This October 2026 issue of the OpTime/Anesthesia newsletter from Wellstar Health System provides updates on e-Consent expiration date changes, medication reconciliation rollback for ambulatory staff, and a comparison of PACU vs. nerve block acuity levels. It also introduces new tip sheets on wound classification, blood orders, and mobile workflows for anesthesia. The newsletter directs staff to…
This is the October 2026 issue of the OpTime/Anesthesia newsletter for Wellstar Health System. It is intended for perioperative and anesthesia staff, including nurses, anesthesiologists, and IT support personnel. The newsletter communicates system updates, workflow changes, and educational resources.
The first section addresses the temporary removal of the e-Consent expiration date field due to a calculation error. Epic is investigating the issue, and the field will remain blank until a fix is implemented. Staff are advised to continue using the e-Consent form without the expiration date.
Next, the newsletter announces a rollback of the medication reconciliation (Med Rec) functionality for outpatient ambulatory staff. The upgrade caused issues with outside medication updates, so the system reverts to the pre-upgrade version starting October 6, 2026. Staff are given action steps, including using the available workflow and contacting the Wellstar IT Physician ServiceDesk at 470-956-9393 for issues.
A detailed comparison of PACU acuity levels versus nerve block acuity levels is provided. PACU acuity tracks physiological recovery from anesthesia using the Modified Aldrete Score, while pain block acuity measures complexity and safety risks of regional nerve blocks. The newsletter explains how these interact in practice, using a thoracic surgery example.
The newsletter highlights October tip sheets covering wound classification for intra-op procedures, blood orders for OR nurses, and mobile workflows for anesthesia (postprocedure handoff, preprocedure details, and procedure notes). It also directs staff to the new Epic Education SharePoint site and the Epic Tip Sheet Finder for locating educational materials.
Finally, the newsletter outlines the process for requesting Epic access or updates, which requires manager approval via ServiceNow. It lists educational resources, including the Perioperative Communications Dashboard, Epic Connect site, and videos on Epic time-saving tips. Contact emails for Academic Affairs and OpTime/Anesthesia CIS are provided.