Update to Physician Specialty Names in Connect Care

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

• Update to How Physician Specialties Are Represented in Connect Care

As of April 9, 2026, physician specialty names and groupings used in Connect Care will be updated to align more closely with those used by the College of Physicians & Surgeons of Alberta (CPSA). There are no changes to scope of practice or privileges as part of this update, and there will be little impact on existing records. New recruits and people who have renewed their license or made other changes with the CPSA may have a more specific version of their specialty represented.

 

If you would like to validate your specialty, you can compare what is currently listed on your CPSA registration with your phonebook entry in Connect Care (click the camera icon for a screenshot). If you would like to change the specialty you are currently representing to another of those listed for you on your CPSA registration, please submit a ticket with the issue "Primary Specialty Update to [desired primary specialty]".

POSTPONED - New Mental Health Act eForms

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

• New Mental Health Act eForms

Edit (Mar 30): This change has been postponed, new detail TBD.

As of March 24, 2026, two additional Mental Health Act (MHA) Forms will be available within the Consent & eForms Navigator, allowing Connect Care users to leverage these eForms instead of the paper equivalent and streamline documentation processes:

• Form 23: Community Treatment Order Apprehension Order 
• Form 24: Community Treatment Order Examination on Apprehension 

For more information on how to access and complete MHA Forms within the Consent & eForms Navigator, see the guides and other resources:

• Guide: Mental Health Act
• Guide: Consent & eForms Navigator (step-by-step instructions for all scenarios; comprehensive)
• Manual: Consent, Capacity and Enforcement
• Tip: Mental Health Act - Community Treatment Order (CTO) FYI Flag

Update to Ordering of Gynecological Cytology/HPV Primary Testing

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

• Update to Ordering of Gynecological Cytology/HPV Primary Testing

As of March 31, 2026, an update will be made to the Gynecological Cytology order, to use rules to automatically determine the patient’s eligibility for Gynecological Cytology or HPV Primary Testing as their cervical cancer screening test (see details below). HPV Primary Testing is not available as a standalone order but, when a Gynecological Cytology order is placed, Connect Care will automatically update it to an HPV Primary screen when appropriate: 

• Gynecological Cytology placed as performable test if: 
• Patient age <50, and patient encounter department is Colposcopy Clinic or other department type (e.g., menopause or gynecological clinic), or 
• Patient age ≥50, and patient encounter department is Colposcopy Clinic.
• HPV Primary Screen placed as performable test, if:
• Patient age ≥50, and patient encounter department is not a Colposcopy Clinic.

Click the below camera icon for a screenshot of the updated order. Note that user preference lists will be updated by IT to reflect the updated order, no action by prescribers is required. 

For more information, see the Lab Bulletin:

• Lab Bulletin: Ordering Solution for the Co-Existence of Gynecological Cytology and HPV Primary Testing (March 27, 2026)

Updates to Diagnostic Imaging Orderables

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

• Updates to Diagnostic Imaging Orderables

As of March 31, 2026, several diagnostic imaging exam orders will be added or retired across modalities, as detailed below. Personal preference lists and ordering tools will be updated as part of the change; no specific action is required by prescribers.

• Ultrasound (US) 
• New exam orderables will be available, including: US Sclerotherapy, US Salivary Gland Injection, US Cholecystostomy Catheter Insertion, US Pelvis Endovaginal with Contrast, and US Pelvis with Contrast. 
• The previous separate US Superficial Mass Left, Right, and Bilateral orders will be consolidated into a single order, US Superficial Mass. 
• Computed Tomography (CT) 
• New exam orderables will be available, including: CT Chest Abdomen Pelvis With Run Off Angiogram Enhanced and CT Abdomen With Run Off Angiogram Enhanced. 
• Interventional Radiology (IR)
• New DI‑only add‑on exams will be available, including post‑plasty vascular stent placements and point‑of‑care blood analysis.
• General Radiography (GR) 
• New exam orderables will be available, including: GR Pelvis and Hip Weightbearing Left, Right and Bilateral, and GR Shunt Series (specific for imaging of ventriculoperitoneal shunt). 
• Bilateral codes will have their exam count increased from 1 to 2 (e.g., GR Ankle Bilateral will increase to 2 exam counts).
• Fluoroscopy (RF) 
• RF Video Fluoroscopy Swallowing Study Pediatric will be available as an orderable. 
• Nuclear Medicine (NM) 
• NM Yttrium 90 Therapy, NM Strontium 89 Therapy, and NM Esophageal Transit, NM Image Fusion, and NM Bone Scan Pinhole will no longer be orderable. 
• The performables NM Attenuation Correction Scan, NM Attenuation Correction Scan CT, and NM Cardiac Perfusion Gated SPECT will no longer be available. 
• Orders specific to “10 or More Views” will be removed. The corresponding “7–9 Views” orders will be renamed to “7 or More Views” and should be used instead (e.g., NM Bone Scan Spots 7 or More Views).

Note that exam renaming will occur as a separate update and will be implemented before April 30, 2026. The naming and catalog revisions do not change how exams are performed. The CPEL catalogue and coding guidance (preamble) will be posted on Insite at a later date.

Update to Pediatric VTE Prophylaxis Panel

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

• Revision to Guidance Text in Pediatric Venous Thromboembolism (VTE) Prophylaxis Panel

As of March 31, 2026, the guidance text included in the VTE Prophylaxis Panel Pediatric will be updated to align with the Venous Thromboembolism Prophylaxis Policy Suite. 

Please note that the Pediatric Venous Thromboembolism Prophylaxis Procedure is currently in development.

• Insite: AHS-Wide Policy Suite - Venous Thromboembolism Prophylaxis

Optimization Training - Classes in April 2026

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 April 2026. 

• Dragon Medical One (DMO) Advanced
• April 15, 12:00–13:00
• April 30, 12:00–13:00
• In Basket Clean Up 1:1
• April 13, 09:00–09:30
• April 14, 10:30–11:00
• April 23, 12:00–12:30
• April 24, 09:00–09:30
• April 28, 08:30–09:00
• April 29, 15:00–15:30
• In Basket Management
• April 14, 14:30–15:30
• April 22, 12:00–13:00
• Lab Ordering
• April 8, 12:00–13:00
• April 22, 12:00–13:00
• Notes
• April 14, 12:00–13:00
• April 23, 12:00–13:00
• Orders Optimization
• April 7, 10:00–11:00
• April 14, 09:00–10:00
• April 30, 12:00–13:00
• SmartTools
• April 8, 12:00–13:00
• April 17, 12:00–13:00
• Therapy Plans
• April 6, 12:00–13:00
• April 17, 15:00–16:00
• April 23, 09:00–10:00
• April 30, 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@healthsharedservices.ca

Tool Tune Up: March 2026 Order Tool Updates

The spreadsheet linked from this post will be updated throughout the month as needed. 
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 calendar 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 - March 2026
• If you get an error clicking the above link, please right-click to copy the link, and then paste into your browser.
• Tip: See the first "READ ME" tab for an explanation of the spreadsheet's tabs and columns. 

UPDATED and NEW DATE - New GCD Interim Order OPA

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

• New Goals of Care Designation (GCD) Interim Order Our Practice Advisory (OPA)

To make interim GCD orders more visible and to support timely resolution, as of March 31, 2026, a new OPA will be triggered 24 hours after an interim GCD order is entered in Connect Care. This advisory notifies the Most Responsible Healthcare Provider (MRHP) that: a current GCD order is interim (i.e., placed prior to a goals of care conversation), and that it requires an update following a goals of care conversation or completion of a dispute resolution process. 

The OPA will be non-intrusive and will appear on the Storyboard, and in Our Practice Advisory sections of the patient’s chart. This OPA will also appear for previously entered interim GCD orders that remain active in Connect Care.

For more information on GCD and interim GCD orders, see:

• FAQ: About Goals of Care Designation (ahs.ca)
• Guide: Advanced Care Planning and Goals of Care Designation [to be updated week of change]
• Manual: Goals of Care Management

(Edit March 26: This post previously stated the change would go live March 19 and that the OPA would be triggered after 12 hours. The above reflects the correct date and details.)

Nicotine Order Tool Updates (Action May Be Needed)

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

• Nicotine Order Tool Updates

In collaboration with Pharmacy, the Tobacco, Vaping and Cannabis team has completed a review of the nicotine-related order tools in Connect Care. As a result, between March 24 and 31, 2026, updates will be made to these tools to ensure alignment with current clinical standards. These revisions include changes to order panels that are embedded within other inpatient order sets. After March 31, users may need to review and update any personalized versions of these components.

Updates:

• Alignment of links across order tools.
• Alignment of orders for "Tobacco use greater than 25 cigarettes per day".
• Additional referral option for HealthLink/AB Quits.

Nicotine-related order tools:

• Nicotine Replacement Therapy – Inpatient Order Panel
• Note this tool is included within 25 inpatient order sets.
• Nicotine Replacement Therapy for Withdrawal Pediatric Inpatient (order panel)
• Note this tool is included within the Eating Disorder Admission Pediatric order set.
• Nicotine Replacement Therapy – Discharge Planning Orders (order panel)
• Smoking Cessation Adult (ambulatory SmartSet)

Parenteral Nutrition (PN) Order Updates

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

• Parenteral Nutrition (PN) Order Updates

As of March 24, 2026, a number of updates will be made to PN orders (details below). No immediate action by prescribers is required and existing PN orders will continue as written; however, new and reordered PN orders placed after 12:00 on March 24 will include the updated options and reports.

• Adult PN orders:
• Famotidine removed from Adult PN orders and the associated Fluid/Nutrition Summary Report.
• Pediatric PN orders:
• Primene added to Pediatric PN greater than 40 kg orders.
• Adult multivitamin added to the additive list (+ADD) for Pediatric PN.
• Pediatric Cyclic PN Admin Instruction SmartText updated.
• Famotidine removed from Pediatric PN orders.
• Neonatal PN orders:
• Neonatal Compounded 2-in-1 PN Projected Calorie/Fluid Management Report now defaults to Order Start Time.
• Batched Neonatal PN (note these changes will go into effect April 7):
• Addition of production labels.
• Stock rotation means that there will be a transition period before all bags will have this additional label.
• Lipid orders (all populations):
• Lipid Projected Calorie/Fluid Management Report now defaults to Order Start Time.

Please see the memo for additional details including screenshots.

• Memo: Parenteral Nutrition (PN) Order Updates - March 24, 2026

Anesthesia Update - Change Impacting Intraop Grid/Graph

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

• Anesthesia Update - Second Channel rSO2 Configuration for Masimo Root Monitors

As of March 26, 2026, Anesthesia users will see two extra rows in the Anesthesia intraop grid and graph showing Regional Cerebral Oxygen Saturation (rSO2) data, if they have the Masimo Root monitor programmed to stream second channel data. The new rows - "Regional Saturation Cerebral Left_Ch2 (%)" and "Regional Saturation Cerebral Right_Ch2 (%)" - will appear in the "Other" section with the other rSO2 rows (click the camera icon for a screenshot), but will be hidden if there is no data to stream in.

NEW DATE - RF Nephrostogram Ordering Update

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

• Radiofrequency/Fluoroscopy (RF) Nephrostogram Ordering Update

As of March 31, 2026, the current RF Nephrostogram order will be replaced with new orders: RF Nephrostogram Left, RF Nephrostogram Right, and RF Nephrostogram Bilateral. This change is needed to ensure ordering accuracy and mitigate safety concerns associated with laterality not being specified in the generic nephrostogram order. 

Prescribers will need to choose the correct laterality (left, right, or bilateral) when ordering a nephrostogram, as the generic order will no longer be available. Personal preference lists and ordering tools will be updated as part of the change; no specific action is required by prescribers.

Update to Holter Monitor Orders

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

• Update to Holter Monitor Orders

As of March 25, 2026, the options available in the "Clinical Indication" field of Holter Monitor orders will be updated for more accurate use. Certain indication names will be shortened to allow for more options to be displayed (click the camera icon for a screenshot).

AMH Updates – Neuromodulation Therapy Plans

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

• Addiction and Mental Health (AMH) Updates – Neuromodulation Therapy Plans

As of March 24, 2026, there will be multiple changes to Neuromodulation Therapy Plans including consolidation of previous Neuromodulation Therapy Plans and updates to both the plan content and functionality of the Appointment Request within the plan. For patients who currently have Neuromodulation ordered, no action is needed. Neuromodulation Therapy Plans that were ordered before March 24 should not be renewed or reactivated; if (re)ordering after March 24, the new plans will need to be used.  

AMH prescribers can learn more about these changes in a few different ways:

• Attend virtual information session March 19, 2026 (16:00) - Click here to register.
• Preview and practice in PLY - Use this guide for login and test patient information.
• See the 1-pager - Includes links to instructional videos and other resources. 

Changes to Reporting Roles

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

• Changes to Reporting Roles

As of March 17, 2026, access points that allowed entering or editing patient documentation will be removed from the following reporting roles to ensure these roles remain view-only: 

• Quality/Analyst Reporting User – [Specialty Area]
• Clinical View Only with Basic Reporting

As a result of this change, while reporting access and functionality will NOT be affected, some chart review functions such as opening the "Care Team" activity from Storyboard will no longer be available. An access restriction pop-up window is expected. 

Alternate workflows may be required; for details, refer to Appendix A of the Clinical View Only Quick Start Guide.

In Basket Update - "Not My Result" Workflow Optimization

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

• In Basket Update - "Not My Result" Workflow Optimization

As of March 12, 2026, the "Not My Result" QuickAction function in In Basket will be updated to reduce inappropriate forwarding to the error pool. 

• In the Result Note that opens after clicking the Not My Result button, the wording of the options in the "Steps taken" dropdown list has been updated to provide the user with additional instructions if the result needs to go to the error pool (click the camera icon to see a screenshot).

• The “Route” checkbox will no longer be selected by default when the Result Note opens via the Not My Result button. If the user checks the "Route" box in order to forward the result to the error pool, an "Enter recipients" field will appear, and will be a hardstop. 

  

• To add the error pool in the "Enter recipients" field, users can either type in "P AHS NMR AUTOROUTE POOL" or click the magnifying glass and, in the pop-up, search for "ahs nmr" in the "Pools" field.

 

For more information on In Basket, please see the CMIO's In Basket Management Guide:

• Guide: In Basket Management - CMIO

Accessing Insite/SharePoint Links from Connect Care

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

• Accessing Insite/SharePoint Links from Connect Care

As previously mentioned, due to the migration of Insite and SharePoint file storage to Microsoft's cloud platform last fall, users were prompted for their credentials when trying to open an Insite/SharePoint link from within Connect Care. A solution has been found to reduce this workflow interruption and, as of February 25, 2026, most Insite and SharePoint links opened from within Connect Care will no longer require users to enter login credentials. 

• Most Insite/SharePoint links will now open directly in Microsoft Edge, with the full web address visible in the browser address bar.
• A small number of links that are integrated within the Epic dashboard browser for specialized workflows may still require authentication.
• As before, links to websites other than Insite and SharePoint will continue to launch without a need for login credentials. Note, however, that in some cases the browser address bar may not be visible.

If you have any questions or comments, please contact Microsoft365webapps@healthsharedservices.ca.

Optimization Training - Classes in March 2026

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 March 2026. 

• Dragon Medical One (DMO) Advanced
• March 17, 12:00–13:00
• March 30, 12:00–13:00
• In Basket Clean Up 1:1
• March 5, 09:30–10:00
• March 6, 09:00–09:30
• March 11, 12:30–13:00
• March 12, 09:30–10:00
• March 16, 09:00–10:00
• March 19, 14:00–14:30
• In Basket Management
• March 4, 08:00–09:00
• March 10, 14:00–15:00
• March 11, 11:00–12:00
• March 31, 15:00–16:00
• Lab Ordering
• March 5, 10:00–11:00
• March 11, 12:00–13:00
• March 24, 12:00–13:00
• Mental Health Act Forms
• March 27, 12:00–13:00
• Notes
• March 11, 12:00–13:00
• March 25, 12:00–13:00
• Orders Optimization
• March 4, 11:00–12:00
• March 12, 10:30–11:30
• March 18, 09:00–10:00
• March 24, 13:00–14:00
• March 30, 10:00–11:00
• SmartTools
• March 10, 12:00–13:00
• March 24, 12:00–13:00
• Anesthesia (These classes do not have to be done in chronological order, and each covers different topics)
• Anesthesia Optimization 2 - Working with Anesthesia Records
• March 10, 13:00–14:00
• Anesthesia Optimization 3 - Personalizing Macros
• March 26, 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@healthsharedservices.ca

Tool Tune Up: February 2026 Order Tool Updates

The spreadsheet linked from this post will be updated throughout the month as needed. 
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 calendar 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 - February 2026 [updated Feb 19]
• If you get an error clicking the above link, please right-click to copy the link, and then paste into your browser.
• Tip: See the first "READ ME" tab for an explanation of the spreadsheet's tabs and columns. 

Documentation of Vitamin K Consent/Decline for Neonates

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

• Documentation of Vitamin K Consent/Decline for Neonates

As of February 19, 2026, new SmartText is available for prescribers to document consent or decline (whether partial or total refusal) by a parent/guardian for vitamin K intramuscular injection in a neonatal patient. When in the Consent Note, prescribers can type ".vitamink" to bring in the SmartText, rather than having to search via the SmartText box.

The SmartText will have a number of SmartLists within it for the prescriber to indicate who the discussion was with, what was discussed, and what the consent status was (click the camera icon for a screenshot).

Delivery Documentation Update - Subgaleal Hemorrhage Risk

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

• Delivery Documentation Update - Subgaleal Hemorrhage Risk

As of February 17, 2026, changes will be made to delivery documentation, to allow for documenting an impacted head or difficult extraction and subsequently indicating in various places in the Connect Care chart that a baby is at risk for subgaleal hemorrhage. Below are the specific changes prescribers will see:

• Documentation:
• A new "Impacted Head" field will be added to the "Delivery Details" section of the Delivery Summary (click camera icon for a screenshot).

• In the Admit Newborn order set, under "Vital Signs", there will be a new row to check "For Infants at Risk of Subgaleal Hemorrhage".

• Risk indication in chart:
• After a Delivery Summary is signed, if an impacted head has been documented, it will show up in the Delivery Report in the "Delivery (Newborn)" section. 

• An "At Risk for Subgaleal Hemorrhage" warning box will also appear in the Postpartum Newborn Overview report in the Summary activity if either an impacted head was documented in the Delivery Summary or risk was indicated in a relevant nursing flowsheet.

NEW DATE - Home Oxygen Workflow Updates

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

• Changes to Home Oxygen Assessment and Requisition Orders

As of February 12, 2026, there are a number of changes to the Home Oxygen assessment and requisition orders, summarized below. There are no changes to inpatient workflows. 

• New "Home Oxygen Assessment" order - For use when the assessment is to take place in a Respiratory Therapy clinic, this order replaces the need for an Ambulatory Referral to Respiratory Therapy (click the camera icon for a screenshot).





• "Blood Gas Arterial, schedulable" order renamed to "Blood Gas, Arterial at Pulmonary Function Lab".
• Updated "Home Oxygen Requisition" after-visit order - For use with any patient needing a Home Oxygen prescription to provide to home oxygen vendors, this order now has added reference links to Alberta Aids to Daily Living and Non-Insured Health Benefits oxygen manuals, and the multi-select "Oxygen Requirements" field will cascade into additional relevant fields.
• Note: Prescribers must sign the order in Connect Care for the vendor to accept the electronic signature in place of the previously required wet signature. The requisition will auto-print upon signing. 

• "Oxygen Therapy – Equipment" order now retired, as the standard Home Oxygen prescription is captured by the updated Home Oxygen Requisition.

For more information, see the tip sheet.

• Tip: Home Oxygen  

CSF External Sendout Test Request

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

• Cerebrospinal Fluid (CSF) External Sendout Test Request 

As of February 10, 2026, particular lumbar puncture order sets should be used to order a CSF External Sendout Test (Referred Test), both for clinicians performing a lumbar puncture in clinic and for those requesting an interventional radiology lumbar puncture (inpatients or outpatients). 

• Clinicians Performing a Lumbar Puncture in Clinic: Use the Lumbar Puncture SmartSet. The request will be listed under Laboratory Investigations - Routine >> Cerebrospinal Fluid - Bedside Procedure >> Inflammatory.
• Request for Interventional Radiology Lumbar Puncture:
• Inpatients: Use the Lumbar Puncture SmartSet. The request will be listed under Laboratory Investigations - Routine >> Cerebrospinal Fluid - Interventional Radiology (done in DI suite or OR) >> Inflammatory.
• Outpatients: Use the Ambulatory Interventional Radiology Lumbar Puncture SmartSet. The request will be listed under "CSF Miscellaneous/Infrequent Tests".

For more information on placing this order, see the tip sheet:

• Tip: CSF External Send Out Test Request

New Ambulatory Referral to Physiatry Oncology

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

• New Ambulatory Referral to Physiatry Oncology

As of January 29, 2026, prescribers can directly refer to Cancer Physiatry using the new "Ambulatory Referral to Physiatry Oncology" order (click the camera icon for a screenshot). The previous referral pathway had physiatry nested within the Rehab Onc referral, which was shared with oncology therapists. 

• Note that each type of assessment may have additional cascading questions.

• To save this order as a favourite for your preference list, click on the star icon from your order cart.

Auto-Closure of Old Co-Sign Order Requests [Updated]

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

• Auto-Closure of Old Co-Sign Order Requests

Since 2019, a backlog of over 350,000 open co-sign requests and verbal order messages have accumulated, creating a significant administrative burden for prescribers and a negative impact on system performance. On February 3, 2026, all open co-sign and verbal order messages (including any that have been declined) older than 31 days will be administratively closed. 

• Orders entered into Connect Care with the "Verbal with readback", "Telephone with readback", and "Per protocol cosign required" ordering modes generate an In Basket message with a co-sign request. Medical Staff Rules (4.18.8.e) indicate that these orders are automatically deemed to be co-signed by the ordering provider unless corrected within 24 hours (or, in a Continuing Care facility, at the time of the ordering provider’s next visit).
• On February 3, authorizing prescribers will notice removal of these messages older than 31 days from their "Chart Correction" and "Cosign – Clinic Orders" In Basket folders. 
• While the In Basket messages will be permanently purged, the co-sign order requests and verbal order signature requirements that are administratively closed will still be permanently retained in the chart and visible in Chart Review (click the camera icon for a screenshot).

• A proposal is under review to administratively close co-sign messages for verbal and telephone orders older than 31 days on a go-forward basis, removing them from In Baskets once a month. 

For questions related to these changes, users are encouraged to submit a ServiceNow ticket.  

Edit (Feb 25): Updated to clarify that only retroactive cleanup of these orders has been approved/actioned. This post previously stated that monthly cleanup would occur moving forward, but this is currently only at the proposal stage.

Tool Tune Up: January 2026 Order Tool Updates

The spreadsheet linked from this post will be updated throughout the month as needed. 
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 - January 2026 [updated January 29]
• If you get an error clicking the above link, please right-click to copy the link, and then paste into your browser.
• Tip: See the first "READ ME" tab for an explanation of the spreadsheet's tabs and columns. 

Changes to Display of Glucometer Results

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

• Changes to Display of Glucometer Results

As of February 3, 2026, glucometer results will be separated from lab results in the Results Review tree. This change is in response to feedback that frequent, repeated glucometer readings made it difficult to trend lab results in the Results Review tree. Additionally, these readings often triggered urgent or critical lab notifications due to high or low glucose values, reducing the effectiveness of the notification tool. 

Following the change, glucometer results can be found in a number of locations in Connect Care:

• Inpatient Patient List and Ambulatory Multi-Provider Schedule columns:
• “Lab Notifications” column: As previously posted, this inpatient Patient List column displays both new lab values and glucometer values.
• Hover over the coloured dot to see the most recent glucose values.
• Double-click the dot to open the Glucose Management Report.
• “Glucometer Overview” column: As previously posted, this recently updated column shows only glucometer values for quick reference. The column is available to add to inpatient Patient Lists and, as of January 21, can also be added to the ambulatory Multi-Provider Schedule (see the updated tip sheet for details).
• Storyboard: Under “Results in the last 36 hours”. Hover to view both lab and glucometer results.
• "Summary" activity:
• Summary → Overview: “Blood glucose last 24 hours”. Clicking this header opens the Glucose Management Report.
• Summary → Glucose Management Report
• Tip: This report is also available in the outpatient context for reviewing AHS glucometer results when needed.
• Chart Search: Type “glucometer”.
• "Synopsis" activity: Includes a "Diabetes Synopsis" section.

For more information on glycemic monitoring and management, see the Connect Care Manual:

• Manual: Glycemic Monitoring and Management  

New OPA for Pregnant Patients in ED

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

• New OPA for Pregnant Patients in ED

As of January 27, 2026, a new Our Practice Advisory (OPA; previously Best Practice Advisory) will fire for patients >20 weeks pregnant presenting in the ED, indicating a recommendation to order an Obstetrics consult. This change is in response to multiple patient safety events with negative outcomes across Alberta following pregnant people presenting to the ED with non-obstetrical issues, due to lack of recognition of the impact of the associated pregnancy. 

• The OPA will take into account whether the ED has an Obstetrical provider onsite or not, and will present the relevant available order (click the camera icon to see screenshots).

• The OPA will allow override with reasons that include "Not pregnant or < 20 weeks", "Pt refused", "Defer 15 minutes", and "Not indicated". A “Set Dispo: Send to L&D” reason will also be available for sites that have Obstetrics coverage.
• Obstetrical providers who have been consulted can determine if an in-person assessment, an outpatient assessment, or no assessment is required (via initial phone discussion). This should be documented within the consultation record per standard practice. 

The Women's Health Clinical Systems Improvement team will be monitoring consultation volumes. Please inform your Provincial Medical Informatics Lead (PMIL) regarding concerns of inappropriate consults or excessive volume.  

Exceptional Care Plan Notes - Editing Changes

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

• Exceptional Care Plan Notes - Editing Changes

As of January 26, 2026, access to Exceptional Care Plan (ECP) notes will be changing, where all clinicians with the ability to create an ECP will have full ability to edit/delete ECP notes authored by other users. This change primarily affects non-prescribers as prescribers have previously had these editing abilities. The change will enhance accuracy of the ECP and improve efficiency and coordination for teams managing these plans.  

• Guide: Exceptional Care Plans

Anesthesia Update - Access to Patient Instructions and AVS

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

• Anesthesia Update - Access to Patient Instructions and AVS

Anesthesia prescribers often cover patients on the Acute Pain Service, but previously did not have access to discharge instruction functionality. As of January 23, 2026, Anesthesia prescribers will have access to Patient Instructions and the After Visit Summary (AVS), allowing them to add information that needs to be shared with the patient at the time of discharge. 

The "Patient Instructions" and "After Visit Summary" sections can be accessed from two activities found in the Patient List, "Pain Service" and "Rounding" (click the camera icons for screenshots).