What is the Connect Care Builder Program?
The Connect Care Builder Program is designed for clinicians who want to help configure and optimize the Connect Care clinical information system (CIS). The Builder Program establishes the understanding, tools, processes and relationships needed for interested and qualified clinicians to become effective design contributors and change agents through all phases of the Connect Care initiative.
While the Builder Program has a separate Builders Handbook, that resource is referenced in a few places in this Manual. Updates from the Builder Program are also a regular feature in the monthly prescriber newsletter, Between the Charts. If you're interested in learning more about the program, whether just for interest's sake or perhaps to become involved yourself, keep reading!
Who are Builders?
Builders are practitioner-users of the CIS who are recruited, trained, retained and supported to work with peers to facilitate CIS customizations, adaptations, personalizations and optimizations.
Most Physician Builders are not financially compensated for their contributions; their work is purely on a volunteer basis, using their time and expertise to enhance the system for the benefit of their peers.
What do Builders do?
Builders promote good design and meaningful CIS use through deep involvement in Connect Care. They train for Epic Physician or Content Builder Certification and build organizational capacity for CIS customization, optimization, content development, testing and surveillance. Builders bridge clinical and technical mindsets by improving characterization of user needs while easing pathways to solutions. In short, Builders help organize the CIS user population and improve two-way communication between them and the Information Technology (IT) team members.
Builders are typically clinicians who enjoy being involved with the CIS-related projects with an eye on the broader goal of organizational improvement. They may have strong technical skills as well, though this is not an absolute requirement.
Why do Builders matter?
An effective clinician engagement strategy promotes end-user organization, empowerment and accountability. Key to empowerment is building capacity to customize and adapt the CIS to better address clinical, quality improvement, safety, innovation and education goals. Builders gain the understanding, tools and relationships needed to be effective change agents. They can be invaluable members of clinical improvement initiatives.
Epic Physician Builder Courses
Did you know AHS physicians are welcome to take the Epic Physician Builder courses virtually? While there is no remuneration provided, this is a great opportunity to learn about Connect Care functionality at no cost. Completing the courses does not guarantee admission to the Connect Care Builder Program, but it can enhance your knowledge, support leadership initiatives, and keep you updated with IT developments.
Epic offers multiple training tracks, from generalist to specialist – click here for information on the tracks. For those who aren’t ready to commit, have a look here for a quick Epic video on the Physician Builder program; you can also subscribe to Epic’s Physician Newsletter.
Interested?
If you’re interested in learning more, please reach out to ConnectCare.BuilderProgram@ahs.ca.