TODAY will show under the "Expired Orders" section. These expired orders will have quick buttons for reordering or discontinuing.  
• All other expired lab orders will require a new order.  

Tool Tune Up: July 2025 Order Tool Updates

The spreadsheet linked from this post will be updated throughout the month. 
Consider looking back each week.

The spreadsheet linked below details recent or upcoming changes to order tools (e.g., order sets, SmartSets, therapy plans) that may impact prescriber personalization. Note that the link to the spreadsheet remains the same for the year, with a new tab added for each month. 

The spreadsheet is typically updated at the end of each week if any new changes are confirmed/implemented. If the spreadsheet has been updated, a note with the date will be added after the spreadsheet link.

• Spreadsheet: Order Tool Updates - July 2025 [spreadsheet last updated July 30]
• Tip: See the first "READ ME" tab for an explanation of the spreadsheet's tabs and columns. 

Changes to Microbiology Orders

Enhancement updates provide short alerts to new, fixed or improved Connect Care functions...

• Changes When Ordering Testing for Stool Parasites and Urine Schistosomiasis

As of July 22, 2025, there are a few changes affecting the process of ordering testing for stool parasites and urine schistosomiasis: 

• Testing for Giardia, Cryptosporidium, or Entamoeba histolytica:
• Continue using the “Stool Parasite Screen” order to test for stool parasites via PCR and microscopy. By default, only the PCR test will be performed unless additional clinical history is provided.
• Testing for Parasites Beyond Giardia, Cryptosporidium, or Entamoeba histolytica:
• New instructions and clinical history questions have been added to the “Stool Parasite Screen” to help ensure the correct test is ordered for the clinical scenario.
• If other parasites are suspected, select “Other” in the order and complete the mandatory questions that appear. If sufficient clinical history is provided, both “Stool Parasite Screen (PCR)” and “Stool Parasite Microscopy” (formerly “Ova and Parasite, Stool”) will be performed and reported separately.
• Urine Schistosomiasis Testing:
• A new order, “Urine Schistosoma Microscopy”, has been created. Use this order when testing for urine schistosomiasis and provide relevant clinical history.
• Discontinue using “Ova and Parasites, Tissue and/or Fluid” (now renamed “Tissue/Fluid Microscopy”) for this purpose.

Specimen collection procedures and testing modalities remain unchanged. For more information, refer to the APL Test Directory.

Optimization Training - Classes in August

The CMIO Prescriber Experience team offers Optimization classes (a.k.a. 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 typically 60 minutes in length each and focus on completing common workflows more efficiently.

Below are the Optimization classes scheduled for August 2025:

• In Basket Management
• August 12, 12:30–13:30
• August 19, 08:00–09:00
• August 21, 10:30–11:30
• Lab Ordering
• August 6, 12:00–13:00
• August 20, 12:00–13:00
• Mental Health Act Forms
• August 12, 12:00–13:00
• August 27, 12:00–13:00
• Notes
• August 8, 12:00–13:00
• August 20, 12:00–13:00
• August 27, 12:00–13:00
• Orders Optimization
• August 13, 12:00–13:15
• SmartTools
• August 5, 12:00–13:00
• August 18, 12:00–13:00
• Therapy Plans
• August 11, 12:00–13:00
• August 28, 12:00–13:00

Prescribers can register for these Optimization classes at the below link (clicking the “Optimization” button at the bottom of any page in the Connect Care Manual will also take you to the booking page). 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

Alert: Duration-Based Medication Orders - Workflow-Specific Errors

Enhancement updates provide short alerts to new, fixed or improved Connect Care functions...

• Updates to Duration-Based Medication Orders can lead to Medication Scheduling Errors

Bottom Line:

Modifications to some existing (active) duration-based medication orders may result in the system medication scheduler generating incorrect future medication administration record (MAR) action times for start/due and end/removal times.

