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). 

Webinar: Connect Care - A Primary Care Primer

Are you wondering how Connect Care might change the way you work? Are you wanting to be prepared with some tips and tricks that can help you be ready for the changes? Are you curious about how Connect Care will improve care transitions for primary care providers particularly if they don’t work in an AHS facility?

On March 15, 2023, AHS is hosting a webinar, Connect Care: A Primary Care Primer, open to anyone in primary healthcare. This is a good opportunity for those that are affected by the Connect Care Launch 6 (scheduled for May 6, 2023) to get practical tips, troubleshooting advice and more (see the Connect Care launch timeline for a list of zones and sites affected by Launch 6).

At the webinar, you’ll find out more about the following:

• How to set up identification codes to ensure patient results are delivered directly into your EMR
• How to get AHS support on Connect Care
• How Connect Care keeps you informed on patient discharge information and readmission risks
• How the primary care community helped design Connect Care processes

We’re also hoping to get lots of questions, so come prepared to put your hand up! 

The webinar will be via Zoom, and is offered in two sessions on March 15. Click on the relevant link below to register for a particular session:

• Wednesday, March 15, 2023, 08:00–09:00
• Wednesday, March 15, 2023, 16:00–17:00

For more information, contact PHC@ahs.ca.

Connect Care Launch Sequencing Update and Identifiers on Lab Requisitions - Important information for community providers

Connect Care continues to be one of Alberta Health Services’ highest organizational priorities. Upcoming launch dates have been confirmed, as follows:

• Launch 4 - May 28, 2022: Sites in Calgary and Edmonton Zones
• Launch 5 - November 6, 2022: Sites in Calgary, Central and North Zones; some provincial programs (including Cancer Care Alberta)
• Launch 6 - Spring 2023: Calgary and provincial lab services; sites in Calgary, Edmonton and Central Zones

AHS’ executive leadership continues to monitor the situation related to managing COVID-19, and should these dates change, the information will be shared through usual AHS channels. The final implementation, Launch 9, is scheduled for Fall 2024. Connect Care is already being used in parts of the Edmonton and North Zones. Additional information about which sites are included with each Connect Care launch is available here. 

All community providers in Alberta need to act so that laboratory, diagnostic imaging, and other investigation results and reports are delivered to your office. As of February 2022, Connect Care identifiers have been distributed to providers and clinics throughout Alberta, via letter mail. To confirm Connect Care IDs for providers and clinics, please visit: provideridlookup.ahs.ca. 

Please start using Connect Care IDs immediately and continue to also include non-Connect Care IDs on requisitions.

Alberta Precision Laboratories (APL), DynaLIFE and AHS Diagnostic Imaging (DI) have all introduced requisitions that include space for Connect Care and other current (“legacy”) healthcare identifiers. Please use the current requisition forms (updated in 2020), and provide current identification information, legacy IDs (e.g., Millennium ID) AND new Connect Care IDs on requisitions. For more information, please see: Using Connect Care IDs on Laboratory and Diagnostic Imaging Requisitions.

To facilitate results delivery, providers are also asked to maintain updated practice, demographic and clinic information with AHS using the Request for Provider/Prescriber Set-Up in Health Information Systems form.   

For more information:

• Delivery of Results to Community-based Providers from Connect Care: ahs.ca/ccresultstocommunity 
• Connect Care ID Look-up tool: provideridlookup.ahs.ca 
• Connect Care Information for the Community: ahs.ca/ccproviderbridge 
• Connect Care Information: ahs.ca/connectcare
• Resource: What Community Providers Need to Know for Connect Care Launch 5

Connect Care Identifiers on Lab Requisitions - Important information for community providers

Connect Care Wave 3 launches in less than a week, with key lab services at Alberta Health Services North Zone sites moving to Connect Care laboratory information services. This has implications for providers who do not use Connect Care as their record of care, as well as for providers in an interim state awaiting a future Connect Care launch (e.g., Cancer Care in NZ). 

All affected community providers are alerted to action needed to ensure that investigation results and reports are delivered correctly. This involves: 

• Use of Connect Care identifiers on requisitions
• Use of updated requisitions to order laboratory tests and diagnostic imaging

For more information: 

• FAQ: Connect Care Identifiers
• Presentation: Connect Care Identifiers
• Contact: ccproviderbridge@ahs.ca

Important Information for Primary Care and Community Providers related to the impact of Connect Care: Connect Care Identifiers

Connect Care will launch Wave 3 at select sites in the Calgary and North Zones on February 27, 2021. All community providers in Alberta need to take action so that laboratory, diagnostic imaging, and other investigation results and reports are delivered to your office. As soon as you receive notification from Alberta Health Services (AHS), you need to: 

• Use Connect Care identifiers on requisitions
• Use updated requisitions to order laboratory tests and diagnostic imaging

If your practice uses eDelivery for electronic delivery of results to your EMR, please confirm with you EMR vendor that your new identifiers have been uploaded to your EMR. If you do not use eDelivery, new Connect Care identifiers are being distributed by mail to your clinic before the Wave 3 launch. These identifiers must be placed on updated lab and diagnostic imaging requisitions so that results are successfully routed to community practices.

