To better support our clinical teams and streamline workflow, Ballad Health’s Clinical Informatics team has created a new request form for Informatics services related to Epic. It is designed to give clinicians and team members a way to request Epic education or informatics support outside of normal projects and scheduled rollouts. This covers requests such as “at-the-elbow” support or the need for clinic or facility rounding – for instance, if a new clinician comes to a clinic and has had basic Epic training but would like assistance with something Epic-related in particular. The centralized form is designed to ensure all requests are captured consistently, routed to the appropriate team members and tracked through completion. Click here to access the Epic Education Support Request form. Why this form is in place Previously, requests like these often came through multiple channels such as emails, hallway conversations and phone calls. This made it difficult to prioritize, assign and…

Ballad Health Foundation has provided an additional 40 Rover devices to hospital facilities across the Appalachian Highlands, which will assist nursing care teams in providing excellent care. Rover devices provide nursing teams with secure, convenient access to the Epic electronic health record (EHR) system. Because the devices are mobile, they help streamline workflow for nursing team members by allowing them to perform key clinical tasks on the go, often at the patient’s bedside. Streamlining these tasks allows them to work more efficiently, which then helps expedite emergency department wait times. The platform allows clinicians to record documentation and conduct barcode validation, acting as an extension for certain clinical tasks. With Rover, nursing team members can: Scan barcodes on patient wristbands and medications. This offers real-time verification and administration for medications. Document vital signs and assessments at the point of care. Track specimen collection with instant label printing and scan confirmation. Access patient charts and tasks…

Ballad Health will do an upgrade to our Epic electronic health record (EHR) on Wednesday, Aug. 13, starting at 1:30 a.m. Epic users will experience a scheduled Epic downtime of up to two hours as the new February 2025 version of Epic is applied. Leading up to the event, Epic users will experience limitations with various Epic features beginning Friday, Aug. 8, at 5 p.m. Click here for more information on the system freeze. About the downtime Epic will not be completely offline during the downtime window, but will be placed in a “read only” status, so information can’t be entered into Epic during this downtime period. Ballad Health IT will notify users when the downtime period has ended through an IT “All Clear” notification. NOTE: A system build freeze for non-emergency Epic changes will go into effect starting Wednesday, Aug. 6, at noon, lasting until Wednesday, Aug. 13, at 7 p.m. About the upgrade Epic…

Ballad Health will do an upgrade to our Epic electronic health record (EHR) on Wednesday, May 14, starting at 1:30 a.m. Epic users will experience a scheduled Epic downtime of up to two hours as the new November 2024 version of Epic is applied. Leading up to the event, Epic users will experience limitations with various Epic features beginning Friday, May 9, at 5 p.m. Click here for more information on the system freeze. About the downtime Epic will not be completely offline during the downtime window, but will be placed in a “read only” status, so information can’t be entered into Epic during this downtime period. Ballad Health IT will notify users when the downtime period has ended through an IT “All Clear” notification. NOTE: A system build freeze for non-emergency Epic changes will go into effect starting Wednesday, May 7, at noon, lasting until Wednesday, May 14, at 7 p.m. About the upgrade Epic…

Accessing EBSCO Dynamic Health is about to become easier! Beginning Wednesday, March 26, the EBSCO Clinical Decisions system will transition to Single Sign-On (SSO) within the Epic system, using Ballad Health email. This change will simplify access for team members, eliminating the need for separate login credentials. What is Dynamic Health? Dynamic Health is an online resource for healthcare professionals, offering evidence-based/best-practice medical information on diseases, symptoms, diagnostic tests and treatment options. It also provides continuing education (CE) opportunities, allowing nursing and health professionals to earn contact hours through assessments – supporting continuous learning and professional growth. What’s changing? Seamless access in Epic – No separate login is required when accessing Dynamic Health through the Epic system. Ballad Health email required for external access – Team members can access Ballad Health protocols outside of Epic using their Ballad Health email. How to prepare If you access Dynamic Health through Epic, no action is needed; SSO…

Ballad Health will do an upgrade to our Epic electronic health record (EHR) on Wednesday, Feb. 12, starting at 1:30 a.m. Epic users will experience a scheduled Epic downtime of up to two hours as the new August 2024 version of Epic is applied. Leading up to the event, Epic users will experience limitations with various Epic features beginning Friday, Feb. 7, at 5 p.m. Click here for more information on the system freeze. About the downtime Epic will not be completely offline during the downtime window, but will be placed in a “read only” status, so information can’t be entered into Epic during this downtime period. Ballad Health IT will notify users when the downtime period has ended through an IT “All Clear” notification. NOTE: A system build freeze for non-emergent Epic changes will go into effect starting Wednesday, Feb. 5, at noon, lasting until Wednesday, Feb. 12, at 7 p.m. (See a special note…

