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 Centre - Adult Program

Services provided include:

• assessment, treatment and referrals
• care may include individual therapy, group therapy
• group therapy is a major component of this program

Adult Day Hospital - Addiction and Mental Health

Offers a program which includes the following components:

• psycho-education groups
• skill development to enhance individuals’ abilities to manage current and future addiction and/or mental health concerns
• individual therapy / case management
• multidisciplinary team support (nursing, social work, occupational therapy, psychology, psychiatry)

Adult Gender Clinic

This clinic provides:

• comprehensive assessment regarding gender identity
• treatment of co-occurring mental health concerns (e.g. mood and anxiety related to gender)
• education and support regarding social transition (e.g. family, work, legal document changes)
• referrals to access hormones and / or surgery required for transition

Adult Neuropsychology Service

Patients are seen for many areas of neurologic illness/injury, including:

• stroke/traumatic brain injury
• tumour, hydrocephalus
• seizure disorder
• multiple sclerosis/movement disorders
• toxic and metabolic encephalopathy
• dementia

Adult Psychosis Program - Addiction and Mental Health

Service offers:

• evidence informed care
• training for residents and students
• case management
• medication management (including injection clinic and clozapine)
• family support and education
• individual therapy
• psychoeducation
• psychosocial support
• recovery-oriented care
• evidence based group therapy such as CBT for psychosis group, Wellness and Recovery Group, CBT Basics Group®
• CTO Management
• psychiatric consultation and treatment
• psychological assessment

Comprehensive evaluation and diagnostic clarification/refinement

Advanced Venous Access Service

Provides services to people with long-term intravenous (IV) therapy such as:

• assessment and insertion of PICC
• consultation
• education, problem solving and resource for healthcare providers related to Cental Venous Access Catheters
• follow-up care and maintenance

Alberta Blood and Marrow Transplant Services

Offers care and support for people having an allogeneic or autologous blood and marrow transplant.

Alberta Thoracic Oncology Program

This program works to make sure people with lung cancer get faster access across Alberta to treatment through special rapid access clinics in Edmonton and Calgary. The program seeks to reshape cancer care in Alberta by improving the patient journey and outcomes and standardize care delivery across the province.

Alberta Trauma Services

Services provided may include:

• sending patients to the hospital that can best help them
• assessment, resuscitation, and treatment
• rehabilitation
• helping patients return to their community
• trauma education
• injury prevention education
• trauma research
• data collection for the Alberta Trauma Registry

This service cares for people from Alberta, British Columbia, Saskatchewan, Nunavut, and the Northwest Territories depending on location.

For more information visit our webpage.

Ambulatory Neurosurgery

This service offers:

• referral for assessment of patients requiring neurosurgical treatment and intervention
• post-surgical follow-up appointment

Amputee Rehabilitation Clinic

The goal of this service is to assist the patient in achieving the best possible recovery and the highest level of independence and function. This would be done through:

• addressing proper wound care and limb management.
• increasing an individual's strength, flexibility, coordination and endurance
• optimizing prosthetic management
• coordinate rehabilitation with the community partners (e.g. Community Accessible Rehabilitation)
• consultation is also offered to people who are thinking about having an elective amputation.

Anaesthesia Services

This service provides:

• anaesthesia for surgery;
• anaesthesia for diagnostic imaging and oncological procedures;
• acute relief of pain after surgery;
• treatment of chronic pain

Antenatal Consult Clinic

A Neonatologist on the Maternal Fetal Medicine Anetnatal Service based at FMC NICU provides pre-delivery consultations (from Monday to Friday) to mothers with significant conditions affecting the fetus within the Southern Alberta catchment area. Issues affecting the fetus that may be addressed are prematurity, surgical issues, genetic conditions, cardiac problems as well as maternal illness that may affect the Fetus. The Neonatologist may also work with others in Obstetrics, Genetics or other specialties to provide a family conference in complex cases. Relevant information is then provided to the obststrics team and the NICU to ensure there is seamless care throughout the process.

Anticoagulation Management Services

Services include:

• coordinating laboratory testing
• dosing decisions for anticoagulation medicine
• education

The service is in communication with the patient’s primary care doctor.

Anxiety Disorders Clinic

Services provided include:

• evidenced informed care
• Brain and Mental Health Research Clinic
• subspecialty training for health professionals
• comprehensive evaluation and diagnostic clarification/refinement
• psychosocial therapy-based management of complex and treatment refractory clients
• consultation to other outpatient clinics
• medication
• psychiatric consultation and treatment

Apheresis Clinic

Offers assessments and apheresis treatment, including:

• separating blood cells to take out harmful blood parts (plasma exchange, and white blood cell and platelet depletion)
• collecting stem cells for blood cell transplants
• red blood cell exchanges
• photopheresis (using light to treat blood)
• client and staff education
• advice to other healthcare agencies

Arterial Blood Gases / Cooximetry

This service offers:

• diagnostic tests and results
• urgent critical care test to assess respiratory failure
• diagnosis and assessment of acute and chronic lung disease to outpatients
• authorization or re-authorization of AADL funding to clients on oxygen

Audiology Services

Community Audiology provides the following services (not all services are offered at each site):

• diagnostic hearing assessments for all ages (ABR for infants younger than 6 months)
• hearing screening
• ototoxicity (baseline/monitoring) hearing assessment
• vestibular assessments (ENT/Neurology referral required) at SHC only
• cochlear implant (CI) candidacy assessments and intervention/follow-up for adults 18 and older

This service does not provide / sell hearing aids, however candidacy and information about where to obtain hearing aids is provided post hearing assessment.

