April 6, 2023
April 6, 2023
We are working to urgently address four key priorities. They are:
Much of this work is underway. We will continue to use this update to highlight actions being taken to address our priorities.
Reducing wait time for surgeries
Surgical wait list update
Improving patient flow throughout the healthcare continuum
EMS Shared Response Line reaches major milestone
Find relationship support
Whether it’s learning how to balance day to day responsibilities or working on communication skills, Relationship Solutions can help. (more...)
Mental Health Wellness - how volunteering affects mental well-being
Dr. Nicholas Mitchell talks about how volunteering can have a positive effect on one's mental health. National Volunteer Week runs April 16-22. (more...)
COVID-19 status and cases in Alberta
Latest hospitalizations, ICU update and information on variants of concern and wastewater surveillance. (more...)
Fit for Work screening ends
Effective March 31, 2023, Daily Fit for Work screening is not required. This reflects a shift to a sustainable approach to managing COVID-19. (more...)
Government of Alberta hands new Gene Zwozdesky Centre to AHS
The Government of Alberta handed over the new Gene Zwozdesky Centre in Edmonton to AHS to prepare for a fall 2023 opening. (more...)
CEO message - the role of caregivers
Alberta’s family caregivers contribute 647 million hours of unpaid care every year. We talk about their role and how we can support them. (more...)
New Infection Prevention and Control risk assessment resources
Frontline staff can now access a new tool to learn more about Infection Prevention and Control risk assessment. (more...)
Celebrating Public Health
World Health Day is a time to reflect on the public health successes that have improved our quality of life. (more...)
I’d like to close out this update by thanking all our staff, physicians and volunteers for your dedication to supporting the health of Albertans and each other. I know our jobs can sometimes be difficult and we need to embrace down time when we can. It’s a short week with the holiday coming up this Friday, so I encourage you relax, recharge and spend time with your loved ones this weekend. And for those of you who are working this Friday, thank you so much, and I hope you can get time away soon.
With enduring gratitude and appreciation,
Mauro Chies
AHS President & CEO
April 6, 2023
Please print and share with your teams as needed
We are working to urgently address four key priorities. They are:
Much of this work is underway. We will continue to use this update to highlight actions being taken to address our priorities.
We're at an average of 115 per cent of pre-pandemic surgical volumes for the last quarter of the 2022/23 fiscal year, and approximately 290,000 surgeries have been completed in the 2022/23 fiscal year.
Our total surgical wait list as of April 4 for adults is at 66,980. For comparison, in February 2020, before the pandemic, our total wait list was 68,000.
Of those patients waiting, 52.6 per cent are waiting within clinically recommended wait times.
EMS Shared Response Line reaches major milestone
The EMS/811 Shared Response Line reached a milestone in providing thousands of Albertans with the right care from the right providers when they need it.
Since its launch on Jan. 16, 2023, 2,000 EMS calls assessed by EMS as low-acuity - that is, not experiencing a medical emergency that require an ambulance - have been transferred to Health Link 811 where they received further assessment, guidance and connection to care. This innovative approach continues to ensure Albertans get the care they need, while reducing EMS response times.
Collaboration between EMS and Health Link has helped us reach this important mark. We are creating capacity for EMS and also helping patients get the care they need.
Learn more about the EMS/811 Shared Response Line.
Relationship Solutions can help you take a proactive approach to enhancing your relationships.
To access Relationship Solutions, call the Employee Family and Assistance Program (EFAP) intake line at 1-877-273-3134. You will be asked a few questions to make sure you receive customized support. A relationship specialist will help you navigate the different resources to help with your unique situation and will stay in touch to ensure you have the support you need.
Physicians can contact the AMA Physician and Family Support Program, a confidential 24/7 support line at 1-877-SOS-4MDS for options and support.
Questions? Contact wellness@ahs.ca.
In the latest Mental Wellness Moment, Dr. Nicholas Mitchell — Provincial Medical Director of Addiction and Mental Health for Alberta Health Services — talks about how volunteering can have a positive effect on one's mental health. National Volunteer Week runs April 16-22.
Hospitalizations and ICUs
On March 27:
Note: Hospitalization data is presented with a one-week delay to more accurately reflect the number of hospitalized patients who tested positive for COVID-19. There is a delay in identification of some hospitalized cases due to the time between being admitted to hospital, getting tested, and getting test results.