Ballad Health will do an upgrade to our Epic electronic health record (EHR) on Wednesday, Feb. 12, starting at 1:30 a.m. Epic users will experience a scheduled Epic downtime of up to two hours as the new August 2024 version of Epic is applied. Leading up to the event, Epic users will experience limitations with various Epic features beginning Friday, Feb. 7, at 5 p.m. Click here for more information on the system freeze. About the downtime Epic will not be completely offline during the downtime window, but will be placed in a “read only” status, so information can’t be entered into Epic during this downtime period. Ballad Health IT will notify users when the downtime period has ended through an IT “All Clear” notification. NOTE: A system build freeze for non-emergent Epic changes will go into effect starting Wednesday, Feb. 5, at noon, lasting until Wednesday, Feb. 12, at 7 p.m. About the upgrade Epic…

There’s a great new way to improve your Epic efficiency – become a Smart User! Previously referred to as Power Users, Smart Users are certified clinicians with next-level Epic skills. Any physicians and APPs with access to the Ballad Health Epic system are welcome and encouraged to become Smart Users. The SmartUser Program consists of eight core courses that will lead you deeper into maximizing your use of Epic and unlocking all its functionality. Doing so can save you time and effort in your daily workflow and open up new options in handling patient care and collaborating with your peers. Once you complete the course, you will receive a Smart User badge and four citizenship points for BHMA. The hour-long classes are completely free, virtual and can be completed as convenient to your schedule. Some of the benefits include: Increased efficiency – Smart Users report saving an average of almost an hour a week per…

What is GRoSS? Get Rid of the Stupid Stuff (GRoSS) is a Ballad Health initiative to improve the efficiency of our Epic electronic health system by identifying anything in Epic that is poorly designed, unnecessary or nonsensical. The best part is that you, our Epic users, get to choose the items that get evaluated by quickly and easily submitting issues as you find them. This helps us focus on the “stupid stuff” in Epic that you are dealing with the most. How to submit The link to submit an issue is posted in several convenient locations so you can easily submit items as you find them. It takes less than a minute to complete the form, and you can find it in the following locations: Epic Learning Home Dashboard: LHD Menu Epic Education Site: Main Menu Ballad Health intranet: Quick Links Ballad Health ServiceNow Portal: Quick Links Ballad Teams App: Resources Page While some of…

QR codes have become a common, convenient way to access links quickly or manage cash transfers, but they also offer cybercriminals another method of delivering attacks. QR codes could be a trap Because you don’t know where a QR code will take you before you scan it, it’s easy for criminals to create QR codes that take you to unsafe links or download dangerous apps. Cybercriminals may: Pose as someone else online, posting malicious QR codes on social media Leave enticing signs, stickers or posters with malicious QR codes in public areas Replace or cover up legitimate QR codes with malicious ones How to scan safely Check for tampering before scanning a QR code. If it looks like someone put a sticker over another sticker, or if something seems out of place, don’t scan it. If you’re in a place of business, like a restaurant, check with an employee to ensure a code hasn’t been…

It’s a sad truth that there are people who seek to use tragic events to their advantage. Cybercriminals may try to prey on people’s increased sense of urgency or compassion following a major event or natural disaster like Hurricane Helene. But just knowing a few safeguards can protect you from further harm during an already difficult time. How to detect and defend against disaster scams The key to avoiding these scams is to be suspicious of anyone who reaches out to you. The greater the sense of urgency, the more likely the request is an attack. Here are some of the most common indicators of a charity scam: Be very suspicious of any charity that requires that you donate via cryptocurrency, Western Union, wiring money or gift cards. Cyber criminals can change their caller ID phone number to make their phone call look like it’s from your local area code or from a trusted name….

So much of our lives these days is on our phones, and hackers are always developing new ways to access your information through your mobile devices. Ballad Health utilizes multi-factor authentication as an important tool to protect personal devices from hacking. Using MFA wherever possible is the most effective step you can take to protect your devices and accounts. Here are some other quick tips to help safeguard your device, yourself and others. Wi-Fi Don’t allow your device to auto-join unfamiliar networks. Always turn off Wi-Fi when you aren’t using it or don’t need it. Never send sensitive information over Wi-Fi unless you’re absolutely sure it’s a secure network. Apps Only use apps available in your device’s official store — NEVER download from a browser. Be wary of apps from unknown developers or those with limited or bad reviews. Delete apps if they’re no longer supported by your store. Keep all apps updated to ensure…