A WORD FROM JENN SEARLS:

Breaking Barriers and Empowering Patients

This quarter, we’ve been turning our focus to the heart of Connie and our most valued partners – patients!  

Connie’s goal is to effectively empower patients to advocate for their own healthcare and health outcomes, and we’ve already begun to accelerate efforts in engaging the patient community. I'm excited to share that Connie is implementing two key initiatives to achieve this by establishing a Patient and Family Advisory Committee (PFAC) and creating a patient portal.  

Patient data, patient portal, everyone’s benefit  

At Connie, we know connected care is better care, which is why I’m thrilled to share that soon patients will have access to their own medical information through our web-based patient portal, which will provide timely, secure, and direct access to patients for free. Initially, it will include the patient’s: healthcare visits, lab results, medications, noted problems, immunizations, and allergies collected from any healthcare providers connected with Connie. We hope that the portal will become an essential tool in empowering patients in their healthcare journey and encouraging them to be active, informed collaborators with their providers.   

In this together: Connie’s Patient and Family Advisory Committee 

In this same spirit of partnership and collaboration, Connie has created a Patient and Family Advisory Committee (PFAC) consisting of volunteer Connecticut residents. PFAC was made with the aim of serving as a space for patients and families to have ongoing conversations with Connie so we may include their opinions and experiences in our decision-making processes. The PFAC has already started to provide valuable insights on multiple topics, including what success would look like for Connie from a patient perspective, what empowering patients through access to their health data means to patients, meaningful ways to address concerns, and suggested methods of reaching out to Connecticut’s communities.  

Looking Ahead

This quarter has been full of activity and new, meaningful connections with both Connecticut’s organizations and patients alike. As we move into the next phase of connectivity with patient engagement, we embark on a crucial step in reaching the goal of a more connected, equitable healthcare ecosystem in our state through initiatives like these.  

I’m excited to be part of Connie to create a future where, together, we are all contributing to shaping the changing landscape of healthcare for improved outcomes to build a healthier Connecticut. 

NEW PARTICIPANTS ARE JOINING CONNIE EVERY DAY!

We are excited to announce that Ingraham Manor, Connie's first PointClickCare Skilled Nursing Facility, has joined our network of participating organizations (POs). As of last quarter, we have established connections with hundreds of POs, securely exchanging data for over 4.8 million patients through Connie. We are proud to highlight some of our recently onboarded partners who are actively sharing data via our Health Information Exchange. Don't forget to explore the Connected Participating Organizations Dashboard to view our continuously growing list of connected organizations and discover the valuable data they contribute! 

The providers and staff at Asylum Hill Family Medicine Center had a moment of panic, as their EPIC system suffered an unexpected, prolonged shutdown. Amidst the uncertainty, Connie swiftly stepped in to bridge the gap left by their EMR’s absence.  

Dr. Robin Gold described the urgent situation: "We had no idea when EPIC was going to come back, and we were getting worried it was going to be more prolonged. Once the residents went on Connie, we had a very thorough list of medications, medical problems, and everything on the patients."  

As the medical team grappled with uncertainty, Connie went into action behind the scenes, restoring providers’ access to vital patient records. It became the foundation of their operations, delivering accurate patient information precisely when and where it was needed most.  

Dr. Timothy Lishnak recalled the critical turning point: "EPIC was down, our backup system was down, and we weren’t sure who was coming in for what. Once we were able to get access to Connie, it was very helpful. We had several patients coming in for follow-ups of recent tests including imaging tests, and we were able to use those results to go over with the patients."  

Connie's intervention empowered healthcare providers to navigate challenges with confidence, transforming chaos into cohesion at Asylum Hill Family Medicine Center.  

The situation helped highlight a very real-world use case for a functioning, statewide health information exchange. Dr. Gold's words ring true: "It works!"  

Connie was thrilled to be able to fulfill its mission to improve the health and well-being of Connecticut citizens by stepping in to help the practice at Asylum Hill Family Medicine.  

CHECK OUT OUR LATEST PARTICIPANT TESTIMONIALS

"I am one of only 2 independent primary care physician practices in Torrington, CT. Because of that, I do not have access to the area health system’s electronic health record system. Thankfully, I am already finding a lot of useful clinical information on my patients in the Connie Portal, especially those who go to Bristol Health or UCONN, as they are sending a ton of valuable clinical data to Connie. It is extremely helpful to see any previous labs and other relevant history before a patient comes in for a visit. I look forward to more organizations contributing data to Connie, as it can only improve care coordination and the quality of care independent physicians like myself can provide to our patients." 

Frank Crociata, DO | Litchfield Hills Family Medicine

"When our health record system recently experienced downtime, Connie was our lifeline. Not only did it enable us to access crucial patient information for both office visits and hospital care, but it also proved to be an incredibly useful and helpful system overall. Its extensive network of contributing organizations ensures reliable access to external patient data, making it an invaluable backup and a quick lookup tool for comprehensive patient care." 

Tim Lishnak, MD | Asylum Hill Family Medicine Center Inc.