Brain Injury Rehabilitation Clinic

Typical concerns include memory and cognitive changes, speech changes, emotional changes, and physical sequelae.

Bronchoscopy Clinic

Provides service to assess the upper and lower airways to help diagnose lung diseases.

Burn Treatment Services

Provides treatment and rehabilitation of burn injuries.

Includes:

• surgical grafting and graft revisions
• major plastic repairs

Cafeteria Services - Garden Cafe

Offers fresh food that people can buy at AHS hospitals and facilities like:

• bakery
• Starbucks beverages
• sandwiches
• grab and go

Cafeteria Services - Garden Deli

Offers fresh food that people can buy at AHS hospitals and facilities like:

• grill
• made to order salads and wraps
• grab and go
• beverages
• sushi
• simmer soup

Cafeteria Services - Good Earth Cafe

Offers fresh food that people can buy at AHS hospitals and facilities. Vending machines are also available.

Cafeteria Services - On The Go, Tim Horton's

Offers self-serve coffee that people can buy at AHS hospitals and facilities.

Cafeteria Services - Timberline Cafe

Offers fresh food that people can buy at AHS hospitals and facilities like:

• daily hot entrée
• beverages
• grab and go
• pizza
• made to order sandwiches
• simmer soup

Calgary Brain Injury and Stroke Rehabilitation Program

The program offers the following for patients and their families:

• education and updated information about resources for survivors of brain injury and stroke
• wayfinding

This program also provides information, education, and resources to healthcare providers working across the continuum of care from acute to community rehabilitation.

For more information, visit the Calgary Brain Injury Program website.

Calgary Epilepsy Program - Clinical Psychology Service

Services offered include:

• consultation / assessment
• psychoeducation
• short term treatment (up to 6 months or approximately 12 sessions)
• adjustment challenges, including anxiety and mood concerns, related to a diagnosis of epilepsy, PNES, FNSD with attacks or seizures

Cardiac Catheterization Lab

Services include:

• cardiac emergencies
• diagnostic cardiac angiography
• percutaneous coronary intervention
• structural heart diagnostics
• structural heart intervention

Cardiac Diagnostics - Hospital Sites

NOTE: Services listed below may not be offered at all locations. Contact the location to receive details on their service offerings.

Services provided include:

Electrodiagnostics

• Electrocardiograms
• Holter Monitors
• Event recorders
• Stress testing
• Blood pressure monitors

Nuclear Cardiology

• Myocardial perfusion imaging
• MUGA
• Cardiac CT angiopraphy and calcium scoring
• 99m Technetium-Pyrophosphate Imaging (for ATTR Cardiac Amyloidosis)

Echocardiograms

• Transthoracic Echo
• Transesophageal Echo
• Contrast Echo
• Stress testing
• Pericardiocentersis
• Cardiac biopsies

Cardiac Function Clinic

The Cardiac Function Clinic (CFC) is a multidisciplinary clinic dedicated to the support of Heart Failure (HF) patients who have complex care needs that require close monitoring and/or medication optimization . Care offered includes ongoing physical assessment, management of medical and non-pharmacological treatments, and patient teaching regarding diet, lifestyle and medication management.

Cardiac Implantable Electrical Device (CIED) Clinic

Offers follow-up care for patients with implanted cardiac devices.

Cardiac Intensive Care / Coronary Care Units

Conditions include but are not limited to:

• acute myocardial infarction
• acute coronary syndrome
• heart failure
• cardiac dysrhythmias

Medical cardiology patients needing the following will be limited to the CICU at the Foothills Medical Centre:

• IABP therapy
• pulmonary artery catheter monitoring
• mechanical ventilation
• STEMI patient post-primary or rescue PCI within the first 4 hours of the intervention
• Impella ventricular assist device
• targeted temperature management after cardiac arrest

Cardiac Procedures Central Referral (CPCR) Office

A referral service for people who need to see a cardiologist.

Cardiac Surgery

Coordinates and schedules open heart cardiac surgeries.

Cardiology Fellows Clinic

Provides assessment, treatment or referral of people with known or suspected heart issues by our cardiology trainees under the supervision of a staff cardiologist.

