Amazing Together Every Day
Alberta Health Services (AHS) recognizes our work takes place on historical and contemporary Indigenous lands, including the territories of Treaty 6, Treaty 7 and Treaty 8, and the homeland of the Métis Nation of Alberta and eight Métis Settlements. AHS also acknowledges the many Indigenous communities that have been forged in urban centres across Alberta.
August 29, 2025
See updated COVID-19 vaccine eligibility for healthcare workers
On Aug. 22, the Government of Alberta (GoA) announced a two-phase rollout for its fall COVID-19 vaccine program.
Under Phase 1, eligible healthcare workers (HCWs) can receive the COVID-19 vaccine free of charge.
Starting Oct. 1, vaccines will be available at Workplace Health & Safety clinics and public health clinics until the end of the campaign, depending on vaccine availability. Eligible HCWs are encouraged to get their COVID-19 immunization at their earliest opportunity.
Eligible HCWs include:
HCWs who are members of a registered college or union must bring proof of enrollment or association, as they will be required to validate their membership with the frontline provider.
This expanded eligibility supports planning for our internal Seasonal Immunization Campaign for Workers. Details on how to book your influenza and COVID-19 appointment, and clinic availability, will be shared soon.
For more information about COVID-19 for Albertans, visit the GoA website.
Attend National Day for Truth and Reconciliation events
Primary Care Alberta would like to invite you to join reflective sessions to honour the residential school children who never returned home, survivors, their families and communities in a series of reflective sessions on Sept. 24.
This year’s sessions are hosted in collaboration with Primary Care Alberta, Acute Care Alberta, Recovery Alberta and Assisted Living Alberta, and are open to all healthcare staff, physicians, volunteers, patients, and the public.
Three sessions will be available on Zoom, including a keynote address by Elder Darryl Brass Jr., who will be speaking from the Foothills Medical Centre auditorium at noon on Sept. 24. The day will conclude with a virtual Sharing Circle for those who wish to come together for collective reflection and emotional support. All are welcome to attend.
To register, visit Together4Health. (more...)
Virtual Emergency Physician pilot expands to Barrhead, Westlock and Redwater
Alberta Health Services (AHS) is expanding a pilot project to improve support for emergency department (ED) patients in northern rural communities. The Virtual Emergency Physician (VEP) program has expanded to Barrhead, Redwater and Westlock this month.
The VEP program uses an experienced ED physician to remotely support facilities temporarily without available on-site ED physician support. In these instances, site clinical staff can connect with an AHS physician by telephone or videoconference for ED patients with non-life-threatening issues. This off-site virtual physician collaborates with local staff, speaks with patients, orders tests and medications, and transfers or discharges patients. (more...)
Ambulatory settings added to KNOWN Hazard Medication Alert
On Aug. 26, the KNOWN Hazard Medication Alert in Connect Care was expanded to ambulatory settings in Phase Two.
For additional information including screen shots, review the Connect Care KNOWN Hazard Medication Storyboard Alert FAQ.
Questions? Contact HazardousMedication@ahs.ca.
Thanks to all for third launch of new staff scheduling system
The third launch of the new staff scheduling system, MySchedule (Infor WFM), in the Edmonton, North, Central and South zones was completed this past Monday. Thank you to everyone who helped support this work and congratulations to all involved.
This new system allows us to continue to meet the needs required of our organizations, while also electronically scheduling staff and managing staffing levels so leaders and staff have the support they need, while patients get the highest quality of care.
If you haven’t already, please bookmark and use the new Automatic Shift Callout (ASC) to view and bid on all your shift offers in the new system. Once you’ve added ‘Infor WFM’, make sure to update your contact preferences in ASC.
If you need help, review the Myschedule (Infor WFM) guide. (more...)
(Note: Not all staff use Environment for Scheduling Personnel (ESP), or will use this new system. Talk to your leader if you’re unsure.)
Minimally invasive clot removal procedure a game-changer
A new minimally invasive, non-surgical procedure is now available for post-operative patients who develop potentially life-threatening blood clots in their lungs. Pulmonary embolism is the sudden blockage of a major blood vessel or artery in the lung, usually by a blood clot, which makes breathing difficult. It is also the third leading cause of cardiovascular death after heart attack and stroke.
Many post-operative patients develop pulmonary embolism but cannot be administered a clot-busting medication after surgery, so they would require additional thoracic surgery to remove the blockages.
Now these patients have another option. The new procedure uses continuous X-ray imaging to guide a catheter (a long, thin tube) inside a vein to travel through the heart and reach the lungs to remove dangerous blood clots. Once the clots are removed, blood flow is restored immediately, significantly reducing risk of heart failure and death. Because it's minimally invasive, these patients typically go home sooner than those who undergo thoracic surgery. (more...)
Calgary Recovery Community officially opens
The Calgary Recovery Community officially began welcoming clients in early August, adding 74 beds with the capacity to serve up to 300 Albertans on their recovery journey each year. Recovery communities are a key pillar within the Alberta Recovery Model, which is a system of care built by Alberta’s government to support those suffering from addiction in their pursuit of recovery.
Calgary is the fourth of 11 recovery communities, with other communities operating in Lethbridge, Red Deer and Gunn. All 11 communities, which include five in partnership with Indigenous communities, are expected to be complete by 2027. (more...)
Province supports First Nations student mental health
Supporting mental health is a key priority for the province. To help ensure First Nations students have the supports they need, and to help meet the diverse learning and mental health needs of K to 12 students in on-reserve schools, the province is providing 27 First Nations with up to $4.6 million for the 2025-26 school year.
First Nations with at least one on-reserve school were invited to apply for the Specialized Learning and Mental Health Supports for First Nations Grant in May. Recipients will receive funding for the upcoming school year and will have the flexibility to use the dollars in a way that best supports their students. (more...)
Addiction & Mental Health Helpline turns five (more...)
Stollery celebrated for excellence in reducing children’s pain (more...)
Automation frees up years of staff time (more...)
Hearts vs. Minds Charity Golf Tournament sets fundraising record
Calgary Health Foundation and AHS raise $130,000 for two vital, life-saving departments at Foothills Medical Centre (more...)
Sturgeon’s new simulation centre sharpens skills and teamwork (more...)
From career camp to summer student (more...)
Health equipment donations a boon to Wainwright wellness (more...)
