APP Key Messages | May 12, 2022

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May 12, 2022

In this issue

Joining together with Atrium Health
New! Incentive Summary Report
Global Contrast Shortage Update
Epic Updates
COVID-19 Updates

Note: When accessing APP Pro links below, you may need to sign in again if you are not taken directly to the referenced page or information.

Joining Together with Atrium Health

As we announced yesterday, we're combining with North Carolina-based Atrium Health to create one leading health system to improve the lives of our patients, team members and communities. For more info, watch this video message from President and CEO Jim Skogsbergh and review this FAQ.

Keys to our Future Success

At our APP annual meetings last month, we shared five things you can do to improve patient care and maximize the size of the incentive. Learn more.

New! Incentive Summary Report

We recently announced our redesigned APP Incentive Program. The new Incentive Summary Report assists in monitoring and understanding your estimated APP incentive earnings.

Accessible through an external link in the Cerner scorecard, the report breaks down your incentive earned and unearned opportunities for each measure and funding source. It enables you to view both high-level insight and measure detail. All dollar amounts are based the annual budgeted incentive fund. Final earnings may increase or decrease based on actual incentive earnings. Additional things to know:

Data source: Cerner HealtheIntent
Update frequency: Daily, approx. 3-day data lag
Access: Aligned physicians with a scorecard have access to their own report. Any other user who opens the report will see a zero for all values
Learn more

Global Contrast Shortage Update

We’re closely tracking our supply and usage of non-ionic contrast and making ongoing adjustments to workflows and protocols to conserve supply while maintaining access for studies with clinical need for contrast enhancement.

Current system guidance for contrast enhanced CT exams

Perform all emergent contrast enhanced exams – those needed to address life/limb threatening conditions.
Encourage ordering of non-contrast alternatives whenever possible.
Radiologist to review all orders for contrast enhanced exams to identify possible alternative studies. The ordering physician/APC will receive communication via Epic message or, for those not on Epic, via phone.
If there is no suitable alternative and the exam is necessary for acute management of the patient’s care, perform the exam with appropriate dose reduction.
Delay exams that do not immediately alter the patient’s care plan if there is no suitable non-contrast alternative.

For ordering physicians/APCs:

A BPA will fire in Epic alerting you of the supply limitation for contrast-enhanced exams. For a given indication, use CareSelect to choose the highest rated exam that does not use CT contrast. Potential highly rated alternative exams include CT Without Contrast, MRI With and/or Without Contrast, and Ultrasound.
Review the Process for ordering contrast enhanced exams for language to use in your order, how you’ll be informed if an order is changed and a smartphrase allow tracking and follow-up of patients post shortage, including communication to each ordering physician/APC with a list of their patients with a recommendation of contrast follow-up.
Review conversation strategies for numerous clinical scenarios in the AAH Contrast Shortage Strategy.
Review the latest FAQ for Physicians and Clinical Teams.
Review the scripting being used for patient outreach/questions.

Stay tuned to your inbox for ongoing updates on this fluid situation.

Supporting your Practice

Clinical Integration weekly update: View the latest program update.

Patient Outreach: We are conducting patient outreach on your behalf to support quality outcomes and close quality care gaps. Read more.

Chicagoland Children's Health Alliance (CCHA) newsletter: View the latest news, including CCHA’s support of a global initiative to help support Ukrainian children should they need care in the United States.

Folic acid supplementation recommendation: The Adult Screening and Prevention committee approved alignment with USPSTF guidance to encourage women who are planning or capable of pregnancy to take a daily supplement containing 0.4 to 0.8 mg (400 to 800mcg) of folic acid, e.g. a daily multivitamin. Folic acid intake reduces the risk of fetal neural tube defects. At this time, folic acid supplementation will not be added to Epic health maintenance, Best Practice Alerts or quality measures. However, you are encouraged to share this guidance with your patients. Review SBAR .

COVID-19 Updates: A NEW Paxlovid packaging specifically for renally adjusted Paxlovid dosing is now available in Epic for prescribing. Learn more and refer to the Paxlovid Update for Providers– Renal Dose Package for order instructions.

Pharmacy & Therapeutics update: Review the Advocate Aurora Pharmacy and Therapeutics ambulatory and system committees decisions, including a new outpatient injectable for severe asthma (Tezspire) and the long-acting intramuscular injection, Cabenuva, for treatment of HIV. Read summary.

