Acute Geriatric Unit

Offers assessments and treatments (including rehabilitation) to help older adults with medical problems become independent again. Families are encouraged to be part of the care planning process.

Addiction and Mental Health - Domestic Abuse Response Team

Domestic violence can take many forms, including verbal, physical, sexual, psycological, emotional, spiritual, and the violation of rights which can happen in any relationship based on intamcay, dependency, or trust. The Domestic Abuse Response Team (DART) offers specialized support to patients of all genders who are experiencing any form of domestic violence. Individuals do not have to be in a crisis to access the DART response, and can request a referral at select emergency departments, urgent care centres, and maternity units. Participation is voluntary and at no cost to the patient.

Although, as of November 30th, 2023, the DART project has sunset, domestic violence services are still being provided through localized shelter response, while individuals are present within the Alberta Health Services (AHS) or Covenant Health facility. Referrals of patients to the respective shelters remain confidential, nonjudgemental, and choice-based. A referral is initated through the patient or by an AHS or Covenant Health employee. A shelter responder will connect with the individual over the phone to conduct further assessment and provide the following services based on their needs.

• emotional support
• information and education about domestic violence
• assistance with safety planning
• information about and referrals to local supports, including financial assistance, counselling, food bank, etc.
• assistance with contacting local law enforcement and / or Children's Services
• access to safe accommodations, including emergency shelter or hotel

This service is provided by AHS or Covenant Health and external shelter service providers.

Adult Day Program

Provides up to 6 hours of wellness program. The program offers:

• activities, recreation, and exercises
• blood pressure and weight monitoring
• help with medication
• basic personal care
• rest breaks
• meals and snacks

Cafeteria Services

Cafeteria services offer food and beverages at Alberta Health Services facilities. Catering services and vending machines are available at some sites. Each cafeteria services site team is dedicated to creating great food, inspiring healthy eating, and providing outstanding customer service to support the health of Albertans.

**Please note hours of operation may vary from site to site.

Calgary Rural Diabetes Program

This service may provide:

• diabetes education/counselling in a virtual group setting
• one-to-one appointments with nurses and dietitians, which include an overview of the disease, complications, medications, exercise, and nutrition

Cardiology - Electrocardiogram Services

Provides ECGs to diagnose possible heart conditions. Cardiologists and the Internal Medicine department reviews the results and sends a report to the referring / ordering doctor.

Community Addiction and Mental Health Services - Rural

Working across the lifespan, clinicians work with individuals and families to identify goals of treatment as they relate to Addiction and Mental Health concerns.

Other services include:

• geriatrics (for individuals with cognitive decline)
• outreach
• urgent mental health care walk in ( times vary ) at Cochrane, Canmore, Banff and Airdrie Urgent Care Centers, Okotoks

Community Physiotherapy

Service is provided to clients who meet the following inclusion criteria:

• resident of Alberta
• valid Alberta personal health care number (AB-PHN)
• functional rehabilitation goal(s)
• rehabilitation readiness, including: medically stable; physically able to participate in intervention, cognitively able to participate

Exlusion criteria includes:

• WCB and MVA injury related concerns
• multi-disciplinary pain management
• currently recieving / recieved physiotherapy from another program or provider
• children / youth developmental delay support

Continuing Care Services

This service provides care using a collaborative model. The department aims to:

• maintain and promote independence and health
• prevent illness
• ensure dignity and individual self-worth

It maintains an interdisciplinary team approach with residents and their families and provides an environment that encourages physical, psychological and spiritual well-being as well as continuity of care through the coordination of resources and services.

Provides long-term residential care, including:

• nursing and personal care
• physical, occupational or recreational therapy
• pharmacy services

Visit the Alberta Health Services Continuing Care website for more information.

Emergency Services

If you have an emergency, call 911.

Emergency departments:

• take care of people that are very sick or injured on a priority basis. This means the sickest people are seen first. If you go to an emergency department for care that isn't urgent, you will not likely be seen right away.
• provide medical care, which includes assessment and treatment
• stabilize people and get them ready to transport to a higher level of care facility (if needed)
• provide follow-up care including referrals to a family doctor or specialist (if needed)

Emergency Department wait times are now available for Calgary, Edmonton, Lethbridge, Medicine Hat and Red Deer.

Get the right care when you need it, to learn more visit Know Your Options

This service may be impacted by the COVID pandemic. View the Hours of Operations to see if the location has been impacted. Visit https://ahs.ca/covid for up-to-date information.