Cardiovascular Surgery

Service includes:

• Cardiovascular Intensive Care Unit (Unit 94 CVICU): care right after heart surgery, ECMO (extracorporeal membrane oxygenation)
• Cardiovascular Surgery Inpatient Unit (Unit 91): stepdown area, dysrhythmia, defibrillation, chest tube removal, inotrope administration, temporary pacemakers

Cardiovascular Surgery Inpatient Unit

Care for people before and after surgery, including:

• coronary artery bypass graft (CABG)
• ventricular assist device (VAD)
• other surgeries related to the heart

Cashier Services

Cashier services performs financial transactions, including the acceptance of payment for patient fees.

Cast Clinic

This service provides:

• assessment, treatment and follow up of orthopedic injuries
• may involve application and removal of casts, braces or other orthopedic devices
• offers follow up by an orthopedic surgeon or family doctor with an interest in orthopedics

Child and Adolescent Mental Health Inpatient Services

This service offers mental health assessment and treatment for children with serious emotional, behavioral, and / or psychiatric problems that can't be treated in the community, day patient, or outpatient settings. The service also involves the child's family.

Service provides:

• psychiatric assessment
• short-term psychiatric stabilization

All admissions are determined in any of the emergency departments in consultation with psychiatry/mental health staff

Chronic Cough Clinic

Provides care and support to people whose cough is not being caused by a health condition, but is still affecting their everyday lives.

Chronic Pain Consult Service

The chronic pain consult team:

• assesses patients and recommends treatment options for the attending physician to implement
• provides recommendations for the family physician upon discharge
• educates patients regarding how to manage their chronic pain in the community after discharge from hospital
• provides education to health care professionals

Collaborative Immunology Program

CIP program consists of two parts:

• a multidisciplinary outpatient clinic servicing patients with immune deficiencies
• a training and support program for all patients on SCIg replacement

Patients can be referred to the outpatient clinic by a primary care provider or specialist who suspects immune deficiency. They may also be transferred by the ACH immunology program for ongoing care.

Program offers:

• timely diagnosis and access to advance diagnostics
• education
• appropriate and proactive treatment
• holistic comprehensive care
• if appropriate referral to SCIg

Complex Atrial Fibrillation Clinic

Most patients with atrial fibrillation can be managed by their family physician or a general cardiologist. This cardiac clinic is focused on the management of:

• Patients with complex care decisions regarding medications used to control or treat atrial fibrillation and/or atrial flutter
• Patients who may need procedures to manage or treat their atrial fibrillation and/or atrial flutter (for example, an ablation procedure and/or pacemaker)
• Patients who have recurrent atrial fibrillation and/or atrial flutter at a younger age (typically, under 50 years old)

Patients are discharged from the clinic once their condition has been stabilized.

Computed Tomography

Computed tomography, also known as "CT Scan" or "CAT Scan", is when pictures of the body are taken using radiation and computer-enhanced imaging.

Concussion Clinic

This is a physical medicine and rehabilitation specialist service that offers assessment and recommendations for the care of people with a mild traumatic brain injury / concussion with persistent symptoms greater than 3 months who require rehabilitation. Typical concerns include memory and cognitive changes, speech changes, emotional changes, and physical sequelae.

Cystic Fibrosis Services - Adult Outpatient

Provides assessment, treatment, and follow-up services to adults with cystic fibrosis.

Testing to see how well your lungs are working (spirometry) can be done at the clinic.

Day Medicine

Services may include:

• administration of blood products
• IV therapy
• medication infusions
• therapeutic phlebotomy
• recovery from approved diagnostic interventions dependent on site

Day Surgery Unit

Cares for people before and after general surgery procedures.

Dental Clinic - Adult

This service also provides:

• emergency dental treatment
• biopsy of hard and soft tissue
• IV sedation or nitrous oxide as needed
• consultation with periodontist, endodontist, or oral maxillary surgeon if required

Diabetes in Pregnancy Clinic

Provides:

• teaching, counselling, and monitoring for pregnant women who have diabetes or have been diagnosed with gestational diabetes
• pre-pregnancy counselling and monitoring for women with Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes who are thinking about getting pregnant

Early Hearing Detection and Intervention (EHDI) Program - Neonatal Intensive Care Unit Screening

With your consent, your baby's hearing screening will happen before your baby leaves the hospital. The results of your baby's hearing screening and any follow up needed will be shared with you.

Hearing screening is the best way to find out if your baby has hearing loss.

Hearing screening is quick, safe, and will not hurt your baby. Your baby's hearing is important for many areas of child and brain development. Hearing loss can delay your child's speech, learning and social skills.

For more information, visit our website.

Early Hearing Detection and Intervention (EHDI) Program - Postpartum Screening

With your consent, your baby's hearing screening will happen before your baby leaves the hospital. The results of your baby's hearing screening and any follow up needed will be shared with you.

