Downtime
Upcoming IT Downtimes
Click each item to expand for more details.
Multiple Dates: Guest Wi-Fi, care.ai and BioIntellisense
- 9 a.m. – 1 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 23 (HMB)
- 9 a.m. – 1 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 30 (HMCY and HMTW)
- 9 a.m. – 1 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 5 (HMWB)
- 9 a.m. – 1 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 13 (HMW)
- 9 a.m. – 1 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 19 (HMCCH)
You may experience intermittent guest internet and care.ai slowness, lasting up to 30 seconds. Save your work often during the time.
Devices connected to Guest Wi-Fi and networks supporting patient room technologies, including care.ai and BioIntellisense will experience two to three brief disruptions (up to 10 seconds each).
After the downtime, if network drives and icons are missing, please reboot the machine.
Multiple Dates: Press Ganey iRound
- 5-10 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 25
- 2-4 a.m. Thursday, Oct. 30
The iRound application from Press Ganey will be unavailable due to routine maintenance. To ensure rounds are documented, submit forms before or after maintenance takes place.
For questions, please contact your local patient experience specialist.
Thursday, Oct. 23 (9-11 a.m.): Nihon Kohden Patient Monitoring Devices (HMCY, HMCL, HMTW, HMW)
Nihon Kohden patient monitoring devices, including transport monitors and NK GX 130 telepacks, will be updated for routine monthly maintenance.
Before the downtime: Enable local monitoring mode for NK GZ 130 telepacks.
During the downtime: You may experience a brief interruption for approximately 3-5 minutes. Patient monitoring alerts can only be heard at the patient’s bedside. Data will not be sent to Epic.
After the downtime: Patient monitoring will resume at the CNS and RNS.
Thursday, Oct. 23 (7 p.m.) – Friday, Oct. 24 (2 a.m.): Cisco Desk Phone System Maintenance (HMH)
Cisco desk phones will undergo system maintenance. While your phone is not expected to disconnect during an active call, if it does, please hang-up and dial again.
Thursday, Oct. 23 (11:55 p.m.) – Friday, Oct. 24 (5 a.m.): LaborWorkx
LaborWorkx will be unavailable due to maintenance. The LaborWorkx portal and mobile app won’t be available, but badge readers will be available for use.
Print any required work or schedule related items prior to the downtime.
Saturday, Oct. 25 (11-11:59 p.m.): LMS SuccessFactors
LMS SuccessFactors will be unavailable due to maintenance.
Saturday, Oct. 25 (11:55 p.m.) – Sunday, Oct. 26 (3:55 a.m.): Press Ganey HRP platforms (TAPS, Workplace Violence and Service Feedback)
The Press Ganey High Reliability Platform (HRP) for Patient Safety (TAPS) and Workplace Violence will be unavailable due to maintenance.
Wednesday, Oct. 29 (10 a.m. – 2 p.m.): Sickbay (HMB)
Sickbay will experience a brief downtime for system maintenance.
You may experience intermittent disconnects, lasting up to three minutes. Be sure to save your work often.
After the downtime, if network drives and icons are missing, reboot your computer.
Wednesday, Oct. 29 (5-10 p.m.): Verizon Wireless Maintenance (HMCCH)
Verizon wireless networks may experience cellular signal loss. As a workaround, switch to wi-fi calling on your device.
You may experience intermittent disconnects, lasting up to three minutes. Be sure to save your work often.
After the downtime, if network drives and icons are missing, reboot your computer.
Wednesday, Oct. 29 (10 p.m.) – Thursday, Oct. 30 (2 a.m.): Network Maintenance (Holly Hall Data Center)
You may experience intermittent internet and application slowness, lasting up to 30 seconds. Save your work often during this time.
If your Cisco phone disconnects, please hang up and try again. If network drives and icons are missing, please reboot your computer.
Saturday, Nov. 1 (11-11:59 p.m.) LMS SuccessFactors
LMS SuccessFactors will be unavailable due to maintenance.
Sunday, Nov. 2: Daylight Saving Ends
At 2 a.m. Sunday, Nov. 2, daylight saving time (DST) ends, and clocks will adjust back one hour. If you’re working during this change, follow these instructions for Epic and LaborWorkx.
Epic
Epic won’t automatically correct the time, and you may need to manually enter some data twice between 0100-0200 CDT (before the time change) and 0100-0200 CST (after the time change) for the repeat fall-back hour. Be sure to validate all times for accuracy as documentation, event times, some BPAs and ADT events may be impacted.
To maintain continuity of care, review the following daylight savings time instructions:
- Manually enter all medical device data. Data won’t integrate into Epic during the two-hour DST window.
