August 25, 2023
August 25, 2023
To our AHS teams, thank you for your efforts supporting patients and continuing care residents evacuated due to wildfires. (more...)
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.
Improving patient flow and continuity of care
Phase 1 of Peter Lougheed Centre ED redevelopment complete
Reducing surgery wait times
Surgical waitlist update
Work continues on other AHS priorities, including:
Workforce recruitment and retention
Boost your wellness
There is now an option for you to work on boosting your mental health and well-being together with Headversity TEAM. (more...)
Mental Health Wellness - reducing stigma around addiction
Dr. Nicholas Mitchell talks about reducing stigma around addiction. Aug. 31 is International Overdose Awareness Day. (more...)
AHS Vlog - Pediatric Eating and Swallowing Project
Guests on the AHS Vlog discuss how the Pediatric Eating and Swallowing Project is reducing emergency visits and hospitalizations due to pediatric feeding disorder. (more...)
Multi-factor authentication expands to Insite, Sharepoint
AHS is expanding our use of multi-factor authentication to increase our protection against growing cyber security threats. (more...)
Preliminary guidelines for use of artificial intelligence at AHS
AHS is monitoring the developing field of artificial intelligence and has issued preliminary guidelines for using AI at our organization. (more...)
Psychological first-aid training available
Psychological first-aid training is available through an interactive three-hour webinar. Register in advance for one of three workshops available next week. (more...)
Learn more about AHS’ Virtual Care Evaluation Framework
Virtual Health partnered with the Strategic Clinical Networks to develop a Virtual Care Evaluation Framework. Their work has been published. (more...)
I end this week’s update with my heartfelt gratitude to you for everything you do each and every day, and often under challenging and demanding circumstances. The fall season will be upon us soon, so I encourage you to enjoy these last few days of August and the final weeks of summer 2023.
With enduring gratitude and appreciation,
Mauro Chies
AHS President & CEO
August 25, 2023
Please print and share with your teams as needed
To start this week’s AHS Update, I wish to highlight the exceptional efforts of teams across the province as AHS continues to support patients and continuing care residents evacuated from the Northwest Territories (NWT) due to ongoing wildfires.
AHS is currently providing care to more than 50 NWT residents in various continuing care spaces across Alberta. As part of our ongoing efforts, we're gearing up to extend our support to accommodate between 150 and 200 NWT home care clients.
Our dedicated teams are also providing care and supports to approximately 30 NWT obstetrical patients across various sites in Red Deer, Calgary and Edmonton. Additionally, we're supporting almost 20 NWT dialysis patients, and four patients requiring acute care.
AHS is assisting at reception centres across key locations, including Edmonton, High Level, Fort McMurray, Valleyview, Fox Creek, Peace River and Grande Prairie. We're prepared to lend our support to any additional centres that may be established.
AHS services and supports — such as addiction and mental health, home care, public health, Indigenous wellness and pharmacy support — are also being extended to all evacuees.
AHS will continue to support the ongoing response until all NWT residents and patients are able to return home safely. Thank you for embodying the spirit of compassion and collaboration that defines AHS. Together, we're making a difference in the lives of those who need it most.
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.
Phase 1 of Peter Lougheed Centre ED redevelopment complete
Starting Aug. 29, Albertans in need of emergency care will experience a new and improved Peter Lougheed Centre, thanks to emergency department redevelopment at the northeast Calgary hospital.
Construction of Phase 1 began in spring 2021 and is now complete. Albertans will benefit from a larger and upgraded triage area, an improved resuscitation and trauma space and new, modern care spaces. The $137-million redevelopment enhances Emergency Medical Services access to the emergency department.
Phase 2 of the project, expected to begin this fall, will feature new, state-of-the-art equipment that will help improve the patient experience and decrease wait time for patient diagnostics. This includes the addition of a portable X-ray machine (two total), four additional bedside ultrasounds for a total of six, and a bladder scanner.
When fully finished in 2025, the ED will have 25 additional care spaces, while doubling the overall space of the emergency department.
As of Aug. 21, approximately 55 per cent of cases on the surgical waitlist at adult facilities were within clinically appropriate wait times, virtually unchanged from two weeks prior.
Work continues on other AHS priorities, including:
Our People Survey opens Sept. 12
Our People Survey runs from Sept. 12 to Oct. 4. It’s important we hear from you. Please participate. It takes about five minutes and is completely anonymous.
On Sept. 12, watch your inbox for a survey invitation from Gallup, the organization that conducts Our People Survey for AHS. Our IT external-email warning will pop up, but this is an AHS-approved email and safe to open. Our People Survey asks all members of our workforce — staff, physicians, midwives and volunteers — what it’s like to work and volunteer at AHS, and how our systems and actions support patient safety.
We value your perspective and feedback. This is how we learn what we’re doing right — and what we can do to improve your work experience. Let us know what you think, so we can better support you.
Learn more. Questions? Contact engage@ahs.ca.