Your baby will be referred to Community Hearing Screening if:

• your baby is discharged from hospital or birth centre before hearing screening can take place
• your baby is born at a hospital or birth centre that does not offer hearing screening
• your baby is not born in a hospital or birth centre

For more information on screening in the community, see the service type Early Hearing Detection & Intervention (EHDI) Program - Community Hearing Screening.

Hearing screening is the best way to find out if your baby has hearing loss.

Hearing screening is quick, safe, and will not hurt your baby. Your baby's hearing is important for many areas of child and brain development. Hearing loss can delay your child's speech, learning and social skills.

For more information, visit our website.

Early Psychosis Intervention Program

EPIP (Early Psychosis Intervention Program) provides an initial comprehensive psychiatric assessment with longitudinal follow-up where clinically appropriate. The maximum duration of follow-up is 3 years. Follow-up services include:

• psychiatric management and medication strategies
• case Management
• family Intervention
• individual group therapy

Electroencephalography Service

An EEG test is a measurement of the electrical activity of the brain. It takes approximately 60-90 minutes and is performed by a technologist and then interpreted by a neurologist. The test involves the placement of electrodes on your scalp, there is no pain or discomfort involved. We ask that you arrive for your appointment with clean hair with no mousse, gels or hairspray.

Electromyography Service

The test involves low electrical stimulation of the nerves using electrode stickers or may involve a thin needle to be inserted directly into a muscle which records the electrical activity in that muscle. Testing is performed by a doctor who is assisted by a technologist.

Emergency Room Outreach Team - Mental Health

The Psychiatric Emergency Room Outreach (ERO) Team and Psychiatric Outreach Response Team (PORT) offers timely community-based follow-up to clients who are referred by psychiatric emergency services. ERO and PORT are mobile teams, able to meet with client by phone and at times at their homes, allowing them to effectively address client needs.

The services offer emotional or mental health support, intervention and problem solving, education and information for well-being, referral to other services, and clinical follow-up. Clients is in need of further mental health support, will be connected to a longer term service.

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.

Emergency Services - Child and Adolescent Mental Health

This service provides:

• assessments for children and teens with mental health concerns
• consultations with families
• recommendations to doctors about admissions and/or community support
• discharge planning and counselling for children and teens in the hospital
• short-term follow-up for clients once they have been discharged

See Eligibility field for information on who is eligible for this service.

Alberta Children's Hospital has a Mental Health Inpatient Unit.

Endoscopic Ultrasound Services

This service offers specialized endoscopic ultrasounds for staging tumours of the esophagus, stomach, pancreas, biliary system, and rectum.

Endoscopy / Colonoscopy Services

Offers endoscopy procedures for gastrointestinal concerns, which may include:

• endoscopy
• colonoscopy
• sigmoidoscopy
• esophageal motility study
• endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) Foothills Medical Centre and Peter Lougheed Centre only
• double balloon enteroscopy (DBE) Foothills Medical Centre only

View patient education videos, visit ahs.ca/colonoscopy.

Enhanced Recovery After Surgery

The Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) program supports implementation of standardized patient care related to nutrition, mobility after surgery, pain and nausea control, and fluid intake management. We engage patients and make them part of the team by involving them in preparation for their surgery and post-operative recovery. By helping patients stay strong, we can improve outcomes, reduce complications and create a better patient experience.

Before surgery:

• patients are taught to minimize time without fluids or food
• patients are taught about what to expect after surgey and health activities to practice that will help them recover
• medications for pain, nausea, infection, and blood clot prevention are given based on best practice evidence

During surgery:

• management of pain, nausea and fluids is provided
• techniques are applied to reduce surgical stress response (minimally invasive surgery, employ blocks or freezing to prevent pain signals from setting off fight or flight /stress response)

After surgery:

• evidence promotes less use of or early removal of lines, drains, tubes and urinary catheter removal
• better outcomes through drinking, eating, gum chewing, moving and walking
• improved pain, nausea and surgical complication rate

For more information, visit the Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) website.

Epilepsy Clinic

Services offered may include:

• assessment and treatment of all forms of epilepsy
• new anticonvulsant drug trials
• epilepsy surgery
• vagal nerve stimulation
• education for patients and their family
• psychological counselling

Evoked Potential Service

An Evoked Potential (EP) is an electrical potential recorded from the nervous system in response to the presentation of a stimulus. The stimulus type may be visual, auditory or somatosensory. Each type of test takes 30-60 minutes and is performed by a technologist and then interpreted by a neurologist.

Fluoroscopy

Fluoroscopy is a real time x-ray like a video, which is used by physicians and staff to assist imaging throughout the body during exams.

Gastroenterology Clinic - Outpatients

This service provides:

• assessment of gastrointestinal (GI) diseases or disorders
• treatment of GI diseases or disorders
• regular preventive monitoring of patients who have a family history of colon cancer
• patient education for GI procedures: colonoscopy flexible sigmoidoscopy, gastroscopy, esophageal dilatation, and others

General Cardiology Clinic

This service provides comprehensive diagnostic, assessment, treatment and follow-up services within cardiology subspecialties.

