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For Everyone
Help a Loved One Request MyChart Proxy Access
Now Available Electronically

Helping your patients gain proxy access to their child's or loved one's health record just got easier. The MyChart proxy application is now available to access and submit electronically.

Please remind family members that getting results on behalf of a minor or a loved one is not possible without submitting this application. When approved, the proxy account will automatically link to the requester’s MyChart account.

Note: Electronic or paper-copy proxy applications take time to process and won't result in immediate access within MyChart. 

For a parent, legal guardian or for power of attorney of a minor, use this form.

For adults needing access on behalf of another adult (non-power of attorney), use this form.

Review this tip sheet for details, including how to provide a paper copy of this form (for in-person completion).  

For Everyone
Intelligent Automation Team Providing Robotic Process Automation (RPA) Services
We Want to Hear From You 

1. Sign in to Office.com.
2. Click the small circle, in the upper-right corner of the page, that has either your initials or a photo.
3. In the window that pops up, click on the large circle that has your initials or a photo.
4. In the Change your photo pop-up window, select + Upload a new photo.
5. Select the image you want and click Apply.
6. Click Done.

Note: This will change your profile image on all Microsoft 365 apps but changes may not be immediate and typically require a computer reboot.

For Everyone
Weekly Microsoft Training Free for All Employees 

As HM employees, you have access to free, weekly, online Microsoft-hosted courses. Every Tuesday from 1 - 2 p.m. we cover different topics, like PowerPoint, Excel, Teams, SharePoint, Power BI, etc. Attend only the sessions that interest you. If you miss a session, you can later view a recording of it. 

Important Tips

For All Physicians, Residents and APPs
New Resident E-Prescribe Controlled Medications Guidelines
Effective Monday, Aug. 9

Starting Monday, Aug. 9, residents with e-prescribing capabilities can now
e-prescribe controlled medications using SecureAuth. This applies to:

• Inpatient discharge medications and outpatient medication orders placed in clinic.
• Schedule III – V.
• Schedule II with cosign.

For more information on e-prescribing using SecureAuth or instructions on signing up, review the tip sheet, or visit the E-Rx Controlled Substances website.

If you have any issues with sign up or access, contact the IT Physicians Help Desk, 832.667.5555.

For All Vocera Users
Vocera Badge Tips
Make Your Badge Work for You

If you wear a Vocera badge, here are some tips to make sure your hands-free communications tool works for you. Remember to stay HIPAA-safe because all Vocera communications are on speaker. As needed, answer calls with, “Hi, you’re on speaker and I’m in a patient room.”

How to add/remove yourself from groups

• Find groups you belong to: Ask, “What groups am I in?”
• Add yourself to a group: Say, “Add me to [group name].”
• Remove yourself from a group: Say, “Remove me from [group name]."

If Genie has trouble understanding you
Push the call button and after the prompt say:

• “Learn a name” (for people’s names). 
• “Learn a group name” (for units or generic roles).

For easy reference and additional tips, check the Vocera Quick-Start Guide and the tip sheets on it.houstonmethodist.org/vocera.

Launch Alerts

For Inpatient and Outpatient Behavioral Health Providers and HMH Clinicians
New Epic Behavioral Health Module
Launches Sunday, Aug.15
Complete Training by Friday, Aug. 13

On Sunday, Aug. 15, the new Epic Behavioral Health module launches for both inpatient and outpatient behavioral health clinics at HMH — streamlining documentation and treatment planning in Epic, making your workflows easier and more efficient.

Epic’s Behavioral Health Module provides specific content, features and functionality to better track regulatory compliance while supporting the Institute for Healthcare Improvement’s (IHI) triple-aim objective for improving the care of a patient population.
   