Reminder: New opioid prescribing procedure & education: The opioid epidemic reached over 100,000 deaths in the 12 months preceding April 2021. Across Advocate Aurora, our focus is shifting from decreasing prescribing to appropriate prescribing and management of patients on chronic opioids for pain. To learn more and earn opioid-specific CME, all prescribers are encouraged to take these courses on eUniversity accessible via APP Pro. Learn more.

Opioid Prescribing Procedure course
Weaning Opioids
Drug Screening for Patients on Opioid Therapy

Epic Updates

Advocate Aurora Health Updates

Reminder: Next Epic upgrade June 15: Please see this overview for enhancements going live on June 15. A new Epic toolset for advance care planning will also launch on this date. Watch for updates.

Epic In Basket Clean-up: Like your Outlook inbox, managing your Epic In Basket can be time consuming and the volume of messages can be overwhelming. We’re supporting you by applying automatic rules to certain In Basket messages, including:

Expiration dates
Removing old messages
Automatic closure of encounters

Review the message and encounter types included in this clean-up.

Epic SlicerDicer online education sessions scheduled: To assist with your clinical reporting needs, HIT is offering several live, interactive SlicerDicer education sessions in May and June providing an overview of the tool and how it can help your practice. Register for sessions.

Epic Advance Care Planning session: To support utilization of the new Epic Advance Care Planning (ACP) tools coming June 15, an informational session is available to review the ACP activity and will include a Q&A session. This informational session is in addition to regular Epic Training and Education. The session will be held Wednesday, May 25, 4 - 5 p.m. Call in phone number is 1-630-556-1696/Phone Conference ID: 672-357-79#.

Epic Update: Hospital edition for physicians and APCs: The latest Epic Update: Hospital edition for Physicians and APCs includes updates on results review changes, Epic summer upgrade coming June 15 and case request: outpatient procedure patient class.

Epic Connect Practice Updates

Login Screen Changing: On May 17, the external login page for access.advocatehealth.com will change to create a uniform Citrix login page for all of Advocate Aurora users including APP Epic Connect practices entering the system. After entering your username and password, you will still be prompted for Duo approval and all other functionality will stay the same.

Epic Update: Ambulatory Epic Connect: The new Epic Update: Ambulatory Epic Connect edition will be distributed the second and fourth Thursdays of the month in APP Key Messages. Review this edition which includes the latest on managing your Epic In Basket and patient reminder list added to In Basket sidebar.

Epic Connect Service Now live: APP practices can call a centralized service desk to address any Epic-related questions or concerns. The number is 630-990-7000. Callers will be prompted to select Option 3 for the Epic menu and Option 3 for Epic Connect.

Advancing Research

Research Institute hosts inaugural Scientific Grand Rounds beginning May 18

This first session focuses on the opportunities available to Advocate Aurora Health physician and APC investigators and research scientists through the Research Institute’s new membership in the Health Care Systems Research Network.

The virtual presentation is scheduled for Wednesday, May 18, noon - 1 p.m. View flyer.

Visit our website to learn how our research is advancing patient care.

World Live Neurovascular Conference

On Friday, May 13, teams at three Advocate Aurora Health sites will be broadcasting live cases during the World Live Neurovascular Conference. Demetrius Lopes, MD, and Joshua Billingsley, MD, are scheduled to perform seven cases at Advocate Lutheran General Hospital. One case led by Hamad Farhat, MD, and Khaled Asi, MD, will be broadcast from Advocate Christ Medical Center, and Thomas Wolfe, MD, and Sudeepta Dandapat, MD, will perform one case at Aurora St. Luke's Medical Center. The educational opportunity demonstrates the system's neurovascular expertise on an international scale and highlights the integrated video streaming and remote support capabilities at our comprehensive stroke centers. Tune into the live cases on May 13.

Continuing Medical Education and Events

Clinician Well-being Webinar: Using Nutrition as a Tool to Reconnect and Stay Connected to Your “Why”

Thursday, May 26 | noon – 1 p.m.

As physicians and APCs with busy schedules we don’t always allow much time to eat thoughtfully during the workday, let alone eat foods that aid in our energy and cognition. This can lead to feeling run down and burnt out. This webinar will deliver nutritional education for us to consider implementing into our lives to keep healthy, prevent or “bounce back from” burnout and aid in providing quality patient care.