General Pulmonary Clinic

This service provides diagnostic, assessment, treatment, and follow-up care services for:

• General Respirology
• Asthma and related illnesses
• COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease)
• SOB (Shortness of Breath)
• Cough

Offers teaching activities for respiratory clients. Services include:

• assessing client learning needs
• planning and delivering teaching activities
• encouraging clients to live a non-smoking lifestyle
• supporting research in respiratory care

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.

General Surgery - Inpatient

The patient is admitted to a general surgery inpatient unit for one or more nights.

Gift Shops - The Red Thread

A hospital boutique featuring a wide selection of gifts, snacks and toiletries for sale. At The Red Thread Gift Shop your gift gives twice! Proceeds of sales support programs that focus on patient care and comfort as well as the purchase of new patient focused equipment.

Gynecological Surgery

Cares for women or people with female anatomy after they have had gynecology surgery (e.g., hysterectomy, bladder repair, for cancer).

Hand Clinic

This program provides assessment and treatment for injuries as recommended by the health care team.

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.

Heart Transplant - Southern Alberta Transplant Program

Provides assessment, listing on the organ wait list, and follow-up for heart transplant clients, including:

• assessing clients to see if they’re eligible for a heart transplant
• education about management options for clients with advanced heart failure or cardiac disease
• monitoring and management of clients while they’re being assessed for a heart transplant and while they’re on the cardiac transplant wait list
• caring for clients admitted to the hospital while waiting for a heart transplant
• caring for clients after the heart transplant surgery

Adults are followed through the Foothills Medical Centre and children are followed through the Alberta Children’s Hospital. The University of Alberta Heart Transplant Program works with both hospitals to follow clients.

Heart transplant surgery for all ages is done at the University of Alberta Hospital in Edmonton.

For more information, see the Southern Alberta Transplant Program website.

Hematology - Inpatients

Provides care for people in the hospital with blood diseases, including leukemia.

Hematology Clinic

Provides a referral service for doctors, emergency departments, and urgent care centres in Calgary that need to refer people to see hematologists (doctors who specialize in blood diseases and issues).

Hemodialysis - Alberta Kidney Care - South

Provides hemodialysis treatments (a process where the client's blood is passed through a special filter that removes waste products and water). Most people need 3 treatments every week. Each treatment lasts 4 hours.

Hepatology Clinic

Offers medical services for people with hepatitis, including:

• assessment
• diagnosis
• treatment
• follow-up
• education

Home Parenteral Therapy Program

Provides intravenous (IV) antibiotics at home. Healthcare providers teach clients and caregivers how to use an IV pump to give the antibiotics.

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

Hydrocephalus Clinic

Services are offered to people who have been referred, by their doctor, to see a neurosurgeon. The neurosurgery team complete an assessment and decide if treatment is needed.

Follow up is also provided to patients, once their treatment is complete.

Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy Clinic

Offers 100% oxygen at high atmospheric pressure to treat a specified list of conditions approved by Alberta Health and the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Alberta. This treatment increases blood oxygen levels, which can prevent tissue death, promote healing, and help fight infection.

ICU Recovery Clinic

The ICU Recovery Clinic is a rehabilitation clinic focused on helping people heal from difficulties associated with stays in the ICU. Common problems after ICU that people experience when they go home include difficulties with fatique, strength, sleep, mood, thinking and quality-of-life.

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

Inpatient Geriatric Consultation Service

Provides consultation services for older adults with medical problems, including:

• planning how to care for patients in the hospital who need surgery and medical care
• help with managing medical problems of older adults
• discharge planning

Instrumental Swallow Assessment Referral for Rural Hospital Inpatients

Rural hospital inpatients are seen for instrumental oropharyngeal swallowing assessment by speech-language pathology (SLP) at the Foothills Medical Centre (FMC) and the Rockyview General Hospital (RGH).

• Modified Barium Swallow (MBS)/Videofluoroscopic Swallow Study (VFSS) is offered at FMC and RGH
• Fiberoptic Endoscopic Evaluation of Swallowing (FEES) is offered at FMC

Note: Bariatric patients are only seen at FMC.

Intensive Care Services - Critical Care Medicine

As part of the Critical Care Medicine Department, this service provides intensive care for all patients, including trauma and neurosciences.

Intensive Palliative Care Unit

Provides symptom management so patients can be discharged to the most appropriate setting for ongoing palliative care such as home or hospice.

Interventional Radiography / Angiography

Interventional Radiography is a sub-specialty of Diagnostic Imaging (radiology) that uses imag-guided procedures for both therapeutic and diagnostic Purposes. Interventional radiography can be done using x-ray, CT, Ultrasound or MRI images and are done to diagnose and treat disease in almost every organ system.