Training and Support
To make sure you are prepared, please complete all required training by Friday, Aug.13. Role-based training has been assigned in LMS:

IP Providers and Nursing Staff:

• Epic Behavioral Health Documenting a Treatment Plan for Clinicians and Providers (Online Only)
• Course Number: 1594019

IP Social Work:

• Epic Behavioral Health Group Documentation for Social Worker (Online Only)
• Course Number: 1594011

IP Recreational Therapy:

• Behavioral Health Group Documentation for Recreational Therapists (Online Only) 
• Course Number: 1594016

IP Music Therapy:

• Behavioral Health Group Documentation for Music Therapists (Online Only) 
• Course Number: 1594015

OP Providers:

• EpicCare AMBBH100 Outpatient Behavioral Health E-Learning (Online Only)
• Course Number: 1594018

For questions about the new module, please speak with your manager/director. For questions or issues with training, please contact the IT Training team at epictraining@houstonmethodist.org.

For All Providers and Pharmacists
New IllumiCare Smart Ribbon Resources App
Effective Thursday, Aug. 19

For more information:

• Watch this video.
• Read this tip sheet.

For videos and resources for other HM Smart Ribbon apps, go to this website.

For Pharmacists, Pharmacy Techs and Buyers
HMH Pharmacy Inventory Management Launches Tuesday, Sept. 14
Online Training, Aug. 30 - Sept. 10

Pharmacy Inventory Management launches at HMH on Tuesday, Sept. 14 for pharmacists, pharmacy techs and buyers. This new system provides efficiencies for drug inventory procurement and management by increasing inventory visibility, accurately charging for high-cost medications and minimizing drug shortages and obsolete stock.

Required LMS training – Friday, Sept. 10
Required LMS online training has been assigned to pharmacists and pharmacy techs. Online training takes place Aug. 30 - Sept. 10. Instructor-led courses for buyers are in LMS now (Epic Willow Pharmacy Inventory Training for Buyers – ​ course #159033).

Benefits: The system increases inventory visibility to 95% or higher, helping us ensure all high-demand medications are available at all times. This will save HM an estimated $18.9 million per year.

How it works: Pharmacy Inventory Management automatically adds any received medications, and deducts any used medications systemwide via any of the HM automated dispensing mechanism, including dispensing cabinet/Pyxis, IV Workflow/DoseEdge, dispensing carousels and others.

Epic Updates

There’s just over a week until the Aug. 15 Epic Update. To prepare, be sure to review your Update Companion and understand the changes for your role.

A section at the top of each Update Companion highlights the most important changes for your role. You'll also find summaries of other changes and workflow improvements, as well as guided activities you can practice in the Epic Playground. 

The review process is easy. You don't need to click an acknowledge button and there are several places to find your Update Companion. Press F1 on your keyboard while logged in to Epic to get to the Learning Home or visit it.houstonmethodist.org/epicupdate/.

Reminders

• Staff with multiple roles may have more than one Learning Home and Update Companion. Be sure to review all the appropriate material for your roles.
• Press F1 on your keyboard while logged in to Epic to get to the Learning Home. Note: the Update Companion banner disappears after you click the Close button. To review an Update Companion again after you close the window or to view Update Companions for other roles, visit it.houstonmethodist.org/epicupdate/.
• Use the guided activities in your Update Companion to experience and practice new workflows in the Epic Playground. For instructions and a list of user IDs and passwords for all roles, view the Accessing the Epic Playground tip sheet.
• From Wednesday, Aug. 11 at 5 a.m. to Sunday, Aug. 15 at 3:30 a.m., some Epic functions will be unavailable, and no changes or enhancements will be made. You can still work in Epic as usual, but you won't be able to apply filters in Chart Review; create, edit and share NoteWriter macros, SmartPhrases and SmartLinks; or create and edit In Basket QuickActions.

For Managers

Please help your staff understand the top changes before the Aug. 15 Epic Update. Use these role-specific materials to help you communicate with your team during meetings, huddles and rounding.

• Huddle Notes: https://it.houstonmethodist.org/epicupdate-huddle/
• Meeting-in-a-Box: https://it.houstonmethodist.org/epicupdate-miab/

For All Epic Users
Learn More About Upcoming Changes for Your Role

For additional highlights of changes in the Aug. 15 Epic Update, be sure to attend a role-based Update Briefing session or view the Update Snapshot videos using the links below.

For All Epic Users
Planned Epic Downtime
Sunday, Aug. 15 from 2 to 3:30 a.m.

In preparation for the Epic Update, Epic will experience a planned downtime on Sunday, Aug. 15, from 2 to 3:30 a.m. During the downtime, access Epic Read-Only.

