February 7, 2025
Monthly drop-in sessions focus on patient experience
Register today for an upcoming virtual session of Xchange, which is focused on improving the patient experience in your area. (more...)
New EMS station officially opens in Valleyview
The new AHS EMS facility in Valleyview officially opened yesterday. (more...)
Cold Lake to open new transition beds
The Cold Lake Healthcare Centre will open six new transition beds next week to better support patients who no longer need acute care services. (more...)
Virtual MD service hits milestone
A service that refers Health Link 811 callers to a physician who can assess them remotely has surpassed the 100,000-caller milestone. (more...)
Access personalized health and wellness support anywhere, anytime
Homeweb is an easy-to-use, online platform designed to get you access to the care, services and support you need for your overall well-being. (more...)
February 7, 2025
Are you interested in improving the patient experience in your area but not sure where to start? AHS’ Engagement & Patient Experience (EPE) team invites you to Xchange, a monthly drop-in virtual session where you can connect with colleagues, learn about work happening across the province, share ideas and resources, and seek advice and support from your peers and EPE consultants. The conversations are always insightful and informative.
Register to attend a session that works for you. The next one is at 9 a.m. on Feb. 19.
If you have any questions, please email patient.engagement@ahs.ca.
The new AHS EMS facility in Valleyview officially opened yesterday.
Located on grounds of the Valleyview Health Centre, the $4.1-million, three-bay station is a state-of-the-art building designed to better accommodate local staff and ambulances, reflecting the growing and changing needs of the community.
There are two ambulances stationed in Valleyview – one Advanced Life Support and one Basic Life Support – with 12 full-time equivalent (FTE) crew members to serve the community.
Comfortable and functional staff areas, including break rooms and sleep quarters, will support staff and help ensure they can deliver prompt, effective, high-quality emergency medical care in Valleyview and surrounding areas. EMS previously operated out of the Valleyview Fire Department facility.
The Cold Lake Healthcare Centre will open six new transition beds next week to better support patients who no longer need acute care services but require care in a more appropriate setting.
These transition beds, opening Feb. 10, will offer a safe and comfortable temporary care setting for patients who require additional time or supports to recover from their acute illness before returning home, or who are awaiting a continuing care home space.
Patients admitted to the transition beds will receive care from licensed practical nurses, as well as registered nurses, healthcare aides, physicians, and other healthcare professionals in rehabilitation, pharmacy or social work, depending on their needs.
A Primary Care Alberta (PCA) service that refers Health Link 811 callers to a physician who can assess them over the phone or through a secure Zoom link has surpassed the 100,000-caller milestone.
Launched by AHS in 2022, Virtual MD reduces potentially unnecessary emergency department visits. When Albertans contact Health Link 811, a registered nurse or clinical staff member provides an assessment to determine whether they're in need of further assessment from a physician. On average, 125 Health Link callers are referred to a physician daily through the Virtual MD program.
Of the first 100,000 patients assessed by a program physician, about half were able to manage their condition at home with self-care. Other patients were referred to other forms of in-person care or follow-up that best suited their needs. The service — available seven days a week from 6 a.m. to 2 a.m. — involves 90 physicians.
Homeweb is an online platform available through your Employee and Family Assistance Program (EFAP), offering you and your immediate family members a variety of health and wellness supports.
With Homeweb, you gain access to personalized content recommendations and helpful resources, including e-Courses, a library of health and wellness articles, assessment, counselling and support – all tailored to your needs and goals.
To get started, visit Homeweb to create an account. Select your organization and register using your organizational email address. For more details, refer to the Homeweb login instructions. You can also contact the EFAP intake line at 1-877-273-3134 for additional support.
Physicians can contact the AMA Physician and Family Support Program, a confidential 24/7 support line, at 1-877-SOS-4MDS.
To learn more, visit the EFAP page or email wellness@ahs.ca.