Angiography, which is a diagnostic imaging procedure that uses a radio-opaque dye and a specialized x-ray camera to take pictures of the blood flow in specific blood vessels (arteries or veins) or blood flow within the heart itself. Sometimes treatments are done during an angiogram.

Kidney and Pancreas Transplant - Alberta Kidney Care - South

Services include:

• assessment of eligibility and education for chronic renal failure patients interested in transplantation
• waitlist work-up for kidney and pancreas transplant surgery
• monitoring of patients on the kidney and pancreas transplant wait list
• kidney and pancreas transplant surgery
• monitoring and treatment patients after the transplant surgery

Children are cared for at the Alberta Children's Hospital.

See the following sites for more information:

• Southern Alberta Transplant Program
• Pediatric Kidney Transplant – Southern Alberta Transplant Program

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.

Labour and Delivery Services, Postpartum and Newborn Care

24 / 7 care for pregnant women and newborn babies, which includes:

• assessment and treatment
• referrals to other healthcare providers
• labour and delivery support
• vaginal deliveries
• c-section deliveries
• postpartum care
• care for pregnancy complications
• breastfeeding support
• teaching as needed
• discharge planning
• grief counselling

Liver Transplant - Southern Alberta Transplant Program

This service provides:

• work-up for assessment of eligibility for patients with liver failure
• education for patients with liver failure
• waitlist work-up for liver transplant surgery
• monitoring and treatment of patients on the transplant wait list
• monitoring and treatment of post-transplant patients

Adult patients are followed through the Foothills Medical Centre and pediatric patients are followed at the Alberta Children’s Hospital; patients are followed in collaboration with the Edmonton Liver Transplant Program. Liver transplant surgery is performed in Edmonton.

Additional Information:

• Southern Alberta Transplant Program
• Pediatric Liver Transplant – Southern Alberta Transplant Program

Living Donor Services - Southern Alberta Transplant Program

Offers services for people who want to be living kidney donors (donate one of their kidneys to a person with end-stage kidney disease), including:

• assessing and testing to see if a person is able to donate
• educating people about the process of donating a kidney
• surgery to remove the donated kidney and follow-up

Living donors are usually blood relatives (e.g., brother, sister, parent, child, grandparent, grandchild, niece, nephew). Sometimes a person who isn’t a blood relative can be a donor (e.g., husband, partner, wife, in-laws, close friend). Anonymous donors (people who want to donate a kidney to someone they don’t know) may also be part of this program.

Donors who aren’t a match for the person who was going to receive their kidney can be part of a paired exchange program with Canadian Blood Services.

For more information about being a living donor, see:

• Southern Alberta Transplant Program
• Canadian Blood Services

Lung Transplant - Southern Alberta Transplant Program

This service provides:

• work-up for assessment of eligibility for patients with end-stage lung disease
• education for patients with end-stage lung disease
• waitlist work-up for lung transplant surgery
• monitoring of patients on the transplant wait list
• monitoring and treatment of post transplant patients

Lung transplant surgery is performed in Edmonton. Patients are followed in collaboration with the Edmonton Lung Transplant Program. Pediatric patients are followed at the Alberta Children's Hospital.

Additonal Informaiton:

• Southern Alberta Transplant Program
• Edmonton Lung Transplant Program

Magnetic Resonance Imaging

MRI scanners use strong magnetic fields and radiowaves to form images of the body. The technique is widely used in hospitals for medical diagnosis, staging of disease and for follow-up without exposure to ionizing radiation.

Used for many exams, including: head, spine, heart, bone / joints, and abdomen.

Mammography

Mammography is a type of x-ray to look for growths or changes in breast tissue.

Maternal Fetal Medicine

Provides consults to pregnant women, including:

• assessments
• tests (e.g., screening tests)
• consults with other healthcare providers if needed
• referrals to other services if needed

Mechanical Circulatory Support Program

The Mechanical Circulatory Support (MCS) Program provides treatment to patients with cardiac and/or respiratory failure. The Adult Extracorpeal Life Support (ECLS) is a multidisciplinary program offering advanced cardiac and respiratory life support for patients with heart and lung failure as a bridge to: decision, recovery or transplant.

The Adult Ventricular Assist Device (VAD) program treats patients with advanced heart failure utilizing VAD device for both short term and long term treatment. VADs in this program are used as bridge to: decision, transplant, recovery or destination therapy.

