We recognize that the health system can be confusing and difficult to navigate. Our mission is to make the journey simple, timely and personal. Path to Care is committed to improving patient experience when they are referred to specialty health care services outside what their family doctor can provide.
What are we doing to improve patient access?
- Creating Communication Standards: We are working to create clear and timely communication between patients/clients, primary care providers and specialty care providers; by acknowledging when a referral is received, providing estimated wait times, and communicating appointment details.
- Developing Clinical Referral Guidelines: We are helping health care providers clarify what information is required on a referral, so that all patients will experience the same referral process for similar conditions.
- Standardizing Wait List Management: We are helping health care providers to manage their wait lists to optimize fair and equitable access for patients.
- Measuring Wait Times: We are creating the means to measure and publish wait times so patients know how long they can expect to wait. Measuring wait times can also help health providers identify issues to make access better for patients.
Timestamps
Timestamps (T0-T10) illustrate the importance of patient navigation through scheduled outpatient care and capture the dates when a specific health care activity occurs.
For more information about the timestamps, please contact Path to Care: pathtocare@ahs.ca
Your Path to Care
The Right Care
Path to Care is collaborating with programs and services improving communication to:
- Provide clear and timely communication between patients, primary care and specialty care.
Path to Care is collaborating with programs and services to create referral guidelines and communication that:
- Ensure referral providers are aware of all the care options that are available to Albertans.
- Ensure the referral is sent with complete patient information, (including tests and imaging if appropriate), to avoid delays.
The Right Place
Path to Care is engaged with programs and services to ensure a clear understanding of:
- What health services are provided by whom and where
- The estimated wait time for these services
The Right Time
Path to Care has developed standardized wait list management and wait time measurement across programs and services to:
- Support fair and equal access to health services for all Albertans no matter where they live in the province
- Measure wait times, identifying delays and opportunities for improvement