Summary:

When modifications to certain duration-based medication orders are made in a specific sequence, the system medication scheduler can generate incorrect future medication administration action times (e.g., for modified start/due and end/removal times). 

 

To date, this problem has been identified with some transdermal patch medication orders. When these are  placed and signed, but the order’s frequency is later modified, unintended scheduling times could be relayed to the MAR.

 

The cause has been identified and a fix is anticipated in production by mid-August 2025.

 

Short-term Workaround:

Before the fix is applied, prescribers should consider deleting, not modifying, transdermal duration orders, then entering a new order with the changed medication administration particulars.

UPDATE: DI Interventional Radiology Order Sets - Temporary Inactivation

Enhancement updates provide short alerts to new, fixed or improved Connect Care functions...

• New Ambulatory/Inpatient DI Interventional Radiology Order Sets  - UPDATE

New diagnostic imaging (DI) order sets for guided procedures were released June 26, 2025 (see posting). These are temporarily inactivated to allow for additional validation work. We will re-post when the order sets are again made available.

The independent DI orders remain and should be used until new order sets are reactivated in Connect Care.

Updates to Anesthesia Difficult Airway Documentation and Reminders

Enhancement updates provide short alerts to new, fixed or improved Connect Care functions...

• Updates to Anesthesia Difficult Airway Documentation and Reminders

As of July 17, 2025, a number of improvements will be implemented related to Anesthesia difficult airway documentation and difficult airway reminders, to ensure documented difficult airways are reflected in key places on the patient's chart.

Difficult Airway Documentation

• When a difficult airway is documented in the Procedure Note, it will automatically be reflected in Notable Events.
• When a difficult airway associated complication is documented in Notable Events, the relevant diagnosis will automatically be added to the patient Problem List (see below diagnosis mapping):
• Unable to intubate complication --> Failed or difficult intubation diagnosis
• Difficult to intubate – expected or Difficult to intubate – unexpected complication --> Difficult intubation diagnosis
• Difficult mask airway complication --> Difficult airway diagnosis

Document Difficult Airway Reminder

While documenting a difficult airway in a Procedure Note will not make it automatically flow to the patient Problem List, a "Document Difficult Airway" reminder will fire if the below conditions are met (click the camera icon below for a screenshot):

• One of the following exists in the Notable Events:
• Difficult mask airway
• Unable to intubate – expected
• Unable to Intubate – unexpected
• AND none of the following diagnoses exist under the Problem List:  
• Difficult airway
• Difficult intubation
• Failed or difficult intubation

• Clicking on the Document Difficult Airway reminder will then launch a Notable Events window. From there, the difficult airway notable events can be reviewed and manually added to the Problem List if appropriate, by clicking the "+ Add Problem" button.  

• Once the difficult airway notable event has been added to the Problem List, it will automatically be reflected in the Storyboard's hover bubble and Airway Alert, and the status board Difficult Intubation column. 

 

Change to Ambulatory Referral to Continuing Care Access and Home Care Order

Enhancement updates provide short alerts to new, fixed or improved Connect Care functions...

• Change to Ambulatory Referral to Continuing Care Access and Home Care Order

All Home Care referrals must be triaged through the Continuing Care Access (CCA) departments, and so CCA is pre-filled in the "To Department Specialty" field of the Ambulatory Referral to Continuing Care Access and Home Care order. Previously, however, some referral orders have been signed with that field changed, causing delays in the requests being processed. 

To ensure the CCA is not bypassed, as of July 8, 2025, users will not be able to change the "To Department Specialty" field on the Ambulatory Referral to Continuing Care Access and Home Care order. This is noted in the "Process Instructions" at the top of the order (click the left camera icon to see a screenshot). If the pre-filled field is changed, an error message will appear, indicating that a CCA department must be chosen before the order can be signed (right camera icon).

 

Changes to Immunosuppressant Medication Ordering

Enhancement updates provide short alerts to new, fixed or improved Connect Care functions...