Transfer survey launches next week
Our people are our most valuable resource and we’re committed to improving employee retention. On Aug. 28, we’re launching a new Transfer Survey to help us better understand why you change positions within the organization and how we can give you a better work experience.
AHS and Alberta Precision Laboratories employees who have recently changed positions will automatically receive an email with a survey link within one day of their position updating in e-People. This confidential, voluntary, two-minute survey helps us to improve the employee experience. Your feedback will enable us to better assess our environment, culture and systems, as well as identify trends, patterns and areas to improve our workplaces.
Results will be available to leaders this winter by request. Details on how to request results will be made available as information is finalized.
Questions? See the Transfer Survey Program or contact the people experience coordinator at People.Experience@ahs.ca.
There is now an option for you to work on boosting your mental health and well-being together with Headversity TEAM.
TEAM offers interactive training sessions in three-, five- and seven-minute increments that help raise awareness and create a shared language around mental health.
Individuals can also use SOLO to help with building skills in the areas of mental health, mental fitness, hardiness, mindfulness, energy management and self-expertise.
When you download the app, you will complete an assessment to receive a resilience score and suggested lessons. Lessons take less than five minutes and can be done anytime, anywhere.
To sign up, download the app using the App Store or Google Play. Use the code AHSHWH to log in. Family members can use the code AHSFAM.
For support with any issue, call the Employee and Family Assistance Program intake line at 1-877-273-3134. Physicians can contact the AMA Physician and Family Support Program, a confidential support line, at 1-877-767-4637.
Questions? Contact wellness@ahs.ca.
Aug. 31 is International Overdose Awareness Day. In this Mental Wellness Moment, Dr. Nicholas Mitchell — Provincial Medical Director for Addiction and Mental Health — talks about the importance of reducing stigma around addiction.
This week's vlog shines the spotlight on some important work being done at AHS to support children with pediatric feeding disorders. Difficulty eating and swallowing is associated with significant health risks and increased use of medical services, not to mention family stress.
The Pediatric Eating and Swallowing Project — or PEAS — is working to enhance and standardize interdisciplinary practice around eating, feeding and swallowing, to get the best outcomes for our patients and their families.
Over the past three years, their work has resulted in fewer emergency visits and hospitalizations due to pediatric feeding disorder, more families receiving a care plan, more timely access to services, and a high satisfaction rating from families.
Joining the AHS Vlog to tell us more are:
From left to right: AHS President & CEO Mauro Chies, Dr. Justine Turner, Nancy Whelan
AHS is expanding our use of multi-factor authentication (MFA) to increase our protection against growing cyber security threats. MFA is a security measure that requires you to verify your identity during log in by using an app on your cellphone, receiving a text message or by phone call to a cellphone or landline.
Starting Sept. 13, users logging into Insite or Sharepoint on a personal device or an AHS device externally without a Netmotion connection will be prompted to authenticate using one of the MFA methods they have already set up. If you have not already set up at least two MFA methods, please visit the user guide for support.
AHS is also expanding MFA to all web-facing applications that are accessible externally. Learn more.
Artificial intelligence (AI) is a rapidly developing field that AHS is monitoring closely. While it may be useful in certain settings, it also presents several risks.
Sharing AHS health, personal or business information with generative AI sites — such as OpenAI’s ChatGPT — puts our organization at risk because we can’t control what these sites do with the information.
As AHS considers how to approach the use of third-party AI programs, please follow these preliminary guidelines:
Users accessing AI sites on AHS devices may receive a prompt reminding them of appropriate use of AHS information. For more information, please review the resources at InfoCare. AHS will continue to evaluate this topic, and will keep you updated.
Psychological first-aid (PFA) training is available through an interactive three-hour webinar that aims to share knowledge, teach skills, build confidence, and increase capacity to support people in the face of a disaster or emergency.
PFA is an internationally recognized method of support intended to help people during and after a disaster or emergency. It uses a holistic, community wellness approach to help reduce levels of emotional distress for individuals, families and communities through practical care, compassion, connection and support from others.
For more information or to register, visit AHS psychological first aid training.
The virtual care landscape is evolving, largely because of the COVID-19 pandemic and the evolution of technology. This has led to many complex questions about its impact and how to best leverage virtual care.
AHS Virtual Health partnered with the Strategic Clinical Networks to develop a Virtual Care Evaluation Framework to inform a more comprehensive approach to planning and implementing virtual care. You can read about the framework in the July 2023 issue of the Healthcare Quarterly journal.
The next steps are to test the framework with a few virtual care initiatives across AHS to collect feedback for improvement. A users’ guide is also being developed to support the application of the framework across various contexts.
For a copy of the framework and to stay up to date on new developments in virtual care evaluation, visit the Virtual Health page on Insite and sign up for Insite Alerts.
I end this week’s update with my heartfelt gratitude to you for everything you do each and every day, and often under challenging and demanding circumstances. The fall season will be upon us soon, so I encourage you to enjoy these last few days of August and the final weeks of summer 2023.
With enduring gratitude and appreciation,
Mauro Chies
AHS President & CEO