NEW CONNIE OVERVIEW VIDEO

Have you checked out our video tutorials in Connie’s Resource Library? Be sure to watch our revamped Connie Portal Overview, a step-by-step walkthrough with Erin Tyrol, Connie’s Clinical Application Manager. This video gives your organization an in-depth understanding of the Connie Portal, including primary functions and how to navigate through the Clinical Information section of the Portal.

We're always adding new content, so don't forget to subscribe to our YouTube channel to stay updated on our latest videos and Connie services! 

CONNIE NEWS & UPDATES

CONNIE MAKES AN APPEARANCE IN THE HARTFORD BUSINESS JOURNAL

Connie is actively improving patient outcomes with vital tools and clinical data resources, and the Hartford Business Journal has taken notice. Explore how this groundbreaking initiative is transforming patient care in Connecticut, reducing duplicate prescriptions and tackling polypharmacy risks head-on with the Medication Management tool. 

Read the full article and join the conversation on how Connie is revolutionizing healthcare in Connecticut! 

ALLERGY LIST IS NOW LIVE! 

We are excited to announce that we now have a list of patient allergies available in Connie Portal or InContext app. The allergy tab is located in the Clinical Data section, where you can also find immunizations and problems.

Like immunizations and problems, the allergies list displays your patient’s allergy history as reported by patients and/or providers during encounters and recorded in Continuity of Care Documents (CCDs) sent to Connie. Only data from participating organizations is included so this may not reflect a patient’s complete allergy history, but is intended to provide supportive, supplementary information. The allergy list is primarily of value during emergency encounters or new patient visits, when accessing a patient’s history is critical but not typically readily available. 



CONNIE HOSTS A DINNER FOR BRISTOL AREA PROVIDERS & STAFF:

FOSTERING CONNECTIONS AND COLLABORATION

In February, Connie hosted dinner for Bristol area providers and staff, making meaningful connections and bringing together professionals from Bristol Health, ProHealth, and other local organizations to learn more about Connie and provide practical feedback on the Connie Portal. Jenn Searls delivered updates on Connie’s progress and shared exciting developments that were underway, while Clinical Applications Trainer Erin Tyrol impressed attendees with a demo of the portal and Connie Alerts, followed by a Q&A session.  

We’re pleased to have created this space for open dialogue and contribute to the growing culture of innovation while establishing partnerships in the Bristol community. Keep on the lookout for more Connie events – we're excited to meet you!

UPCOMING WEBINARS FOR PROSPECTIVE AND CONNECTED ORGS!

Not Yet Connected? Join Our FREE Webinar on the Power and Purpose of Connecting with Connie!

If you know a healthcare organization that hasn’t yet connected with Connie, share this free upcoming webinar, featuring steps to connect, overview, in-depth exploration of Connie’s core services, and a portal demonstration. This is an opportunity for healthcare organizations to discover how they can effortlessly enhance patient care through interoperable healthcare connectivity!

REGISTER NOW   

Already Connected with Connie? Elevate Your Experience! Join Our FREE Webinar and Optimize Your User Experience!

Inviting all Connie-connected organizations to attend our free webinar! Join a Connie Account Manager as they walk us through the latest updates, portal demos, and live Q&A session. Although this webinar is hosted with connected and in-process organizations, everyone is encouraged to attend! 

REGISTER NOW

WELCOME OUR NEWEST TEAM MEMBER

As Connie continues to grow, so does our amazing staff! This April, we welcomed Russell Dexter to the team as Director of Analytics and Data Quality.  

CELEBRATING CONNIE ANNIVERSARIES

We’re so excited to commemorate the work anniversaries of four incredible team members at Connie!  Communications Manager Tiffany Magennis, Finance and Accounting Manager and Executive Coordinator Gwen Reyes, and Integration Lead Traci Townsan are all celebrating a three-year anniversary, and Program Assistant for PO Relations/Outreach Melissa Shuster has just passed her first! We’ve asked them to share their thoughts and greatest lessons learned here. Thank you for all that you do! 

"I love everything about working at Connie. The team dynamic is wonderful, and I have learned so much within my first year here. I look forward to each day!"

"Grateful to be a part of this incredible team for 3 years! During this time I have learned what a valuable asset the HIE can be to the state’s healthcare professionals which ultimately leads to better patient outcomes."

"The biggest thing I have learned from my time with Connie is how impactful it can be when a small but mighty team is driven to achieve results to help patients.  It’s pretty impressive what can be accomplished when everyone works in tandem to achieve results such as implementing new tools or troubleshooting issues."

"Being part of Connie and working alongside such a passionate team is an incredible experience. In the three years I have been here I can honestly say the progress and positive impact of Connie has been nothing short of amazing, and I am proud to be part of a team that is so dedicated to Connie’s vision."

YOUR OPINION MATTERS!

If you're a regular Connie user and would like to provide us with some feedback on our current services, we would love to hear from you! Please take 2 minutes to complete our survey below. THANK YOU IN ADVANCE!