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For Everyone
IT Help Desk Gets a New Name and Process Improvements
Effective Friday, Oct. 29

The IT Help Desk is changing its name to the IT Service Desk. This reflects our ongoing commitment to supporting you, our customers, by implementing new processes and self-service options. As part of this transition, we have a new email address, itsupport@houstonmethodist.org. The old email address, helpdesk@houstonmethodist.org, will continue working as we transition.

Next time you have an issue or need service, visit our website. 
You can still submit tickets through email, but one of the best ways to get your issue resolved is by visiting https://itsupport.houstonmethodist.org. Beginning Friday, Oct. 29. you can submit tickets and track their progress on the site. You can also find resources and stay current with IT news.

Better communication with you.
We have also improved the auto-generated emails you receive when you submit a ticket. These emails allow you to check on the status of your ticket, and if you need to provide more information or have questions, you can simply reply to these emails and it will populate into your ticket history. These emails will now come from IT Support. 

Once your ticket is resolved, let us know your feedback.
When your ticket is closed, you will receive an email with a link to a brief satisfaction survey. Take a minute to let us know about your experience. We take your feedback seriously and will use it to make improvements.

For All Epic Users
Prepare for the End of Daylight Saving Time (DST)
2 a.m. Sunday, Nov. 7

At 2 a.m. Sunday, Nov. 7, clocks are adjusting back one hour due to the end of daylight saving time (DST). If you’re working during this change, follow these instructions for Epic and LaborWorkx.

Epic
Epic won’t automatically correct the time and you may need to manually enter some data twice from 0100-0200 CDT (before the time change) and 0100-0200 CST (after the time change) for the repeat fall back hour. Be sure to validate all times for accuracy as documentation, event times, some BPAs and ADT events may be impacted.

To maintain continuity of care, review your department’s instructions here: it.houstonmethodist.org/dst-end-2021.

LaborWorkx
Badge readers and Quick Badge will update at 2 a.m. Sunday, Nov. 7. LaborWorkx will automatically add the extra hour worked and generate an exception message stating the hours were adjusted due to DST.

If you notice any problems with a badge reader, or for clocking questions contact the IT Service Desk. For additional questions about DST clocking, contact HR Hub at 832.667.6211 or hrhub@houstonmethodist.org. 

For managers:

• Allow sufficient time to review timecards for employees who worked during the DST change. 
  • Clocking before the time change: Edit clocking by moving the time back one hour.
  • Clocking after the time change: Add Override Code 6 – “Do Not Adjust Daylight Savings” to the clocking.
  • Clocking between 1-2 a.m.: LaborWorkx will generate a critical exception.

For All Specimen Scanning Users
Take the Specimen Scanning Survey
Complete Brief Survey

On Monday, Oct. 18, we completed the systemwide launch of Specimen Scanning. If this impacted you, please take a minute to complete a brief survey by clicking here. Your feedback is important as we plan for future improvements. All responses are anonymous. 

Security Matters

For Everyone
Weak Passwords Won't Work
Effective Now 

If you get a notice that your HM network password is expiring soon but your new password is getting rejected, your new password may not meet the requirements:

• Your password must be at least 10 characters long and include three of the following:
  • Uppercase letter
  • Lowercase letter
  • Number (0 – 9)
  • Special character ($, !, @, #, etc.)
• Your password must not include:
  • Any part of your name.
  • Any part of your Houston Methodist username.
  • Any part of the Houston Methodist name.
  • Any of your previous five passwords.
• Weak or insecure passwords may not be accepted by the system if it’s determined to be too similar to previously used passwords and common words or phrases, e.g., Astros1234 or Winter2021. This is to keep our HM and patient data secure. 

• You have a Medicare card, but you are contacted about needing a new one.
• Someone is asking you to wire money.
• You’ve won a prize, but you can’t get it until you send money.
• You get an urgent request to donate to a charity.

Share this helpful FTC resource with a senior citizen in your life.  

Provider News

For All HMH and HMCCH Providers and Staff
New LTAC Unit Opening at HMH
First Patient Accepted Monday, Nov. 15

HMCCH is opening a new LTAC unit inside HMH, accepting its first patient Monday, Nov. 15. This will help our HMH patients stay with their HMH providers, instead of being transferred to an outside LTAC facility. The new unit, M7SW, will operate separately from HMH but will use HMH’s diagnostic and procedural services.