• Changes to Immunosuppressant Medication Ordering

As of July 8, 2025, a combined dose for the following immunosuppressant medications is to be entered as one order rather than placing multiple orders for different strengths of dosage: 

• Cyclosporine
• Mycophenolate Mofetil
• Mycophenolate Sodium
• Tacrolimus (Short- and Long-Acting)

An “Alternative Selection” window will appear when needed to guide prescribers to use the appropriate medication record and total dose, and Pharmacy will know what to dispense depending on the order. 

For more details, see the 1-page summary and full guide:

• Summary: Immunosuppressant Medication Ordering
• Guide: Immunosuppressant Medication Ordering

Upgrade to Dragon Medical One (Action May Be Needed)

Enhancement updates provide short alerts to new, fixed or improved Connect Care functions...

• Upgrade to Dragon Medical One (Action May Be Needed)

On July 7, 2025, Dragon Medical One (DMO) will be upgraded, as the current version will no longer be supported. Unfortunately, after the upgrade, some users may experience pixelation or blurriness when using DMO in Connect Care. This is due to Citrix display settings that can affect image quality when navigating screens. If this occurs, users can opt into the “DMO Citrix Lossless” access group, which will disable display compression and improve visual clarity. For details on how to request this access, see the tip sheet linked below (takes approximately 3 to 5 minutes). If you have any difficulties requesting access, please contact the AHS Help Desk at 1-877-311-4300.

If you do not experience any issues with your DMO display in Connect Care, no further action is required on your part.

• Tip: How to Request Access to DMO Citrix Lossless Group

General Internal Medicine - New Pre-Admission Clinic Navigator

Enhancement updates provide short alerts to new, fixed or improved Connect Care functions...

• New PAC Navigator for GIM Consultants

As of July 3, 2025, a new PAC navigator will be available to all GIM Consultants providing care for surgical patients through a Pre-Admission Clinic, to streamline the workflow.

• The PAC navigator will open automatically when opening a patient chart from a PAC VISIT appointment (click the camera icon below to see a screenshot).

• Consultants will still be able to use the current tools if preferred, none will be removed with this change.

For more information, see the tip sheet available from the Learning Home Dashboard, also linked below.

• Tip: Pre-Admission Clinic Consultant Workflow

DI Interventional Radiology Request Changes - New Ambulatory/Inpatient Order Sets

Enhancement updates provide short alerts to new, fixed or improved Connect Care functions...

• New Ambulatory/Inpatient DI Interventional Radiology Order Sets  

UPDATE: The DI guided procedure order sets are temporarily inactivated (see posting).

As of June 26, 2025, the following diagnostic imaging (DI) interventional radiology order sets will be available in Connect Care, for ambulatory and/or inpatient. Going forward, many DI requests (as listed below) will only be available to order through these order sets. The order sets will guide prescribers to submit the appropriate sampling requests, and will ensure these requests are in an appropriate phase of care so they are not missed by the radiologists, nurses, and technologists who collect the samples.

• New order sets:
• Interventional Radiology Thoracentesis/Paracentesis (Ambulatory/Inpatient)
• Interventional Radiology Fluid/Abscess Aspiration/Drainage (Ambulatory/Inpatient)
• Interventional Radiology Joint Aspiration/Injection (Ambulatory/Inpatient)
• Interventional Radiology Mass/Organ Biopsy (Ambulatory/Inpatient)
• Ambulatory Interventional Radiology Lumbar Puncture 
• DI requests only available through order sets:
• Angiography/Ultrasound Guided Aspiration and/or Injection
• Angiography/CT/Ultrasound Guided Fluid Aspiration
• Angiography/CT/Ultrasound Biopsy  
• Thoracentesis/Paracentesis Procedures

For more details, see the tip sheet.

