PHMG Weekly: Additional Help on Epic

In This Issue

Epic Stabilization

Provider Award Program

IHI Video #3

Global Lessons in Healthcare

The Institute of Healthcare Improvement (IHI) held its 25th national forum last month. PeaceHealth recorded nine of the major talks and has them available on the network.

This week's video covers lessons on improvement from around the world.

Click to watch (1:18)

Policy Notice

The following PHMG policy takes effect on January 31, 2014:

PHMG.SYS.457.2

Medication Samples

(Replaces PHMG.OR.378.65, PHMG.SEA.457.1 and

PHMG.VAN.181.11)

Additional PHMG policies can be found on the PHMG Policy page. Questions can be directed to Susan Vaughan, director of PHMG Clinical Operations.

Dr. Howard Graman

I'm pleased to share that PeaceHealth leadership recently approved staffing for more at-the-elbow Epic support in all three networks through the next year. Funding for our physician builders was also cleared.

In addition, the medical group has been in "sleeves-rolled-up" mode, working closely with the Epic team to stabilize key parts of the system and processes (more details below).

Going through the Epic transition has held many lessons for us all. One of the most lasting is that we will never be "done" making adjustments. It's a classic case of continuous process improvement--a never-ending journey. Thanks for your patient work and continued support throughout.

P.S. After last week's column , there was a request for clarification that Emmi is an education tool and should not to be confused with Language of Caring, a communication tool. Learn more about Emmi here.

Epic Stabilization

Referrals, Reporting Among Top Focus

With each go-live on Epic, providers and other caregivers have helped identify areas for improvement--both in the system and in workflows. Over the past several weeks, the medical group has organized a "stabilization team" to help address the most critical areas and lay the groundwork for the optimization phase.

Most recently, a "package" of referral-related improvements went live earlier this week. Other referral improvements are due to be made by mid February.

According to Kathleen Porter, director of PHMG Performance Excellence and PHMG lead for this work, the stabilization team is finalizing the structure, resources and priorities for the rest of stabilization program.

Several of the following areas are among the team's priorities:

Clinic Collect Work Flow
Adding External Providers With Fax Numbers
DME ( Not Built Out)
Synonyms For Imaging
Order Interface For Imaging
Fax And Communications (Routing Notes, Results, Letters To Non Epic Providers)
Specialty Collaboration work - Ortho and Cardiology first
Immunization Registry
Security Provisioning Processes
Reporting for managers and providers
Help Desk/Issue Reporting and Resolution

The stabilization work is intended to help hardwire the processes involved in prioritizing and looking holistically at areas that require cross-team collaboration. Optimization work--i.e., any new "bells and whistles"--will be evaluated after the basics are in good order.

Watch for continued system and workflow improvements. Questions about Epic stabilization can be directed to kporter2@peacehealth.org.

Award Program Reminder

PeaceHealth Needs More Providers

Just a reminder that PeaceHealth is offering a $5,000 award to any eligible caregiver for referring a physician who is hired (M.D. or D.O.) or $2,500 for referring an advanced practice clinician (Nurse Practitioner, Physician Assistant, Certified Nurse Midwife, or Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist).

Eligible PeaceHealth employed caregivers (not in a supervisory role or in People & Culture) should submit the name and either personal phone number or personal email address of a physician or APC to: RS:SYS-ProviderReferral@peacehealth.org

Here are some of our current needs:

Columbia Network

Interventional Cardiologist for Longview

Palliative Care for Longview

Family Medicine for Longview

General Surgeon for Longview

Nurse Practitioner - Occ Med for Longview

Northwest Network

Orthopedic PA for Ketchikan

Endocrinologist for Bellingham

Emergency Medicine (Board Certified) for Peace Island

Geriatrician for Bellingham

Oregon West Network

Neurohospitalist for Eugene/Springfield

Family Medicine for Cottage Grove

Emergency Medicine for Florence

Nurse Midwife for Eugene

Nurse Practitioner - Wound Therapy for Eugene

Please keep in mind that all referrals will be verified by Provider Recruitment as eligible. For a provider to be eligible for referral they:

Must not be a current or former PeaceHealth employee
Cannot be agency/temporary/locums or in the screening or interviewing process for a role within PeaceHealth
Cannot require H1B1 visa sponsorship
Must be hired into a role greater than 0.5 FTE
Must remain a PeaceHealth employee for a minimum of 30 days (physician) or 60 days (APC)

PeaceHealth Medical Group
1115 SE 164th Ave., 2nd Floor | Vancouver, WA 98683

www.peacehealth.org/phmg

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