Medical Cardiology - Inpatients

Medical Cardiology inpatient unit that serves a patient population that traverses the life span to include young adults, middle adult and older age groups. Admissions include but are not limited to:

• patients with abnormal heart beats
• congestive heart failure
• pre and post heart transplant
• heart attack
• pre and post cardiac catherization
• pacemaker and other device implants just to name a few

Mood Disorders Program - Addiction & Mental Health

Adults (18+ of age) with a moderate to severe presentation of one of the following:

• recurrent major depressive disorder
• bipolar disorder (I or II)
• first episode depression with a family history of bipolar disorder OR
• young adult (15 to 25 years of age) with first admission to hospital for any mood disorder
• timely and comprehensive psychiatric assessment
• treatment for primary recurrent unipolar and bipolar mood disorder when indicated
• education
• research

Multiple Sclerosis Clinic

Provides assessment, diagnosis, and treatment of people with multiple sclerosis (MS), including:

• making sure clients have the right diagnosis
• consultations about the brain, spinal cord, and nervous system
• helping clients get the care they need from a team of neurologists, physiatrists, nurses, and rehabilitation specialists
• working with community agencies, including the MS Society, Home Care, and Continuing Care to provide care to clients
• collecting information about MS and providing it for education and research projects about the cause and treatment of MS

Neonatal Intensive Care

The service includes:

• level ll neonatal intensive care available at Foothills Medical Centre, Peter Lougheed Centre, South Health Centre, Rockyview General Hospital
• level III neonatal intensive care available at Alberta Children Hospital, Foothills Medical Centre
• care for high-risk babies needing close monitoring and support after birth
• referral to perinatal follow-up for high-risk newborns
• referrals to the neonatal transitional care team in the community as needed

Southern Alberta Neonatal Transport Service (neonatal transport team serves southern Alberta) only available at the Foothills Medical Centre

Neurosciences - Inpatients

As part of the Foothills Hospital Inpatient Units:

Provides assessment, diagnosis, and treatment of neurological conditions, including:

• assessment of the nervous system
• consultation with other healthcare providers (e.g. emergency department, inpatient services at other adult sites, family doctors)
• admitting clients to the hospital for treatments
• rehabilitation programs for brain, spinal cord, and stroke patients and their families
• seizure monitoring
• post-operative care for patients receiving brain surgery and / or associated procedures

Neurosurgery - Inpatients

Provides care for patients who need surgery for conditions affecting the brain, spinal cord, and spine, including:

• neuro-trauma
• strokes
• brain and spinal cord tumours
• diseases of the central nervous system

Neurosurgery Spine Triage and Assessment Clinic

Elective Routine Outpatient Spine Referrals Only.

• STAC (Spine Triage and Assessment Clinic) reviews and triages Elective Routine Outpatient Spine Referrals for possible surgical consultation from physicians and health care providers within Southern Alberta.
• STAC does not manage spine-related problems, provide chronic pain services or pain management care, or prescribe medications.
• STAC aims to provide early surgical input into the care pathway for the referring physician and patient, facilitating timely access to appropriate care by the appropriate provider.

Neurovascular Clinic

Services are offered to people who have been referred, by their doctor, to see a neurosurgeon. The neurosurgery team would then assess and decide if surgery is needed, for neurovascular disorders, including:

• brain aneurysms
• arteriovenous malformations (AVMs)
• carotid artery disease
• cavernoma
• carotid cavernous fistula
• dural arteriovenous fistula
• intracranial atherosclerotic disease

Follow up after surgery is also provided.

Nuclear Medicine

Clients swallow, inhale, or are given a needle with a radiotracer before their exam. Radiotracers go to a specific body part so the camera can take pictures. (tests may take a number of hours to complete; patients may be required to return later that day or the next day to complete exam).

Radiotracers are also given to treat diseases like thyroid disease.

Oncology - Inpatients

Offers care and treatment for people with cancer, including high-dose chemotherapy and pain relief.

OPTIMUS - Outpatient Treatment in Multiple Sclerosis

Provides assessments and treatments to improve the quality of life and physical abilities of people with multiple sclerosis.

Service includes:

• consultations
• physical assessment and treatment
• education
• psychosocial support

Organ, Tissue and Eye Donation

Donations of organs and tissues may include:

• Organs: heart, lungs, liver, kidneys, pancreas, and small bowel
• Tissues: eyes, skin, heart valves, bones, connective tissue and placenta

To find out how to record your wishes to donate organs and / or tissues after you die, visit the Organ and Tissue Donation Registry.

For more information visit our website.

Orthopedic Services - Inpatients

A multidisciplinary team provides care for orthopedic patients including:

• care for orthopedic trauma patients
• care for total joint replacements
• care for orthopedic spine patients
• cancer care for the orthopedic patient

For more information visit our website.

Ostomy Clinic

This service provides:

• pre- and post-operative teaching and discharge planning for patients with ostomies
• education and counselling to prepare for discharge
• assess and organize ostomy supplies
• skin and wound care plans (inpatients only)
• consult with Home Care or long-term care

Outpatient Burn Clinic

Outpatient service for adult patients suffering burn injuries. The care provided is from the acute injury through the rehabilitation phase.

Services provided may include:

• assessment / treatment planning
• dressing changes
• education / support
• scar management
• rehabilitation

Outpatient Consultation Liaison Psychiatry Clinic

This is a physician only clinic and it provides assessment and treatment of psychiatric conditions for patients currently connected with AHS speciality medical and surgical clinics in the Calgary Zone.