• Tip: Diagnostic Imaging Order Sets for Guided Procedures

Changes for "CBC and Differential" Orders

Enhancement updates provide short alerts to new, fixed or improved Connect Care functions...

• Changes for "CBC and Differential" Orders

As of June 24, 2025, orders placed for “CBC and Differential” (CBCD) will automatically be converted to a “CBC, No Differential” (CBC) order if a differential has been reported within the same calendar day. 

For more details, see the Lab Bulletin:

• Lab Bulletin: Ordering Practice Changes for “CBC and Differential” (June 23, 2025)

Optimization Training - Classes in July

The CMIO Prescriber Experience team offers Optimization classes (a.k.a. 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 July 2025, including a new class on Mental Health Act Forms:

• In Basket Management
• July 7, 12:00–13:00
• July 8, 14:30–15:30
• July 16, 14:30–15:30
• July 21, 10:00–11:00
• Lab Ordering
• July 16, 12:00–13:00
• July 22, 12:00–13:00
• NEW: Mental Health Act Forms
• July 8, 12:00–13:00
• July 23, 12:00–13:00
• Notes
• July 11, 12:00–13:00
• July 23, 12:00–13:00
• July 31, 12:00–13:00
• Orders Optimization
• July 7, 10:00–11:00
• July 21, 11:30–12:30
• SmartTools
• July 9, 12:00–13:00
• July 21, 12:00–13:00
• Therapy Plans
• July 3, 12:00–13:00
• July 23, 12:00–13:00
• July 29, 12:00–13:00

Prescribers can register for these Optimization classes at the below link (clicking the “Optimization” button at the bottom of any page in the Connect Care Manual will also take you to the booking page). 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

Tool Tune Up: June 2025 Order Tool Updates

The spreadsheet linked from this post will be updated throughout the month. 
Consider looking back each week. 

The spreadsheet linked below details recent or upcoming changes to order tools (e.g., order sets, SmartSets, therapy plans) that may impact prescriber personalization. Going forward, the link to the spreadsheet will remain the same for the rest of the year, with a new tab added for each month. 

The spreadsheet is updated at the end of each week if any new changes are confirmed/implemented. If the spreadsheet has been updated, a note with the date will be added after the spreadsheet link.

• Spreadsheet: Order Tool Updates - June 2025 
• Tip: See the first "READ ME" tab for an explanation of the spreadsheet's tabs and columns. 

Outpatient Tinzaparin and Enoxaparin Dose Banding (Adults)

Enhancement updates provide short alerts to new, fixed or improved Connect Care functions...

• Outpatient Tinzaparin and Enoxaparin Dose Banding (Adults)

As of June 17, 2025, tinzaparin and enoxaparin weight-based dose banding will be applied to adult outpatient prescriptions in Connect Care. When prescribing these medications during an outpatient encounter, please review the final dose before signing the order to ensure the banded dose aligns with clinical intent.

• Dose banding applies to weight-based doses only (e.g., units/kg or mg/kg) and can be overridden any time by prescribing a dose in “units” or “mg” or changing the banded dose to a “units” or “mg” dose.
• This change has been made to preferentially select for prefilled syringes, and to resolve a long-standing issue where an inpatient dose may be different than the dose calculated on discharge. Inpatient dose banding has been in place for several years and is endorsed by AHS working partners and leadership.

Please see the memo for specific information on the banding parameters for outpatient tinzaparin and enoxaparin, and the tip for more information on dose banding:

• Memo: Tinzaparin and Enoxaparin Outpatient Dose Banding
• Medication Ordering Tip: Understanding Dose Rounding and Dose Banding

Improvements to Mental Health Act Forms and Workflows

Enhancement updates provide short alerts to new, fixed or improved Connect Care functions...

