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Integrations / Using the Alberta Netcare Portable Launch Button
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Using the Alberta Netcare Portable Launch Button

After setting up the Alberta Netcare Launch Button you’ll have an easier time accessing Alberta patient charts in the AB Netcare Portal.

The Short Version?

If it’s your first time logging into the AB Netcare Portal for the day the button will:

  • Launch the two-factor authentication screen for AB Netcare Portal
  • Pre-fill your User ID in the AB Netcare Login Screen
  • Load the patient chart in the AB Netcare Portal (if the AB PHN matches a patient in Alberta Netcare Portal)

If you’ve already logged into the Alberta Netcare Portal for the day the button will:

  • Launch the AB Netcare Portal through Citrix
  • Load the patient chart in the AB Netcare Portal (if the AB PHN matches a patient in the Alberta Netcare Portal)

Prerequisites:

This set-up tutorial assumes you already have:

The First Log-In (of the day)

1. Log into your Ava EMR Account

2. Navigate to a patient’s chart

3. In the top left demographics panel you’ll see the Netcare Launch Button beside the patients healthcare number.

  • only Alberta PHNs work with the Launch Button – non-Alberta healthcare numbers will need to be copied/pasted into the Alberta Netcare Portal manually
  • if the patient has an Alberta PHN and you only see the “copy” icon you will need to go back and set up the Netcare Launch Button
Patient view with an orange arrow pointing at a small Netcare button

4. Click on the launch button – this will launch a new browser tab (or window)

5. If this is the first time you’ve logged into the Alberta Netcare Portal today you’ll need to sign in with your User ID and soft token or FOB passcode. If you’ve already signed into the Alberta Netcare Portal for the day you’ll be skipped to the next step.

Alberta Netcare login screen with warning text

6. Your browser will download a file. Depending on your browser this will either create a new dialogue box (in FireFox), a new download tab at the bottom (Chrome) or a permissions request (Safari).

Citrix StoreFront dialog asking if you'd like to allow downloads on Alberta Netcare

7. Depending on how your browser handles downloaded files you should either click on “Open With: Citrix Workspaces” if a dialogue box pops up or click on the downloaded file (in Chrome this is in the bar that pops up at the bottom of the screen.

  • if your computer says “this file type is not recognized” (or something similar) you may need to install Citrix Workspace. This is covered in the Set Up the Netcare Launch Button article.
Firefox dialog checking if you'd like to open a file with Citrix Workspace

If you’d like to automatically launch the Alberta Netcare Portal without seeing this dialogue box next time, select the “Do this automatically for files like this from now on” check box.

8. This will launch the AB Netcare Portal. Keep the “Citrix Receiver” tab open in your browser (or minimize the window if it popped up in a separate window). Click on the Ava tab to go back to the EMR.

Citrix StoreFront with an orange arrow prompting the user to 'Click on this tab to go back to the EMR. Leave the "Citrix Receiver" tab open.

9. You should have seen the AB Netcare Portal open in a separate window. Your User ID should be pre-populated. Fill in the password to fully log into Netcare.

Alberta Netcare login screen

10. (optional) If you work at multiple sites Netcare will ask you which site you’re currently working at. Netcare will skip this step if you only work at a single location.

Alberta Netcare facility selection dialog

11. Once you’re logged in Netcare will find the PHN and take you to the correct chart in Netcare!

Subsequent Logins (in the same day)

1. After you’ve logged in the first time Netcare keeps an active “session” on your computer. You won’t have to perform all the same steps in order to get patient charts up in Netcare.

You may (or may not) have to log into step 9 from above again. Depending on your Netcare Portal “Inactivity Timeout” setting and on how long it was since you last interacted with Netcare it may log you out of the portal. This guide assumes that you are still logged in with an active session.

2) Navigate to a new chart in Ava EMR. Click the Netcare Launch Button.

Patient view with an orange arrow pointing at a small Netcare button

3. If you’ve selected “Do this automatically for files like this from now on” (see step 7 above) the Alberta Netcare Portal will automatically bring up the new patient in Alberta Netcare Portal. You can skip forward to step 6!

4. If you didn’t select “Do this automatically for files like this from now on” you will have to open the .ica file that the Alberta Netcare Portal downloads to your computer.

5. Either click “Open” (in FireFox), click the bottom bar (in Chrome) or click the downloaded file (in Safari).

Mac icons below a downloaded .ica file

6. To go back to Ava EMR click the “Ava EMR” tab again. Leave the “Citrix Receiver” tab open for the next time you need Netcare.

Citrix StoreFront with an orange arrow prompting the user to 'Click on this tab to go back to the EMR. Leave the "Citrix Receiver" tab open.

7. If you didn’t keep the “Citrix Receiver” tab open don’t fret! When you click on the Netcare Launch Button Ava will create a new tab in your browser.

Logging Out of Netcare

It’s good practice to log out of services after using them – although Ava (and other services like the Alberta Netcare Portal) automatically log out if there isn’t recent activity, there’s still a chance a malicious user could use your account before the automatic log out occurs.

There’s a few ways to log out from the Alberta Netcare Portal.

Ava-Mediated Logging Out

1. Ava will automatically trigger an Alberta Netcare Portal logout if you log out of Ava after clicking a Netcare Launch Button. When you select Sign Out (or if your session times out and Ava automatically logs you out) it sends a message to the Alberta Netcare Portal tab.

2. You should see the “Log In” screen for Netcare if Ava successfully logged you out of Netcare.

Alberta Netcare login screen

Logging Out from the Netcare Portal

1. You can also log out from the Alberta Netcare Portal from the Alberta Netcare Portal window.

2. When you’re logged in click the “Logout” button on the top right side. This will take you back to the “Log In” screen.

Netcare Portal with an orange arrow pointing to the Logout button

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