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Psychosocial Oncology is a department of healthcare professionals from psychology, social work, spiritual care, nursing, and psychiatry, specializing in cancer care.
Inclusion Criteria:
Exlusion Criteria:
Healthcare providers should consult the Alberta Referral Directory for service referral information.
Patients can self refer or be referred by their doctor or nurse.
Patients can call for appointment or to register for classes.
Wheel chair access available.
Parking stalls, ramps and washrooms
Monday: 8:00 am - 4:15 pm.Tuesday: 8:00 am - 4:15 pm.Wednesday: 8:00 am - 4:15 pm.Thursday: 8:00 am - 4:15 pm.Friday: 8:00 am - 4:15 pm.
11560 University Avenue Edmonton Alberta T6G 1Z2
780-643-4303
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https://www.ahs.ca/cancer/Page17172.aspx
Parking and Public transportation available
Parking map
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.
Food is available for purchase.
Cafeteria services offer food and beverages at Alberta Health Services facilities. Catering services and vending machines are available at some sites. Retail Food Services create and serve delicious food made with high-quality ingredients that support healthy living.
Payment can be made with cash, debit or credit.
All profits from the Sun Room Café are used by the CCI (Cross Cancer Institute) Volunteer Association to enhance patient care and comfort at the site.
Payment can be made by cash or debit.
Cancer centres are located within local regional hospitals / health centres. They deliver a range of treatments and care options to cancer patients as close to home as possible, including outpatient chemotherapy, education, navigation, and support.
Contact a centre for information or educational material related to cancer.
Wait times vary by location.
Hours of operation for this service varies. Please call for site specific information.
This service uses systemic treatment (anti-cancer medicine) to treat cancer. This may include:
Classes and / or resources are available.
An estimated wait time will be provided at the time of appointment booking.
Provides diagnostic testing procedures including:
There is physician consultation and support as well as ongoing patient teaching.
Computed tomography, also known as "CT Scan" or "CAT Scan", is when pictures of the body are taken using radiation and computer-enhanced imaging.
A language line is available, but requests need to be made before tests are scheduled.
Sessions are normally booked between 9:30 am and 3 pm to provide enough time to complete the materials.
Provides important information tailored to patient / family preferences; this informative session helps prepare patients for their care experience and includes:
If possible, it is recommended that patients and / or family members attend a session prior to their first appointment with an oncologist.
Echocardiography uses ultrasound to study the structure and function of the heart, including blood flow through the heart and its valves.
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.
Service available, but must be arranged ahead of time
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.
A gift shop and book store that sells:
Completes patient charts, collects data, data entry and coding, collects patient information, dictates notes, and transcribes inpatient and outpatient charts.
There is a fee for copies of health records.
This program provides support and health information to healthcare providers, Indigenous patients/clients, and their families through personal visits.
This program provides:
This service is available on-site in hospitals and public health centres. Upon request, staff can be present at hospital rounds, medical appointments, and case conferences.
Indigenous Hospital Support Staff also gather traditional medicines, educate about ceremonial protocol, and are available to healthcare staff for consultation on a diverse range of Indigenous patient issues.
Patients and clients may also be asked about their healthcare experience to help ensure they receive the best possible healthcare.
First Nations (Status and Non-Status), Métis, and Inuit peoples and their families.
Closed weekends and statutory holidays.
AHS has formalized the use of telephone and video as the preferred options for language interpretation and American Sign language (ASL) interpretation. These new practices will continue throughout the pandemic and going forward.
Must be a patient at the Cross Cancer Institute.
Depends on availability of the interpreter and the language needed.
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.
Monday to Friday 7:00 AM - 4:30 PM
This lab serves hospital inpatient, Ambulatory Clinic patients, by physician or clinic referral only.Alternate Patient Service Centres offer both appointment and walk-in services for all patients that require lab work. Book online at https://qme.dynalife.ca/ or call 1-877-702-4486 to make an appointment.
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:
Note: Some locations may not offer the full range of testing. To confirm availability of a specific test, contact the location.
Contact for details.
Learn to manage the appearance-related impact of cancer treatment. Workshops are led by cosmetician volunteers and are available via Zoom or in-person sessions. