Document and Results Routing Optimization Address-level Delivery Method (Action May Be Required)

On August 25, 2024, Alberta Health Services (AHS) Connect Care will be able to deliver more clinical documents and results to specific provider locations (typically where the patient was seen, rather than a default provider address). This may affect results delivery settings for some providers.  

Providers working at more than one health service location have been contacted with a request to verify their primary or default clinical address. In addition, prescribers are asked to confirm delivery methods for any additional practice locations. (Note: To have this change in effect on August 25, change requests must be received by AHS by August 19; change requests submitted later will be processed as soon as possible.)

Most prescribers are not affected. However, mixed-context providers (using Connect Care at AHS facilities and a different record of care elsewhere) will be able to choose a primary results delivery address other than the default Connect Care In Basket. If activated, this option causes results for tests ordered when working at AHS (currently received via Connect Care In Basket) to be sent to the alternate primary location. Results are always available in Connect Care. 

To choose a routing preference, prescribers should consider where results should be received if a test requisition does not include a service location. In most cases, the best primary location will be where most clinical work is done. For providers that work at AHS and elsewhere equally, the best primary delivery location may continue to be Connect Care In Basket. The system will use a patient's relationship with a primary care provider to help redirect information to where the patient was seen.

This change is one in a series of results delivery optimizations. Prescribers may continue to receive some duplicate results, but these should arrive at the most appropriate location. Future enhancements will significantly reduce duplicate result deliveries. 

For more information, see the Connect Care Results Routing Optimization Overview. 

• Support: Call the AHS Provincial Service Desk: 1-877-311-4300 (select option 1 for Clinical Applications, then option 1 for Connect Care; have your PracID available).
• More information: FAQ: Document and Results Routing Optimization Address-level Delivery Method (Specific to Provider Location/clinic)
• To request a copy of your “Confirm your results delivery methods & locations” letter: Email resultsrouting@ahs.ca. Include your name, provider ID and clinic address(es). 

Connect Care Launch 4 - Electronic Documents and Results Delivery to Community Providers

AHS uses a system called "eDelivery" to electronically deliver patient information to providers and physicians at their private community practices. With Connect Care Launch 4, there have been changes to the information distributed to providers. Providers who work at AHS facilities using Connect Care as well as at private clinics/offices in the community will want to understand these changes. 

These changes affect the six types of Connect Care summative notes as well as results for lab, diagnostic imaging (DI) and other investigations. A memo summarizes the changes for the delivery of this information from Connect Care to community providers; the key messages are:

• All providers will receive copies of summative notes in their external electronic medical record (EMR) when they are identified as the Primary Care Provider (PCP) for a patient; sometimes you may receive information for a patient not associated with you or your clinic – you can follow up with AHS to remediate this situation. 
• Authoring providers in Connect Care will receive copies of summative notes they author at AHS facilities in their external EMR. 
• Mixed-context providers (working in AHS facilities as well as at private clinics/offices in the community) may receive some community DI reports twice (in their Connect Care In Basket as well as at their non-AHS locations).
• Additional information specific to DI report delivery for mixed-context providers is available in an earlier memo.
• All summative notes and results are available in Netcare.

For more information, please review the full memo:

• Memo: Connect Care Launch 4 Electronic Documents and Results Delivery from Connect Care to Community Providers 

How will Connect Care relate to Electronic Medical Records?

Alberta Health Services (AHS) strives to support the information sharing needed by the patient’s entire healthcare team, within and without Connect Care.

The electronic medical records (EMRs) relied upon by healthcare providers outside Connect Care settings must not be negatively impacted as Connect Care rolls out. Instead, the clinical information system (CIS) should expand opportunities for safe and effective information sharing. There are a number of ways for external systems to leverage the benefits of Connect Care.

A continuing eDelivery service brings laboratory test results, diagnostic imaging reports and other important information to EMRs in ways that allow the right information to be correctly placed in the right chart. Connect Care will make eDelivery easier by standardizing and simplifying the source for much of this information. Physicians currently receiving any form of eDelivery will be able to access a wider range of tests, reports and notifications as Connect Care rolls out. This is facilitated by AHS and the EMR vendors, so there is no need for physicians to request any expansion of eDelivery services. Physicians new to or seeking eDelivery can learn more online.

The Central Patient Attachment Registry (CPAR) and Community Integration Initiative (CII), are joint undertakings of Alberta Health, the Alberta Medical Association, and AHS; allowing EMRs to send and receive standardized summaries of patient needs with the Alberta Netcare provincial electronic health record. In time, Connect Care will also interface to CII and both draw from and contribute to CPAR data.

• FAQ: Evolving Alberta Health Information Landscape