March 27, 2019
The multidisciplinary team behind the Calgary Zone’s new Urology Central Intake have made it quicker and more convenient for primary care physicians to find the right specialist for their patient’s needs.
Story & photo by Blain Fairbairn
CALGARY — Access to urologists has improved for patients in Calgary and surrounding areas thanks to a partnership between Alberta Health Services (AHS) and specialists at the Southern Alberta Institute of Urology (SAIU).
This new alliance has also led to the development of initiatives including a Urology Central Intake (UCI) program based out of Calgary’s Rockyview General Hospital.
Launched in January, the UCI program serves as a one-stop resource for family physicians to access when referring a patient to an SAIU urologist. AHS now receives and manages all urology referrals, connecting the patient to the most appropriate urologist based upon the patient’s symptoms and the specialist’s area of expertise.
“This new resource really takes the guesswork out of the referral process for family doctors,” says Derek Bley, manager, Surgical Services at the Rockyview. “It reduces administrative burden for the patient’s primary care physician and for the urologist’s office and, most importantly, it provides patients with the right care at the right time, the first time.”
The SAIU umbrella covers more than a dozen independent urology practices, says Heidi Stachniak, senior planner for the System & Service Planning team in Calgary Zone. Prior to new referral program, family physicians didn’t always know which specialist would be best-suited to meet their patient’s unique needs.
“Urologists, like most specialists, develop expertise in certain conditions,” she says. “With input from the urologists at the SAIU, a comprehensive list of sub-specialties was developed. This list is cross-referenced with patient-specific information provided by referring physicians, allowing us to match each patient with an appropriate urologist.”
Beyond the UCI, referring physicians also benefit from the recent addition of urology to Specialist LINK, a service that includes a tele-advice line, clinical pathways and other resources for family doctors in the Calgary area.
Specialist LINK gives referring physicians access to care pathways for urological advice, consultations and urgent or emergency care, while a tele-advice service allows them to speak with a urologist, within one hour, to consult on the best course of action for their patient.
Additionally, the Alberta Referral Directory has been revised to include a UCI listing as well as updates to contact information and areas of specialization for each SAIU urologist. The Alberta Referral Pathway for Urology (Calgary) also provides referring physicians with information to assist with the referral process, including recommended labs and appropriate diagnostic imaging.
A centrally-managed intake program allows for the collection of standardized data so that delays or gaps in care can be identified and addressed, a critical benefit Stachniak says will help to ensure that no one falls through the cracks.
“With UCI, we can now track and measure each step of the patient journey from primary care physician to specialist — and benchmark key indicators like wait times to ensure patients move through the healthcare system safely and efficiently,” adds Stachniak.
”Collectively, these resources will significantly enhance urology patient care in southern Alberta.”