• Improvements to Mental Health Act Forms and Workflows

As of June 17, 2025, multiple improvements will be available in Connect Care for Mental Health Act (MHA) Forms and related workflows:

• Signer name field changes:
• When an MHA Form is signed, the name of the signer will auto-populate in the "Add Signer Name" field above the e-signature (click the camera icon below for a screenshot).
• For Form 1 and Form 2, the Add Signer Name field will replace the Provider name field in the left pane. 
• If the name in the Add Signer Name field needs to be edited, instructions to do so can be found on page 7 of the Mental Health Act Quick Start Guide. 
• This functionality will be available in other eForms (e.g., Consent eForms) in the future. 

• Two new MHA eForms now available:
• Mental Health Patient Advocate Request Form
• Competency at time of Admission/Renewal Form

• Two new MHA workflows:
• Release of Information (ROI): Using Quick Release and RightFax to fulfil MHA-related ROI requests (e.g., Patient Advocate Office).
• Corrections, Amendments, and Addendums: How and when to properly print, annotate, re-scan, and update metadata for changes made to Forms.
• Details of these workflows can be found in the Mental Health Act Quick Start Guide.

Users are welcome to use the PLY (practice) environment to familiarize themselves with these new changes prior to the change date. For questions or issues, please submit a ticket.

• Guide: Mental Health Act Quick Start Guide
• Poster: Mental Health Act Improvements

Ambulatory Referrals Update - No Editing After Signing

Enhancement updates provide short alerts to new, fixed or improved Connect Care functions...

• Ambulatory Referrals Update - No Editing After Signing

When changes are made in Connect Care to a signed referral order on the ordering side, the referred to department is not notified. To avoid any issues caused by this, as of June 10, 2025, users will no longer be able to edit ambulatory referral orders that have already been signed.

If any updates are needed to a signed referral order, call and/or fax the referred to provider or clinic. If the referral has not yet been assigned, Centralized Access and Triage (CAT) can be called and/or faxed. 

• Manual: Referral Workflows - Updates to Referrals

New eForm Available - Primary Care Opioid Treatment Patient Agreement

Enhancement updates provide short alerts to new, fixed or improved Connect Care functions...

• New eForm Available - Primary Care Opioid Treatment Patient Agreement

As of May 28, 2025, the Primary Care Opioid Treatment Patient Agreement is available in Connect Care as an electronic signature form (previously, it was in Connect Care as a letter template).

To access the new form:

• Open the Consent & eForms Navigator, and, under the "Consent Forms" section, click on the "+ Add" button and select "Consent Agreement Waiver" (click the camera icon below for a screenshot).

• In the window that opens, click the "Change Template" button at the bottom, select "Primary Care Opioid Treatment Patient Agreement", and click the "Accept" button.

For more information on completing forms electronically, see the guide:

• Guide: Consent and eForms Navigator

Tool Tune Up: May 2025 Order Tool Updates

The spreadsheet linked from this post will be updated throughout the month. 
Consider looking back each week. 

The spreadsheet linked below details recent or upcoming changes to order tools (e.g., order sets, SmartSets, therapy plans) that may impact prescriber personalization. Going forward, the link to the spreadsheet will remain the same for the rest of the year, with a new tab added for each month. 

The spreadsheet is updated at the end of each week if any new changes are confirmed/implemented. If the spreadsheet has been updated, a note with the date will be added after the spreadsheet link.

• Spreadsheet: Order Tool Updates - 2025 [spreadsheet last updated May 29]
• Tip: See the first "READ ME" tab for an explanation of the spreadsheet's tabs and columns. 

Taming In Basket - More Message Types Set to Auto-Expire

Enhancement updates provide short alerts to new, fixed or improved Connect Care functions...

• Taming In Basket - More Message Types Set to Auto-Expire

Clinical information systems have increased the volumes of messages prescribers and other users need to manage, and AHS is committed to making adjustments to reduce clutter and increase In Basket message relevance. The "Taming In Basket" project was launched to identify In Basket messages that can be safely auto-expired, to reduce the volume of existing In Basket messages and to empower users to use In Basket efficiently.