Environmental Public Health - Water Sample Bottle Pick-up and Drop-off

Drinking water, beaches and swimming pool water can be tested. Chemical water sampling testing is available and looks for common chemicals and trace metals found in water. Bacteria water sampling tests water samples for indicator bacteria to ensure water is safe.

For additional information,

• Environmental Public Health - Drinking Water
• Sample Your Water - Environmental Public Health
• Testing your drinking water in Alberta

General Radiography (X-Ray)

General Radiography uses x-rays to produce images of the structures inside the body, particularly bones. X-ray beams can pass through the body, but they are absorbed in different amounts depending on the density of the material they pass through.

Health Information - Access and Disclosure

In accordance with Alberta's Health Information Act, this is a service which enables the release of individually identifiable health information with or without the consent of an individual.

For health information, please contact the hospital or health care centre where you received treatment.

For detailed instructions, frequently asked questions and forms, please visit Access & Disclosure | Alberta Health Services.

Health Information / Records Management

Completes patient charts, collects data, data entry and coding, collects patient information, dictates notes, and transcribes inpatient and outpatient charts.

Hospitals

To access contact information and a list of services offered, select a hospital.

Search through a complete list of progams and services, or hospital and facility information with the following:

Find Healthcare:

• Progams & Services
• Hospitals & Facilities

Immunization - Adult Services

This service provides routine immunization for adults. Suggested immunizations:

• a booster dose of diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis (whooping cough)(dTap) every 10 years
• dTap vaccine for pregnant women every time they are pregnant
• Hepatitis B vaccine (HBV) for unprotected adults born in 1981 or later. Some adults born before 1981 may need this vaccine if they are at risk for hepatitis B (e.g. health problems, type of work, lifestyle, contact with the virus)
• Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine for adults up to and including age 26 years who did not get it in school.
• Measles, Mumps, Rubella (MMR) vaccine for adults whose immunization records do not show the recommended number of doses of measles, mumps, or rubella vaccine
• Chickenpox vaccine for unprotected adults
• annual influenza vaccine
• pneumococcal vaccine for all adults 65 years of age and older and adults with certain health problems

To find out which vaccines are recommended for you and to book an appointment for immunization, call your nearest community / public health centre. If you are not sure where your nearest community / public health centre is, you can call Health Link at 811. Bring any immunization records you have to the appointment, especially if you were immunized in another province or country.

For more general information about immunization go to ImmunizeAlberta.ca, Immunizations at myhealth.alberta.ca, or call Health Link.

Immunization - Infant and Preschool Services

Alberta Health Services provides routine immunization for infants and children across Alberta. Immunizations are free of charge for infants and children who live in Alberta.
Immunizations are recommended for infants starting at 2 months of age. Routinely recommended vaccines include: diphtheria, pertussis (whooping cough), tetanus, polio, Haemophilus influenzae type b, hepatitis B, rotavirus, meningococcal, pneumococcal, measles, mumps, rubella, varicella (chickenpox), and influenza.

For the routine immunization schedule, go to immunizealberta.ca.

Additional vaccines may be needed depending on your child’s health conditions or other risk factors.

Immunization is effective. Other than providing safe drinking water, no other health intervention works as well as immunization to reduce disease and death rates. Immunization protects whole communities. The more people who are fully immunized in a community, the safer everyone is.

Immunization is safe. It is much safer to get immunized than to get the diseases that vaccines protect against.

For more information, and to book an appointment, call your nearest community/public health centre. If you are not sure where your nearest community/public health centre is, call Health Link at 811. Bring your child’s immunization record to the appointment, especially if your child was immunized in another province or country.

For more general information about immunization, go to immunizealberta.ca, Immunizations at myhealth.alberta.ca, or call Health Link at 811.

Immunization - School Services

Each year, Alberta Health Services, Public Health reviews immunization records for students in grades 1, 6, and 9 to see what immunizations each student needs. A consent form is then sent home with an information sheet for each vaccine recommended for the student. No immunizations will be given in school without consent from a parent or legal guardian. Immunizations in this program include:

• Grades 1, 6, and 9: Any routine childhood and school vaccines that may have been missed according to a review of the students immunization record on file
• Grade 6: Hepatitis B (HBV) vaccine for students who have not already completed a hepatitis B immunization series and human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine
• Grade 9: diphtheria, tetanus, acellular pertussis (dTap) and meningococcal (Groups A, C, Y, W-135) conjugate vaccine

Indigenous Hospital Support Services

What we can do:

• support Indigenous

Patients incorporate their traditional and spiritual practices during their hospital stay. We recognize all faiths and can connect you with the appropriate support you may need.