- Be aware of the possible impacts to your area. The following functions may be impacted, and times should be validated for accuracy:
- Documentation
- Event times
- Some Our Practice Advisories (OPAs)
- Admission/Discharge/Transfer (ADT) events
- Adjust documentation and event times following the guidelines for your area to reflect the time change.
- Refer to the specific department instructions for your area to manage admission, discharge or transfer events and maintain continuity of care.
LaborWorkx
Badge readers and Quick Badge will update at 2 a.m. Sunday, Nov. 2. LaborWorkx will automatically add the extra hour worked and generate an exception message stating the hours were adjusted due to DST.
If you notice any problems with a badge reader or for clocking questions, contact the IT Service Desk. For DST clocking questions, contact HR Hub at 832.667.6211 or hrhub@houstonmethodist.org.
Managers
Allow sufficient time to review timecards for employees who worked during the DST change.
- Clocking before the time change: Edit clocking by moving the time back one hour.
- Clocking after the time change: Add Override Code 6 – “Do Not Adjust Daylight Saving” to the clocking.
- Clocking between 1-2 a.m.: LaborWorkx will generate a critical exception.
Epic Downtime Resources
Epic Downtime Manual
Downtime Order Sets
Learn more.
Clinical Reference Documents
CRRT Electrolyte Replacement Protocol (V4 09-2023)
Hypoglycemia Algorithm (V2.03172022)
ICU Electrolyte Protocol AGGRESSIVE Magnesium
ICU Electrolyte Protocol NORMAL Magnesium Supplementation
ICUInsulinGoal110-140ALGORITHM1
ICUInsulinGoal110-140ALGORITHM2
ICUInsulinGoal110-140ALGORITHM3
ICUInsulinGoal110-140ALGORITHM4
ICUInsulinGoal110-140ALGORITHM5
ICUInsulinGoal110-140ALGORITHM6
ICUInsulinGoal140-180ALGORITHM1
ICUInsulinGoal140-180ALGORITHM2
ICUInsulinGoal140-180ALGORITHM3
ICUInsulinGoal140-180ALGORITHM4
ICUInsulinGoal140-180ALGORITHM5
ICUInsulinGoal140-180ALGORITHM6
IMUInsulinGoal110-180MEDIUMDOSE
Nurse Driven Indwelling Urethral Catheter Management Protocol (V15 11-03-20)
Patient Record of Bedside Insulin Pump and Blood Glucose (v2023)
Patient Supplied Insulin Pump or CGM Agreement Form
Pressure Injury Prevention Support Surface Decision Guide (V062822)
Tenecteplase for Stroke Dosing Card.pdf
During a downtime:
Use Epic Read-Only to view data. Access Epic Read-Only from your desktop or through access.houstonmethodist.org. If you don’t see the Epic Read-Only icon, click here for instructions on how to add it to your desktop.
- No orders may process to PACS or the transcription system. Interpretation of studies will be managed per each department’s defined downtime process.
- Data may not flow into Epic from mobile vital signs machines, dialysis machines, bedside monitors, ventilators or anesthesia carts.
- Epic Read-Only will not receive Caregility alerts and camera links will not be available. Use the Caregility portal.
- Sickbay risk scores that include lab data will be impacted and the New Admission Queue will not be available.
Epic Downtime Quick Reference Checklist
Epic Downtime CSN Numbers
Contact your administator for more information.
After the downtime:
Radiology and Cardiology:
- Enter orders in Epic based on the downtime paper requisitions/downtime log.
- Process orders using standard workflows and prepare them for interpretation.
- Downtime studies will be read using the defined interpretation method for each department.
Medical Devices:
- Manually enter all vital sign data captured during the downtime when Epic is back up.
- Any new vital sign data collected after the downtime will automatically integrate with Epic.
Online Downtime Resources
Epic Read-Only
Available on most Epic-enabled workstations and through the Apps Portal. This is a view-only system, so new documentation or orders can’t be added. Data is up to date as of the time when Epic went down. You’ll have limited access to patient data, but can still view active orders and the MAR, print patient labels and arm bands.
BCA Web
Access essential downtime reports from any workstation when you have internet access but Epic and Epic Read-Only are not available. View and print a current census or limited clinical summaries with data for each patient, including active orders, recent results and vitals. Also provides a printable downtime MAR for each patient and a respiratory patient summary.
Reports are automatically updated every 30 minutes for ICU patients and every two hours for non-ICU patients. Department Appointment Reports (including patient schedules for the next four weeks) for outpatient and PCG/SPG clinics are updated daily.
BCA Printing / Downtime Computer
Similar reporting functionality as BCA Web, but available from your unit’s designated downtime computer when internet access is not available. Your unit’s device will also have access to reports for sister units above and below you, in the event their system has issues. Because the computer is hardwired to a designated printer, you can mass print all reports for your unit and distribute patient data to the appropriate clinicians or staff.