As previously posted, in October 2024 the first batch of In Basket message types were set to auto-expire. As of June 2, 2025, the second batch of In Basket message types will be set to auto-expire, some after 90 days and some after 180 days, as indicated below:

• In Basket message types will auto-expire after 90 days:
• Chart Correction Requests
• Letter Queue
• Note Routing
• Overdue Results
• Patient Clinical Update 
• Patient Questionnaires 
• Radiant
• Referral Message
• Referral Notification Letter
• Result Notes
• Staff Message
• In Basket message types will auto-expire after 180 days: 
• My Open Charts
• My Open Encounters
• Nurse Triage Encounter
• Patient Advice Request
• Patient Calls 
• Rx Request
• Studies to Sign

Please note that this change will be effective moving forward only. Messages older than 90 or 180 days that currently exist in users’ In Baskets will not be affected. Messages older than 90 days will be removed from users’ In Baskets in September 2025, and those older than 180 days will be removed in December 2025 (further communication will be shared at those times).

Furthermore, any messages that users postponed utilizing "Follow up" functionality will be included in the auto-expiry rule only after the date the message comes back to the My Messages space (e.g., if a message with 90-day auto-expiration is postponed today for 3 days, the 90-day countdown will resume 3 days from today; if the user manually returns the message to the My Messages space before the 3 days have passed, the 90-day countdown resumes at that time).

For more information on In Basket, please see the Quick Start Guide:

• Guide: In Basket Best Practices Quick Start Guide

Optimization Training - Classes in June

The CMIO Training team offers Optimization classes (a.k.a. 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 June 2025. Starting in June, "Dragon Medical One (DMO) Advanced" Optimization classes will be available, targeted to prescribers who have been actively using DMO for a few months.

• NEW: Dragon Medical One (DMO) Advanced
• June 12, 12:00–13:00
• June 23, 12:00–13:00
• In Basket Management
• June 2, 12:00–13:00
• June 6, 13:30–14:30
• June 9, 10:00–11:00
• June 10, 12:00–13:00
• June 17, 12:00–13:00
• June 19, 10:00–11:00
• June 25, 08:30–09:30
• Lab Ordering
• June 4, 12:00–13:00
• June 16, 12:00–13:00
• June 24, 12:00–13:00
• Notes
• June 5, 12:00–13:00
• June 11, 12:00–13:00
• June 17, 12:00–13:00
• June 26, 12:00–13:00
• Orders Optimization
• June 9, 12:00–13:00
• June 10, 10:00–11:00 
• SmartTools
• June 3, 12:00–13:00
• June 13, 12:00–13:00
• June 16, 12:00–13:00
• June 24, 12:00–13:00
• Therapy Plans
• June 4, 12:00–13:00
• June 10, 12:00–13:00
• June 19, 12:00–13:00

Prescribers can register for these Optimization classes at the below link (clicking the “Optimization” button at the bottom of any page in the Connect Care Manual will also take you to the booking page). 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

New Anesthesia Required Event and SmartText for Uncrossmatched Blood [New Date]

Enhancement updates provide short alerts to new, fixed or improved Connect Care functions...

• New Anesthesia Required Event and Associated SmartText for Uncrossmatched Blood 

The Anesthesia Specialty Working Group has approved a new Emergency Event in the Anesthesia Intraprocedure Workspace for Uncrossmatched Blood. This required event features an associated SmartText for documenting the attestation of administering uncrossmatched blood products to comply with accreditation standards. As of May 21, 2025, anesthesia providers must use this event to mark the administration of uncrossmatched blood product(s) and utilize the SmartText for attestation documentation (click on the camera icons for screenshots).

If there is no associated event with an uncrossmatched blood transfusion, anesthesia providers will be required to create an event before signing the record.

Prehabilitation (Prehab) Program Referral Order

Enhancement updates provide short alerts to new, fixed or improved Connect Care functions...