Note: Data in Epic Read-Only is current until the downtime begins. You can’t document or place orders in Epic Read-Only. For more details, review the Planned Downtime Instructions.

For All Inpatient Nurses
COVID-19 Vaccine Documentation Added To Admission Required Documentation 
Effective Immediately

To ensure accurate recording of patients’ vaccination status for patient and staff safety, nursing leadership is now requiring COVID-19 vaccine documentation in Epic. The Admission navigator and corresponding flowsheets have been updated to track vaccination status for all inpatient patients 12 and older, as indicated by the required documentation icon and status coloring. If a patient states they have already received the COVID-19 vaccine(s), please update the Immunization Activity.

In addition, an Unable to determine choice has been added to the custom list of choices for the COVID-19 vaccine screening.

For Inpatient Ordering Providers, Radiologists and MRI Staff
Approval for MRI on Unconscious Now Electronic
Effective Sunday, Aug. 15

On Sunday, Aug. 15, in an effort to more efficiently communicate and document approvals, the process to approve MRI procedures on unconscious patients will be available electronically. The approval can be done anywhere physicians have access to Epic and ordering clinicians and radiologists will simply need to access the MRI order to approve the request.

Review this tip sheet for more information. 

For SPG/PCG Finance, Main Cashiers, ADT Supervisors, Manager and Directors
Create and Edit Cash Drawers in Epic
Effective Sunday, Aug. 15

Starting on Sunday, Aug. 15, to save time and make the process more efficient you’ll no longer need to submit an IT Help Desk ticket to have a Cash Drawer created or revised. Simply create and edit cash drawers in Epic with the Cash Drawer Maintenance activity.

Review this tip sheet for more information.

For Radiology Front Desk, MRI Staff and Patient Registration Staff
MyChart Check-In Available for MRI Departments
Effective Sunday, Aug. 15

On Sunday, Aug. 15, to help improve the patient experience and save time, patients can begin checking-in for MRI imaging services through MyChart. 

MyChart eCheck-In status and Screening questionnaire information displays on the TPR (Today’s Patients Report) and the DAR (Department Appointment Report).

Review this tip sheet for more information.

For Staff Working in Account Workqueues or Who View Accounts Via Lookup
Status Summary Activity Tab Not Automatically Visible
Effective Sunday, Aug. 15

As of Sunday, Aug. 15, the Status Summary Activity tab in Epic won’t automatically be visible. Instead, you’ll need to click the Billing Alerts section in Storyboard to open a temporary Status Summary Activity tab.

For All HMSL Providers and Clinicians
Tube Feeding and Free Water Order Changes
Effective Tuesday, Aug. 10

Starting Tuesday, Aug. 10 at HMSL, Tube Feeding and Free Water orders will change to support the EntrafloH2O feeding pump.

Note: this change took place at HMWB earlier this week. 

For examples, including screenshots, read the full article.

Planned Downtimes or Maintenance

If you experience issues during a planned maintenance, including missing computer icons or shared drives, please be patient and restart your computer. To ensure minimal impact, save your work often, before and during any planned maintenance.

Reminders

You can see previous issues of IT Matters and more at it.houstonmethodist.org.

For Everyone
Time Saving Tip in Outlook 

For All Providers
Physician Connect – July Newsletter

For LifeImage Users
New Imaging Platform to Integrate with Epic

For HIM Staff
Solarity Automated Fax and Scanning: Launch Postponed for HMH, HMCL and HMB

For All Providers and Clinicians
New COVID-19 Vaccine Series Completed Column in Patient List

​For Rover Users
New Phlebotomy Collection Filter

For All Providers
Interpreter Used Question Added to DNR and Modified Code Orders

For All Providers, Nurses and Wound Care Clinicians
Clinitron Bed Order Replaced with Air Fluidized 
Therapy Bed Order

For All Epic Users and Everyone at HMB
HMSJ Department References Officially Change to HMB
Effective Sunday, Aug. 15

For New Hire Managers and Epic Users
New LMS Course: Epic CAD201 Gatekeeper Lite

For Everyone-Everyone