The HMH LTAC workflow will be different from other HMH units and will work similarly to how HMCCH functions with HMW.

• Any time a patient leaves the unit, the patient will go on Leave of Absence (LOA).
• HMCCH and agency employees will staff the new LTAC.
• UAAs will act as admitting staff.

For All Inpatient Providers and Staff
Keep Hospitalized Patients’ Families Updated with Auto Text/Email Messages
Piloting Monday, Nov. 1 at HMWB 5 West and 7 East

On Monday, Nov. 1, HMWB 5 West and 7 East will pilot a new initiative, leveraging text and email messaging to keep our admitted patients’ designated family members and loved ones up to date on their conditions, while they’re in the hospital.

In September, we implemented similar functionality systemwide for our hospitalized patients with visitation restriction orders, typically COVID-19 patients. This new initiative will expand this communication feature beyond COVID-19 patients, to all our hospitalized patients and will:

• Increase patient and family satisfaction.
• Keep multiple family members/loved ones regularly updated on the patient’s condition, while reducing the need to access clinicians.
  • Family members will be encouraged to leverage one family spokesperson for calls or questions about text/email updates, helping reduce calls from multiple family members to the unit.
• Improve outcomes.
• Reduce your phone time and eliminate phone tag.
• Allow for proactive service recovery.
  • We’ll automatically text/email recipients to see if they were satisfied with our communication. If they’re dissatisfied, this information will be sent to Guest Relations and/or unit nurse leadership, so they can immediately respond and address service needs.

To learn more about this new feature:

• Check out the Inpatient Texting Pilot presentation.
• Inpatient providers: Review the Write a Daily Communication tip sheet.

Our goal is to continue expanding this feature to other campuses/units. HMCL 4 Medical, HMW 5 East, HMTW 6 South and HMH Fondren 12, Jones 10 will pilot this feature starting Monday, Nov. 15.

Click here for the October issue of Physician Connect or visit it.houstonmethodist.org/physicians for important updates and tools. 

Launch Alerts

For HMH Nurses
Reminders: IV Pump Integration with Epic Launches Next Week at HMH
Starts on Monday, Nov. 1 

IV pump integration with Epic launches at HMH from Monday, Nov. 1 to Tuesday, Nov. 9. Please review the following support information and reminders.

Integration exempt medications
Certain medications are exempt from IV pump integration and will require manual pump programming, including:

• Investigational drugs
• PCAs
• Certain combination chemo meds
• Normal saline bolus
• Lactated ringers bolus

When attempting to enter these exempt medications, the send order details button won't appear and pump integration won't be available. You can still manually program the pump to deliver these infusions and enter medication volumes individually in the patient I&O flowsheet, as you always have.

Go-live support
Following the project launch, report issues to the IT Service Desk at 832.667.5600 or email itsupport@houstonmethodist.org. When reporting an issue, be prepared to provide:

• Module serial number or barcode number (should be the same)
• Medication in use
• Error code on pump (if present)
• Tower/unit location

Charge nurses/managers/directors: To report urgent patient safety issues or escalate existing support tickets, call the on-site Command Center at 832.756.3689 (Conference ID: 192 751 514#) or visit it in the Guadalupe and Pecos Conference Rooms (Dunn Tower). 

Tip sheets and training resources
Tip sheets and training resources are available in the Epic Learning Home. To access these, press F1 on your keyboard while logged into Epic or click the links below (you must be connected to the HM network).

• IV Pump Integration Exercise Booklet
• IV Pump Integration – Document IV Fluids and Medication Boluses
• IV Pump Integration – Error Codes
• IV Pump Integration – Handling Patient Transfers with Running Infusions
• Updating the IV Pump Drug Library
• Validating Data in Real Time with Pump Rate Verify

For more information or support, contact Connie Lauw (cmlauw@houstonmethodist.org) or visit it.houstonmethodist.org/ivpump/.

For SPG/PCG HIM Departments
Solarity Fax and Scanning Automation Launch: Monday, Nov. 8

The Solarity automated faxing and scanning system is launching Monday, Nov. 8 for identified SPG/PCG Departments. The new system will improve patient safety by making incoming patient information available in Epic sooner and it improves indexing accuracy.

