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Programs & Services


Provincial Integrated Respiratory Services - Central Access and Triage

 Location: Alberta Wide

This central access referral service provides a single point of entry for patients who require a Integrated Respiratory Services in Alberta.

Provincial Integrated Respiratory Services (PIRS) provides in person, virtual, and on-call respiratory care to Albertans and healthcare providers who require community support for the following:

  • Chronic home ventilation for Alberta Aids to Daily Living (AADL) and First Nations Insured Health Benefits (FNIHB) clients
  • Rural and suburban hospital respiratory support
  • Adult tracheostomy tube management
  • AADL respiratory benefits funding navigation
  • CPAP funding file adjudication for low-income seniors

Contact Details

Alberta Wide

Telephone
780-342-8760
Fax
780-342-8775
Email
PIRS.RespiratoryTherapists@ahs.ca
Getting There

The map does not show the actual location of this Organization or Service.

Hours of Operation
Days of the Week

Monday
8:00 am - 4:00 pm

Tuesday
8:00 am - 4:00 pm

Wednesday
8:00 am - 4:00 pm

Thursday
8:00 am - 4:00 pm

Friday
8:00 am - 4:00 pm

Note

Closed Saturday and Sunday. On-call services provided from 4PM - 8AM every day including weekends and stat holidays.

Access
Service Providers May Include
clinical engineers, registered respiratory therapists, respirologists
Eligibility

Completed Home Ventilator Funding and client consent forms signed by client or delegate:

Non-Invasive Ventilation

  • clients ≥ 18 yrs old must have a diagnosis of neuromuscular disease, spinal cord disorders / chest wall dysfunction
  • a consult completed by a chronic ventilation respirologist and must include a diagnosis, indication for ventilator, client history, documentation of prior BPAP compliance, daytime ventilation hours, or retained bulbar function for mouthpiece ventilation request or dependence on BPAP ≥ 16 hours and documentation of daytime hypercapnia or failure to thrive secondary to increased work of breathing

Invasive Ventilation

  • confirmation of client’s hospital discharge plan / home management care plan which addresses other non-oxygen benefits
  • a second ventilator is based on client residence more than 100 km from PIRS service site or ≥ 16 hours / day ventilator usage
Service Access

Healthcare providers should consult the Alberta Referral Directory for service referral information.

  • application required
  • by appointment
  • professional referral required

Wait Times

Services will be provided based on receipt of AADL or NIHB funding approvals, or referrals from acute care sites. Communications and / or services are typically provided within 24 - 72 hours, and are dependent on the location of service provision.

Service Languages
Interpreter/Translation services
Partners

Partners/affiliations

AADL, Seniors Health - Special Needs Assistance Program, Elves Special Needs Society,The GRIT Program

Also Known As
Acronym
PIRS, RESP, ROP