• help the patient and their family feel comfortable in the hospital and provide support during the hospital stay
• translation services
• make referrals on/off reserve. Provide resource/contact information on Indigenous specific resources
• smudging
• coordinate use of ceremony room
• help plan and support the patients discharge from the hospital
• cultural consultation
• consult with healthcare providers about Indigenous centred practices and care
• advocate for the patient and their families

Laboratory Services

Laboratory Services provides collection of blood and body fluids for tests ordered by your doctor or healthcare provider including a comprehensive range of routine and specialized lab testing and clinical consultations:

• blood and body fluid sample collection
• biochemistry and toxicology
• electrocardiogram (ECG)
• genetics and genomics
• urinalysis
• transfusion medicine
• hematology
• coagulation studies
• microbiology
• public health testing
• serology
• surgical pathology
• cytopathology
• autopsy pathology
• student practicum training for medical lab technologists and medical lab assistants

Note: Some locations may not offer the full range of testing. To confirm availability of a specific test, contact the location.

APL Booking Line: 1-877-702-4486 or book online.

Lactation Services

Offers breastfeeding / chestfeeding support to:

• parents who have breast/chest concerns e.g. latching, sore/painful nipples, yeast, mastitis, milk supply, pumping, weaning
• babies with tongue-ties, yeast, latching problems, slow weight gain, failure to thrive
• prenatal counselling regarding nipple concerns, concerns with breast/chestfeeding, breast surgery, concerns with breast/chestfeeding previous children or need support

A breast / chestfeeding resource for doctors and healthcare providers.

Lost and Found Services

Provides a contact point for people who have lost items at the facility.

Oral Health - Preventative Dental Services

Our goal is to improve the oral health of people of all ages, in Calgary and its surrounding areas. A healthy mouth is an important piece in a person's overall health. Healthy teeth and gums support good nutrition, speech, growth, development, learning, and social development.

Services include:

• Early Childhood Oral Health
• School Dental Health
• Preventative Dental Health for Adults & Seniors

Health Promotion Campaign

• Re-Think Your Drink

Patient Email Well Wishes

As part of our support for patient care and comfort, friends and family of inpatients at hospital and health care facilities can send well wishes via email. Sites participating in the program will receive the message, will ensure that the message is only "well-wish" (any other type of communication will be deleted) and will arrange for delivery within 3 business days. A couple of important reminders - the electronic delivery system is not a secure connection, so please don't add any confidential information to your message. Plus the "well-wish" system does not allow for replies or confirm receipt / delivery confirmation.

Patient Food Services

Patient Food Services overarching objectives are to:

• Offer quality food and food choice, to support Patient Centered Care
• Work with the whole care team to ensure that Meals Matter
• Foster a positive meal experience that results in enjoyment of meals, as well as improved satisfaction and food intake that supports recovery
• Provide menus that are based on “Canada’s Food Guide” and that are adaptable for therapeutic requirements
• Offer appealing food that encourages eating for health
• Provide meal service styles appropriate to the patient population (e.g. tray service, dining room service) and meal delivery systems that support safe high quality food served at appropriate temperatures to the correct patient / resident

PFS delivers more than 31,000 patient/resident meals each day within AHS facilities.

Patient Information

Services offered:

• responding to patient location inquires
• providing direction on a patients whereabouts

Postpartum Community Services

Services include:

• newborn assessments including checking for jaundice
• postpartum assessment for new mothers includes physical and psychosocial assessmetns including domestic violence
• support with infant feeding including lactation consultants to help with breastfeeding
• parenting information
• information about newborn care, safety, growth, and development
• referrals to social worker support as needed
• referrals to doctors and community services as needed

Preschool Oral Health Services

Fluoride varnish helps protect your child's teeth from tooth decay (cavities). It slows down decay already started.

Your child needs four fluoride varnish visits, six months apart, to best protect their teeth. Fluoride varnish is painted on your child's teeth. It takes less than one minute to apply. You can hold your child during the visit.

You can also ask any questions you may have about protecting your child's teeth.

If your child is diagnosed with asthma by a doctor, bring their quick reliever medication to the appointment. If your child feels anxious with dental visits it may trigger asthma symptoms.

This provincial prevention service is available across Alberta.