For SPG/PCG staff who scan paper or process faxes in the clinic, it’s faster for the system to automatically index this information into Epic, because you don’t need to manually scan documents into Epic. The system will apply standard document classification across all areas, making it easier to find documents in Epic.

Epic Updates

For All Epic Users
Reminders from the Oct. 24 Epic Update

The Epic Update on Sunday, Oct. 24 was a success. The planned downtime took under the estimated two hours to complete and ticket volume was low. Thank you for preparing for this Update and ensuring its success. If you need support, you can continue to review your Companion by pressing F1 on your keyboard while logged in to Epic or visiting it.houstonmethodist.org/epicupdate.

Some of the highlights from this Update include:

• Epic Deterioration Index: EDI is now available in Epic for early detection and intervention of at-risk patients. EDI will replace the Rothman Index in December.
• Behavioral Health Module: The new Behavioral Health module streamlines documentation and treatment planning in Epic for both the inpatient and outpatient behavioral health clinics at HMH, and adds to the patient's story for clinicians systemwide.
• Secure Chat: New "group" functionality allows you to send and receive instant messages from identified peer groupings you opt-in to or are assigned to.

For Inpatient Providers and Med/Surg and ICU Nurses
How to View Patients' Epic Deterioration Index Scores
Now Available

The Epic Deterioration Index (EDI) is now available for early detection and intervention of at-risk patients. Every 15 minutes, the EDI updates a color-coded numerical score, which appears on providers’ and nurses’ Overview Summary Report along with the score over time and factors contributing to the score. Epic monitor boards also display the score with a 24-hour sparkline. Nurses can also view the EDI score on their Brain activity.

To add the Deterioration Index column on the Patient List, providers and nurses can:

1. Click the wrench or Edit List button from the Patient Lists activity.
2. Select Properties from the drop-down menu.
3. Enter edi in the Properties window Search bar.
4. Click Add Column.

Nurses can also add a Deterioration Index tab on the Summary Activity by entering deterioration (or part of the word) in the Reports search field. This adds the tab as a summary report.

For more information:

• Providers: View a brief training video at it.houstonmethodist.org/edi-provider-video.
• Inpatient Nurses: Training is required and assigned in LMS (Epic CLN5000 Epic Deterioration Index (EDI), course #1600009).

For ED Nurses
New Tools: Sepsis Narrator, Order Set and Checklist
Effective Monday, Nov. 1

As of Monday, Nov. 1, three new Epic tools will be able to help you document Sepsis care:

• Sepsis Narrator
• Order Set
• Sepsis Checklist

For information on using these, review this tip sheet and video.

For Epic Registration Staff
Associated Patient Field Mismatch
Effective Today

Effective today, if the Guarantor and the Associated Patient’s Demographic information (name, SSN, DOB and sex) aren’t the same, a warning message will display on the guarantor verification record of the registration checklist. Incorrect information entered in the Associated Patient field could cause patients, not responsible for the guarantor, to view the guarantor’s information in MyChart. The information should be corrected to complete guarantor verification.

View this tip sheet for more information. 

Planned Downtimes or Maintenances

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 Apple Users
New: Apple Critical iOS 15.0.2 Update

For Everyone
Specimen Scanning Completes 14-Month Systemwide Rollout
HMWB Successfully Launched Oct. 18

For Everyone
HM Policy: Secure Confidential Emails

For HMB, HMSL, HMTW and HMWB PerfectServe Care Team Users
PerfectServe Care Team Enhancements

For Everyone
Teams Tip: Set Instant Message Urgency

For SPG/PCG Providers and Clinical Staff
Caregility MyChart Video Visit: Tips and Tricks

For IP Providers and Nurses
Vidyo Telerounding and Video Consult Platform Replaced

For Parents and Guardians
Teaching Kids About Internet Safety
Cybersecurity Awareness Series

For HMCL Radiology, Inpatient Imaging Staff and Unit Managers
Epic Transport and Transport Mobile Go-Live

For HMB Bed Planning / OA Staff
Epic Transfer Center Module at HMB

For Floor Nurses
Signed & Held Orders Banners Enhanced

For Everyone-Everyone