Community healthcare providers continue to use their existing Electronic Medical Records (EMRs) and other processes to manage patient information that is not part of the AHS record of care.  Community practitioners are a huge part of any person’s care team -- thank you for learning about Connect Care and supporting patient care across Alberta.

For more information: 

• Wave 3 Connect Care Identifiers (November 2020)
• ahs.ca/ccproviderbridge

Contact Connect Care: ccproviderbridge@ahs.ca  

Update your provider information with AHS: AHS.Provider_Requests@ahs.ca 

Connect Care Wave 2 Launch - October 24, 2020

Community practitioners are a significant part of any person’s care team, and it’s vital that they have information and awareness about Connect Care and how it will support and benefit patients. 

To ensure a smooth transition and ongoing delivery of laboratory and diagnostic imaging results, community providers in Alberta who do not use Connect Care as their record of care need to:

• Use Connect Care Identifiers
• Use new requisitions to order labs and diagnostic imaging that can incorporate those identifiers
• Advise AHS of any practice location(s) change, even if short term
• Provide a preferred method for receiving results and other information from AHS and affiliated organizations

Community health care providers continue to use their existing Electronic Medical Records and other processes to manage patient information that is not part of the AHS record of care.

• Alert AHS to provider information changes: AHS.Provider_Requests@ahs.ca
• Connect Care support for non-Connect Care users: ccproviderbridge@ahs.ca

Connect Care Community Provider Update, Issue 2, September 2020

Connect Care will launch “Wave 2” at Edmonton suburban sites on October 24, 2020.  Community healthcare providers continue to use their existing Electronic Medical Records (EMRs) and other processes to manage patient information that is not part of the AHS record of care.  

Community practitioners are a huge part of any person’s care team, and it’s vital that you have information and awareness about Connect Care and how it will support and benefit the care of your patients. To help ensure a smooth transition, regardless of wave or where you practice, to ensure ongoing delivery of laboratory and diagnostic imaging results to your office, community providers in Alberta need to: 

• Use Connect Care Identifiers 
• Use new requisitions to order labs and diagnostic imaging that can incorporate those identifiers
• Advise AHS if your practice location(s) change, even if short term.
• Provide your preferred method for receiving results and other information from AHS and affiliated organizations. 

For the full edition: Connect Care Community Provider Update, Issue 2, September 2020

Contact Information: 

• Connect Care: ccproviderbridge@ahs.ca 
• Update your provider information with AHS: AHS.Provider_Requests@ahs.ca 

Connect Care Planning Resumes with New Timelines and Sequence

As pre-pandemic activities restart across Alberta, Connect Care planning and implementation work is also resuming.

Waves 2 and 3 of Connect Care were temporarily delayed in March, given the significantly increased demands on our frontline physicians, staff and services, and the increased health risks our patients and healthcare teams faced due to COVID-19. While our response and management of COVID-19 continues across the province, we will be carefully and thoughtfully moving forward with preparations for the next waves of Connect Care, maintaining our ability to be flexible and ready for COVID-19 patients in the weeks and months to come, should demands change again in our province.

We have adjusted our rollout plan based on the impact of COVID-19. The launch dates for waves 2, 3, and 4 are as follows:

• Wave 2: Launch date - Saturday, October 24, 2020
• Wave 3: Launch date - Saturday, February 27, 2021
• Wave 4: Launch date - Saturday, June 5, 2021

The areas that will be part of each launch wave have also been updated. Please review the Connect Care wave scope and sequencing diagram to learn which sites and programs are included in these launch dates:

•  Connect Care wave scope and sequencing diagram 

A message has also been sent to staff, physicians and volunteers across AHS to advise them of Connect Care’s re-launch plans.

Community practitioners are an important part of every Albertan’s care team, and your ongoing support is vital  as together we move this provincial health care priority ahead. Thank you for your support.

Additional information about Connect Care activities will be shared soon. For Connect Care resources, please visit ahs.ca/ccproviderbridge, or email ccproviderbridge@ahs.ca.

Connect Care Community Provider Update - August 2019

Connect Care supports for Community Physicians

Alberta Health Services (AHS) partners with the Alberta Medical Association, the Alberta College of Physicians and Surgeons, and the Alberta College of Family Physicians to ensure that all physicians, including those not implementing Connect Care, are kept up-to-date about Connect Care developments that could affect them and their patients.

A Connect Care Bridges blog (bridges.connect-care.ca) focuses on the needs of physicians outside of Connect Care settings. 

A general-interest blog (bytes.connect-care.ca) posts daily with brief updates about health informatics topics of interest to physicians. 

A Connect Care website (ahs-cis.ca/ccproviderbridge) gathers in one place documents, news and updates of interest to community physicians.

Other physician-oriented Connect Care resources are summarized on a one-page handout (resources.connect-care.ca) and the Connect Care physician website (md.connect-care.ca) is a good place to get oriented.

Email inquiries from providers not anticipating use of Connect Care as their record of care can be directed to ccproviderbridge@ahs.ca.