For more information and eligibility, visit our website: Preschool Oral Health Services

Public Health Services

Community Health Centres provide a wide range of health services, which may include:

• Antenatal Community Prenatal Program (ACCP)
• Best Beginning
• Early Start Parent Drop In
• Postpartum Services
• School Health Program
• Well Child Services

Registration

Patient Registration registers:

• and pre-registers patients and collects demographic and financial information
• patients for inpatient admissions, ambulatory clinic appointment, and emergency department services

Rural Nutrition Counselling - Adult

The majority of teaching is one-to-one, however, group sessions may be offered to promote enhanced learning of clients. Nutrition information and resources can be found on Alberta Health Services’ Healthy Eating Starts Here. This service is available to rural communities only.

Additional Services:

• Nutrition Counselling (Dietitian) - Alberta Healthy Living Program
• Nutrition Counselling - Healthy Pregnancy Weight Gain

School Health Program

This service offers:

• public health nursing to support all schools in the Calgary Zone
• public health nursing assists school communities with health resource navigation and partners with school communities to promote health and develop strong, supportive communities
• school aged immunizations through school-based programs. Routine immunization programs occur in grades 1, 6 and 9

Social Work Services

This service works individually with patients, groups and/or families to:

• conduct assessments and develop interventions to alleviate social and personal problems
• identify needs and gaps and connect patients with community supports and resources
• empower patients to cope and problem solve during or after injury, disease or illness
• provide referrals to other AHS and community programs as required (example - Addictions and Mental Health )
• counsel patients and their families in coping with aspects of an illness, hospitalization and the impact of lifestyle choices on health
• assist patients and families to navigate the healthcare system and address legal and financial issues impacting care

Spiritual Care Services

Provision of spiritual health care by clinically trained Spiritual Health Practitioners to patients and families across diverse spiritual, religious, cultural, and philosophical values, beliefs, and practices.

Spirituality is a dimension of health. A Spiritual Health Practitioner (SHP) is a member of the health care team that can help you understand your unique health journey in light of your personal beliefs, values, relationships and experiences. Spiritual healthcare is confidential, inclusive, compassionate, and respectful and SHPs are skilled in providing philosophical, spiritual, and religious patient care across beliefs, cultural perspectives, and practices. They address spiritual distress (experiences of loss of meaning and connection in relation to yourself, to others and to what you understand as greater) and promote spiritual well-being (connection in relation to yourself, to others and to what you understand as greater).

A SHP will listen compassionately and work with you to determine the support you want and need. Services may include the following:

• counselling (supportive, problem focused or grief counselling), to help you:
• find strength to accept what is happening.
• find meaning and connection in the midst of illness, injury and trauma.
• cope better with pain and discomfort
• understand feelings of anxiety, depression, anger, and loneliness
• understand what’s important to you and make decisions about your health.
• support when facing ethical dilemma, moral distress, and the need to make difficult decisions.
• being an advocate to support patients / families as they navigate the health care system in light of their spiritual, religious, philosophical and cultural beliefs, values, and practices
• connecting with religious and / or cultural supports and services
• providing palliative and end of life spiritual care

Switchboard

These services include:

• answering incoming telephone calls
• transferring telephone calls and
• giving out authorized telephone numbers

Tuberculosis Testing

Offers free tuberculosis (TB) skin testing to eligible Albertans. The Mantoux skin test is not recommended to diagnose TB.

Testing is done at public health centres throughout the province:

• North Zone
• Edmonton Zone
• Central Zone
• Calgary Zone
• South Zone

If you are not eligible for free testing but still need to be tested there will be a charge for the test.

For travel or work related TB testing contact the Travel Health Services in your area.

Volunteer Resources

Our volunteer roles share a commitment to improving the quality of the patient and family experience.

Volunteers are:

• way-finders who help guide patients and families around our busy facilities,
• friendly visitors who spend time with our socially isolated patients,
• patient and family advisors who provide input and direction to AHS on numerous committees,
• supporters of our volunteer retail operations - where the proceeds are returned to AHS to provide patient care and comfort.

For general information about volunteering with AHS please visit our website.

Well Child Services

Provide appointments for:

• routine vaccination (2, 4, 6, 12, 18 months and 4 years of age)
• health education, health promotion and support for parents related to adjustment to parenthood, breastfeeding, infant feeding, nutrition and healthy eating, normal growth and development, etc.
• health assessment and screening to identify health concerns
• information and referral to community services, and community partnerships

There are 20 Community Health Centres (7 urban and 13 rural) across the Calgary Zone.