Acuity STAR

Intermediate Training

Authors: Paul Malcomson

Audience: All Users

Contents• About Star• Accessing STAR

– Logon– Main Navigation Menu– UWO Standard CV view– Common CV View– All Activities View– Data Grid Menu– Data Grid Details– Popup Data Forms

• Tips and Tricks• STAR Reporting• Support and how to get help

What is STAR?

• STAR is an acronym for “Staff Tracking & Activity Reporting”

• Custom developed Web based application• Vendor is Acuity Software Inc., Ottawa Ontario• Current version is STAR v5.5b

Acuity Customers using STAR

About STAR

• The STAR application is intended to capture and report on Curriculum Vitae (CV) activities, organized in a way that meets both Schulich and external requirements (Common CV).

• Over 850 active users across the Clinical departments at Schulich.

• The Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry guideline is to update your STAR database at least once per month.

• Record activities in STAR and send (export) to other systems

About STAR

• Secure web based application that applies role based security to allow you to modify only the data you have permissions to edit

• Report activities many different ways using STAR (CV, CDP, MBR)

• You can export information:– MS-Word Doc CV’s from STAR (UWO Standard CV,

APCV, APTD, Etc…)– MS-Excel Reports from STAR (the “To Excel” button on

the Data Grid Screen)

Accessing STAR

• Use Mozilla FireFox as this offers the best experience http://www.mozilla.org/en-US/

• FireFox is acceptable by all hospital IT departments

• No cost, similar experience to Internet Explorer• Disable pop-up blocker for STAR application• https://www.schulich.uwo.ca/star/ • https://star.schulich.uwo.ca *application site

Logon Menu

Main Navigation Menu

1. Your Department – this is automatically set.

2. UWO Standard CV View – a useful view that emulates the UWO CV report

3. All Activities View – the main view for data entry

UWO Standard CV View

• Follows the flow of a Western University CV

• Specific for an individual (pick from member list)

• Allows you to narrow in on data that needs work

• Useful to compare to printed/exported MS Word CV

Common CV View

• Follows the flow of the Common CV requirements

• Specific for an individual (pick from member list)

• Allows you to narrow in on data that needs work

• Ability to export Common CV data

All Activities View

• Most work occurs through this view

• Follows the flow of a CV• Grouped in logical

sections of information• Visibility to all members

you have access to

Data Grid Menu

• Shows only member information based on your role• Filter data based on what you want to see or find• Date range can reduce data set• Use Refresh button often• To Excel exports to .xls format• Import – used for Pubmed NLM formatted

Publication data

Data Grid Details• Double scroll bars can be confusing• Click to highlight record(s) ctrl+click or shift+click (yellow)• Columns are sortable and can be resized• Page through many rows of data• Cannot modify data • Similar to Excel

Data Grid Columns• Click on “Grid Columns”• Add or Hide columns based on preference• Settings are stored the next time you use STAR

Pop-up Data Forms • Accessed by clicking Edit or Clone• Use pick lists top of form downwards• Avoid using “Other – please specify”• Save • Save/Clone• Reset• Cancel

Pop-up Data Forms • Data form is specific to the section you are looking at

from the Data Grid screen.• * indicates a mandatory data point

Tips and Tricks• If the Buttons disappear in the Data Grid:– Check to see if the double scrollbars are offset

• If you enter a record and do not see it in the data grid:– Check to see if you have data filters set prohibiting you

from seeing all data records.• Add the MONTH to Publications, Presentations, &

Grants:– Allows reporting by Academic Year

• Follow NLM standards for Publication information

Tips and Tricks

• In Data Grid Menu:– To Excel button

• This feature allows the user to export the grid viewing pages to an excel file so that the data can be sorted and manipulated

• One way export – you cannot import any changes made in an exported Excel list

– Import button• Enables fast entry of long lists of publications• Data must follow NLM standards• Useful as a starting point for Publications (only three data points

are imported)• Call Your STAR Coordinator or Faculty Admin if you need assistance

Tips and Tricks

• In Data Grid Menu:– Bulk Edit• located just above the data grid• Allows the user to edit multiple records simultaneously• Speeds up data entry• Call your STAR Coordinator or Faculty Admin if you

need assistance

Tips and Tricks

• There are four different types of CME events:– Personal Data > Maintenance of Certification

• Attending (Section 1)• Role in Conference Attended (Section 1)

– Program Teaching• Presenting within Schulich

– Presentations• Presenting outside Schulich

• What Dates to Enter:– If the event happened on a single day - put the same date into both

Start Date and End Date fields.– If the event happened several times during the year – put academic

year start and end dates in STAR.

Tips and Tricks

• Three SSMD Sample reports available– CV, APCV, APTD– Excellent source to compare CV reports to– Complete document set that has sample information for all sections– Shows exactly where in STAR the data comes from

• User guide, data entry guide• Monthly update form

– Helps log and capture required entries or changes– Allows you to accumulate changes

• Available from your Coordinator or from https://www.schulich.uwo.ca/star/resources

STAR Reporting

• Bio Sketch• Psychiatry MBR• Surgery CDP• Maintenance of

Certification• SSMD Promotion CV (APCV)• SSMD Teaching Dossier

(APTD)• UWO Standard CV

STAR Support

• Help buttons for specific data questions• STAR Coordinators across all departments

https://www.schulich.uwo.ca/star/contacts • Escalate problems through to STAR support• Bugs and system errors

– Capture as much information as you can and contact your STAR Coordinator or Faculty Admin

• Staged releases of enhancements (5.6 in January)• Always looking for suggestions to improve