• Prehabilitation (Prehab) Program Referral Order 

The AHS Prehabilitation (Prehab) Program provides prehabilitation services for Albertans 18 years and older who are waiting for surgery. As of May 6, 2025, a new "Prehab Program" section will be added to eleven Preprocedure Adult order sets in Connect Care, so prescribers (or their MOAs) can easily place an ambulatory referral to prehabilitation. The addition of this section will have no impact to personalization of the affected order sets. 

To place an order for referral to prehabilitation using a Connect Care pre-op order set:

• Open Prep for Procedure and find the patient.
• In the order set, under the "General" section, find the new "Prehab Program" section. Click "Ambulatory Referral to Rehabilitation" (click the camera icon below to see a screenshot).

• In the Ambulatory Referral to Rehabilitation order that opens:
• The "To Department" field will be prefilled with "AHS PROV PREHABILITATION" and the "Reason" field with "Prehabilitation". Leave these as is.
• In the "Comments" field, enter "prehab" or "prehabilitation" (this is a hardstop).
• Sign the orders.

For more information on the Prehab Program, visit ahs.ca/Prehab. Patient handouts and posters can be requested by submitting the Prehab Order Form. If you have questions, please email Prehab@ahs.ca or call 1-888-852-3383. 

Upcoming Oncology Department Name Changes

Enhancement updates provide short alerts to new, fixed or improved Connect Care functions...

• Upcoming Oncology Department Name Changes 

As of May 5, 2025, the following departments will be changing names in Connect Care:

• From MED MEYCC DAY CHEMO UNIT to MED MEYCC SYSTEMIC TREATMENT
• From LET JACC DAY CHEMO UNIT to LET JACC SYSTEMIC TREATMENT
• From RED CACC DAY CHEMO UNIT to RED CACC SYSTEMIC TREATMENT
• From GRP GPCC DAY CHEMO UNIT to GRP GPCC SYSTEMIC TREATMENT
• From EDM CCI DAY CHEMO UNIT to EDM CCI SYSTEMIC TREATMENT
• From CGY ACCC DAY CHEMO UNIT to CGY ACCC SYSTEMIC TREATMENT

Inpatient AMH Order Changes - Off-Unit Access, Passes, Psychiatry Observation Level

Enhancement updates provide short alerts to new, fixed or improved Connect Care functions...

• Inpatient Addiction & Mental Health (AMH) Order Changes - Off-Unit Access, Passes, Psychiatry Observation Level  

As of April 29, 2025, continuous improvement changes will be made to the following orders in Connect Care. If action is required regarding personalized tools impacted by the changes, In Basket notifications will be sent with details. For AMH/Psychiatry and ED prescribers, steps may be required to transition from the legacy orders to the revised orders; see the guide for details.

• Off-Unit Access Order [PRV10] and Passes Order [PRV13]: 
• Enhanced workflow: Orders now contains greater detail about type of off-unit access (click left camera icon to see screenshot) or pass (right camera icon).
• Revised order: Orders have language and content improvements.

 

• Psychiatry Observation Level Order [NUR858]
• Enhanced workflow: Improvements have been made to enable the completion of observations using Rover, including the ability to complete from Patient Lists directly on Rover and sorting features to ensure patients with the timeliest observation are observed first. 
• Revised order: Order has been updated to include new frequency functionality and reference to off-unit access information within the order moved to the Off-Unit Access order.  
• Unchanged documentation: No changes have been made to how observations are documented directly in Connect Care.

For more information, see:

• Tip: AMH - Patient Observation, Off-Unit Access, and Passes
• Guide: Continuous Improvement - Patient Observation, Off-Unit Access, and Passes (for AMH/Psychiatry and ED prescribers)
• Policy: Inpatient Observation Levels, Off-Unit Access, and Passes
• Procedure: Inpatient Observation Levels, Off-Unit Access, and Passes