December 1, 2023
AHS is working to urgently address four key priorities. They are:
AHS also continues to work on improving local decision-making, and ensuring local teams and sites are supported. Much of this work is underway. This update will continue to highlight actions being taken to address our priorities.
Improving patient flow and continuity of care
Connect Care now in more sites, programs across Alberta
Lab appointment capacity increases in Calgary
Work continues on other AHS priorities including:
Quality and Patient Outcomes
Self-referred lung cancer screening available to eligible Albertans
Online cognitive behavioural therapy available
Online cognitive behavioural therapy for mild depression and anxiety is available through the Employee and Family Assistance Program (EFAP). (more...)
Mental Wellness Moment — How to support children who are being bullied
Dr. Nicholas Mitchell talks about how adults can support children who are being bullied. Last week was Bullying Awareness Week. (more...)
Sign up for Secret Santa by Dec. 1
Today is the final day to sign up and be paired with your Secret Santa. Help spread joy across AHS this holiday season. (more…)
Register for AQuIS courses
The Academy of Quality Improvement Sciences offers various certificate programs related to patient safety and quality improvement. (more...)
Register for Dec. 20, Jan. 11 Disaster Rounds Lunch ‘n’ Learns
Join discussions with subject matter experts on their experience with healthcare disasters. (more...)
2022-2023 IPC annual report now online
AHS’ Infection Prevention & Control (IPC) 2022/2023 annual report has been approved and is now posted. (more...)
Toys for Tickets campaign returns
The Toys for Tickets campaign is back, allowing people to donate a new toy rather than paying their AHS parking fine. (more...)
December 1, 2023
Please print and share with your teams as needed
AHS is working to urgently address four key priorities. They are:
AHS also continues to work on improving local decision-making, and ensuring local teams and sites are supported. Much of this work is underway. This update will continue to highlight actions being taken to address our priorities.
Connect Care now in more sites, programs across Alberta
AHS completed its seventh launch of Connect Care in the early hours of Nov. 5, bringing more than 12,000 additional staff and physicians at 79 AHS and AHS-partner sites onto the common provincial information system.
Launch 7 involves sites and programs primarily in AHS North and South zones, including:
There are now more than 112,000 staff, physicians and other healthcare providers using Connect Care to improve care for patients in all five AHS zones.
There are nine Connect Care launches, which started November 2019 and will continue to the final implementation in fall 2024. When fully in place, approximately 118,000 staff and physicians will be using Connect Care at 682 sites across Alberta.
Lab appointment capacity increases in Calgary
A new community lab is open in southeast Calgary, providing an additional 2,000 weekly lab appointments.
In September, Alberta Precision Laboratories (APL) assumed operations of community lab services in Alberta. Since then, APL has reduced wait times for walk-in and scheduled appointments by 34.4 percent in Calgary. The current overall average wait time in the area is 28.8 minutes. The new location is the 124th lab collection site in Alberta.
In recent months, APL made significant improvements to lab capacity in the city. Hundreds of additional weekly appointments have been added at in-hospital labs in Calgary for community patients. Expansions of two other community labs will result in about 500 additional weekly appointments later this fall.
Lung cancer screening available to eligible Albertans
Albertans ages 50 to 74 who have a primary care provider and currently smoke cigarettes or who quit after smoking for many years can now self-refer for possible lung cancer screening through the Alberta Lung Cancer Screening Program (ALCSP) at 1-866-727-3926. Albertans can also complete an online self-referral for lung cancer screening, or be referred to the program by their primary care provider.
The AHS program is offering lung cancer screening using low-dose computed tomography (CT) scans to approximately 3,000 eligible Albertans up to March 2024.
All clients who are eligible for the ALCSP will be contacted by a tobacco cessation case manager, who will complete a needs assessment to navigate current provincial resources and identify those who require financial support for pharmacotherapy.
Albertans who need help to quit smoking can talk to their primary care provider about options to reduce or quit smoking.
For more information about tobacco cessation, please visit to AlbertaQuits or Screening For Life, or email alcsp@ahs.ca.
Online cognitive behavioural therapy for depression and anxiety is available through the Employee and Family Assistance Program (EFAP).
To access Sentio, create an account on homeweb.ca. You will then complete a short online self-assessment to customize your care path, and choose treatment goals based on your needs and interests.
The learning modules include activities and exercises that will teach you new skills to apply in everyday situations. Sentio also offers iterative tools, including video, journalling and symptom tracking.
If you need support with any issue, call the EFAP intake line at 1-877-273-3134. Physicians can contact the AMA Physician and Family Support Program, a confidential 24/7 support line, at 1-877-767-4637.
Questions? Contact wellness@ahs.ca
Last week was Bullying Awareness Week. In this Mental Wellness Moment, Dr. Nicholas Mitchell — Provincial Medical Director for Addiction and Mental Health with AHS — talks about the different types of bullying and how adults can support children who are being bullied.
AHS is an organization of people who love to give. We give every day, providing care, help, support and treatment to Albertans whenever they need it.
But it is also important to give to one another and connect — and that’s why we have ongoing traditions like the Secret Santa holiday card exchange.
Today is the final day to sign up and be connected with your Secret Santa. You can opt to use a traditional card or one of our many inclusive holiday e-cards.
Thanks to the nearly 2,000 people who have signed up already.
Engage in a journey of learning as AHS pursues system-level transformation toward high-quality, safe, reliable clinical services and excellence in patient and family experience.
The Academy of Quality Improvement Sciences (AQuIS) offers various certificate programs to AHS staff and external learners related to patient safety and quality improvement.
Visit the AQuIS Learning Streams Insite page to learn more about certificates and accreditation. Each learning stream should be taken in the recommended order to help you build a strong foundation as you work towards the completion of a certificate.
See the Curriculum for course outlines and MyLearningLink (search “QPSE”) for course dates and registration.
External learners can visit ahs.ca/aquis and email qpse@ahs.ca for assistance with course registration.
You’re invited to two upcoming virtual discussions with subject matter experts on their experience with healthcare disasters:
If you would like to be added to the mailing list to receive information about future events, or have recommendations for future topics or speakers, please email ahs.disasterrounds@ahs.ca.
AHS’ Infection Prevention & Control (IPC) 2022/2023 annual report has been approved and is now posted.
Highlights include:
AHS has brought back its Toys for Tickets campaign, which gives people who’ve recently received an AHS parking ticket an opportunity to donate a new, unwrapped toy rather than paying their fine.
Parking Services will be accepting toy donations as an alternative to paying for tickets issued between Nov. 6 and Dec. 15. Toys should be in the original packaging and for ages newborn to 17 years. Value of each toy must be at least $25.
The toys will be donated to various children foundations and charity organizations to be given to children throughout the province. Toys will be accepted until Dec. 15 at any AHS parking office.
Visit the AHS website for recommended donations and AHS parking office hours and locations, as well as for information on the Toys for Tickets campaign.