Variants of concern
Alberta Precision Laboratories continues to closely monitor SARS-CoV-2 variants. From March 13 to 19, an average of 68 per cent of positive samples were strain-typed by genome sequencing. Of those, 15 per cent were BQ.1.1, 15 per cent were other BQ.1 lineages and 57 per cent were XBB.1.5. Other BA.5 lineages and BA.2 lineages (including other XBB lineages) now make up the minority of cases. To date in Alberta, we have seen 1051 cases of XBB.1.5 and 205 cases of other XBB lineages. At this time, nine XBB.1.16 genomes, a lineage recently identified with cases reported predominantly from India, have been sequenced in Alberta.
Wastewater surveillance
Wastewater can provide an early indication of COVID-19 infection trends in a community. For wastewater surveillance comparing weekly averages:
The above interpretations were made from available data as of April 3 at 8 a.m.
Other notable COVID-19-related information
Note: Last update was four weeks ago, instead of the usual two weeks.
Effective March 31, 2023, Daily Fit for Work Screening is no longer required. This change reflects Alberta's shift from emergency response to a more sustainable approach to managing COVID-19.
Workers who have tested positive for COVID-19 or have COVID-19 symptoms should follow the guidance in the revised Attending Work Directive. See the Frequently Asked Questions for more information.
It is our shared responsibility to protect those who are at highest risk of becoming severely ill if they develop COVID-19, and we can prevent the spread of respiratory illness and other communicable diseases by staying home when sick and practicing proper hand hygiene.
Questions? Contact COVID19immunization@ahs.ca.
On March 28, AHS gathered with Government of Alberta representatives and CapitalCare partners to celebrate the handover of the Gene Zwozdesky Centre at Norwood in Edmonton to AHS.
The new expansion will accommodate a broad range of support programs and services including post-acute care, complex continuing care, and palliative care, changing the way we care for patients. It will the increase the number of post-acute and continuing care beds from 205 to 350 and will also offer community services such as a specialty dental clinic, a community paramedic program and CHOICE - a day program to keep seniors healthy and at home.
The facility is expected to open to the public in fall 2023 and represents an investment in caring for Albertans.
As we prepare to welcome patients, staff, and residents, we want to thank our partners at Alberta Infrastructure, Alberta Health, Covenant Health and CapitalCare for their work on this project.
Family caregivers play an important role in the health system. They give people of all ages who need care the choice to remain in their community homes, and provide essential care to residents in group homes, supportive living, long-term care and palliative care.
One in four Canadians is a family caregiver and one in seven is a double-duty caregiver: a healthcare provider who delivers care at work and at home.
To put the impact of Alberta's caregivers into perspective, they contribute 647 million hours of unpaid care every year. This saves our healthcare system $12 billion a year.
Joining me to talk about the important work of caregivers are:
Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) has launched a new suite of IPC Risk Assessment educational resources and renamed the term “Point of Care Risk Assessment” to “IPC Risk Assessment.” An IPC Risk Assessment is part of the routine practices that need to be conducted by staff anytime exposure to an infectious agent might be possible. By identifying risks and responding with risk-mitigating IPC measures, staff can protect themselves and others.
The resources include infographics, a practice support tool, and e-learning modules with scenarios for clinical and non-clinical staff.
AHS leaders and staff are encouraged to review the resources. Leaders can connect with their local infection control professional for support in embedding the IPC Risk Assessment into existing processes with the goal of improving practice and supporting staff to integrate IPC best practice into everyday workflows.
Visit the AHS website for more information.
Tomorrow, April 7, we celebrate World Health Day and mark the 75th anniversary of the founding of the World Health Organization.
This year’s theme – Celebrating Public Health – is an opportunity to reflect on the public health successes that help children thrive, improve our quality of life and extend our life expectancy. It is also a reminder that tackling the complex public health challenges of today and tomorrow require us to come together with science, solutions and solidarity.
We have a diverse workforce of public health staff who are dedicated to working with our partners and clients to help create the conditions that enable people to be as healthy as possible across their lifespan. The team strives to reduce avoidable illness and injury, prevent and respond to public health threats and unplanned events, and narrow the gap in health outcomes between groups.
On World Health Day and every day, we celebrate the people and teams who support public health and thank them for everything they do to support Albertans health and well-being.
I'd like to close out this update by thanking all our staff, physicians and volunteers for your dedication to supporting the health of Albertans and each other. I know our jobs can sometimes be difficult and we need to embrace down time when we can. It's a short week with the holiday coming up this Friday, so I encourage you relax, recharge and spend time with your loved ones this weekend. And for those of you who are working this Friday, thank you so much, and I hope you can get time away soon.
With enduring gratitude and appreciation,
Mauro Chies
AHS President & CEO