Outpatient Dysphagia Clinic

Services provided may include:

• clinical swallowing assessment and / or education performed in-person or virtually (Zoom)
• instrumental assessment: VFSS / MBS (Videofluoroscopic Swallow Assessment / Modified Barium Swallow, FEES (Fiberoptic Endoscopic Evaluation of Swallowing)
• follow-up if indicated

The clinic DOES NOT assess or manage patients with suspected esophageal abnormalities.

Consider alternate investigations if patient has:

• sensation of lump in the throat not associated with oral intake
• food feeling stuck at level of sternal notch or below
• difficulty with solids but not liquids
• sensation of choking, but able to breathe throughout and food typically clears

Outpatient Residence Services

We offer 1 and 2 bedroom suites for a fee. Each suite has a bathroom, bedroom and living / dining area.The suite includes a microwave and minifridge. The residence is not wheelchair accessible and you must be able to go down 13 flights of stairs in case of a fire. This facility is for patients. Caregivers are permitted with you in your suite for the duration of your stay.

Outpatient Surgery Clinic

Offers care for patients pre and post surgery on an outpatient basis.

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

Pediatric Psychiatry - Inpatient

Offers services for children and adolescents who have serious, ongoing mental health concerns, including:

• assessment and treatment
• access to social work, community liaison, and rehabilitation services

Pharmacy Services - Outpatients (Rexall)

Provides medication services for:

• patients under special programs or clinics
• patients who have been discharged from an inpatient unit
• patients who are enrolled in select clinical trial groups
• staff
• members of the public

Physiatry Bracing / Orthotics Clinic

This clinic optimizes function through the use of bracing and orthotics. Examples of diagnoses seen in this clinic include:

• arthritis joint pain
• sports injuries
• hand injuries / deformities
• ligament tears
• cerebral palsy
• foot drop
• neuromuscular disease with focal muscle weakness

Physiatry Clinic

This program services to adults (minimum 18 years or older) with acute or chronic disorders of the musculoskeletal system. This could include neurological disorders affecting the musculiskeletal system. The goal of this program is to restore maximum function lost through injury, illness, or disabling conditions. The physician may provide pain management techniques such as:

• non-surgical treatments
• ultrasound guided injections
• bracing or orthotic needs

Positron Emission Tomography / Computed Tomography

The person is given a radioactive substance that collects in certain cells in the body. These cells can then be detected and the PET/CT combined gives a clear picture of the size, shape, and location of the abnormal cells.

Pre-admission Clinic

Services provided may include:

• optimize patient prior to the surgery
• provide phone or in person assessment by nurse, or a consultant specialist based on the patient's medical needs
• may have an assessment by Internal Medicine Physician and or anesthesiologists at the clinic
• provide pre-operative instruction

Pregnancy and Infant Loss - Grief Support

This service offers:

• grief support through individual or couples counselling after a pregnancy or infant loss.
• group support for parents (6-week groups, twice per year, evenings).
• memorial services and events of remembrance.
• mementos program for parents and family members who have experienced a pregnancy loss, stillbirth, or neo-natal death.

For more information visit our website

Psychiatric Adult Services

Clients must be willing to engage in change oriented therapy. To begin, a client undergoes a comprehensive psychiatric assessment. Based on the treatment plan, both individual and group therapies are available.

Psychiatric Emergency Services

Services provided to clients and families by Psychiatric Emergency Services (PES) may also include:

• supporting admission to a psychiatry unit based on the needs of the individual
• referral for short-term outreach support for discharged clients with a focus on crisis stabilitzation, safety planning and navigation to appropriate servicers

Psychiatry - Inpatient

Offers services for people who have serious, ongoing mental health concerns, including:

• assessment and treatment
• access to social work, community liaison, and rehabilitation services
• programs for older adults help and planning when it’s time for people to leave the hospital

Pulmonary Clinic - Interstitial Lung Disease (ILD)

ILD experts provide confirmation of diagnosis through the ILD multidisciplinary discussion and formation of a treatment plan.

The ILD Clinic offers patients:

• symptom management of breathlessness and decreased exercise tolerance
• evaluation of suitability for potential biologic therapies
• assessment for home oxygen therapy
• goals of care discussion

Pulmonary Diagnostics Unit

Clinic provides diagnostic procedures for lung conditions such as:

• cough
• shortness of breath
• chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases (COPD)
• asthma
• lung cancer
• interstitial lung disease
• sleep apnea
• pneumonia
• malignant pleural effusion

Reality Challenged Clinic - Addiction & Mental Health

Provides a comprehensive psychiatric assessment with long-term follow-up where appropriate. Maximum duration of program attendance will be reviewed at 3 years. Follow-up services include:

• psychiatric management and medication strategies
• case management
• access to group therapy