Downtime

Upcoming IT Downtimes

Click each item to expand for more details.

Saturday, April 19 (5-10 p.m.): Press Ganey iRound

The iRound application from Press Ganey will be unavailable due to routine maintenance. To ensure rounds are documented, you should submit forms before or after maintenance takes place. For questions, please contact your local patient experience specialist.

Saturday, April 19 (11 p.m.) to Sunday, April 20 (2 a.m.): LMS

LMS will be unavailable due to maintenance.

Saturday, April 19 (11:55 p.m.) to Sunday, April 20 (3:55 a.m.): Patient Safety (TAPS) and Workplace Violence

The Press Ganey High Reliability Platform (HRP) for Patient Safety (TAPS) and Workplace Violence will be unavailable due to maintenance.

Wednesday, April 23 (8-8:05 p.m.): Epic Pause

Epic will experience a brief “system pause” for up to five minutes starting at 8 p.m. Wednesday, April 23.

No changes starting at 5 a.m. Some Epic personalization features will be unavailable, and no changes or enhancements can be made through 8:05 p.m. You’ll still be able to work in Epic as usual, but you won’t be able to apply filters in Chart Review, create, edit and share NoteWriter macros, SmartPhrases and SmartLinks or create and edit InBasket QuickActions.
If you’re logged in to Epic during the pause, a pop-up screen will appear, advising you that the pause is taking place. You won’t be able to proceed until the pause is complete. When the pop-up screen disappears, you can resume work where you left off, without any data loss.
Vitals and data will be stored during the pause and will flow into Epic after the pause.
If you attempt to log in to Epic during the pause, you’ll be able to enter your user ID and password, but Epic won’t fully open until the pause is complete.

Thursday, April 24 (11:55 p.m.) to Friday, April 25 (5 a.m.): LaborWorkx

The LaborWorkx portal and mobile app will be unavailable due to maintenance.

HM Power and Network Status Dashboard

Printable Medical Records and HIPAA Forms for a Downtime

Epic Downtime Resources

Epic Downtime Manual

Comprehensive role- and service-line based processes and functions required to maintain patient care during a downtime and recovery process.

Learn more.

Downtime Order Sets

Printable versions of order sets available in Epic. Intended as a guide during downtime when handwriten orders on blank order forms are needed.

Learn more.

Clinical Reference Documents

Correction Scale – Bedtime

Correction Scale Insulin

CRRT Electrolyte Replacement Protocol (V4 09-2023)

DVT Risk Definitions

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

IMUInsulinGoal110-180HIGHDOSE

IMUInsulinGoal110-180LOWDOSE

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

A condensed snapshot of the most essential information you need to know in the event of scheduled or unscheduled Epic downtime.

Learn more.

Epic Downtime CSN Numbers

Pre-designated CSN number ranges, that flag if a patient was admitted/arrived during a downtime, are assigned by your facility’s Downtime CSN site administrator.

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.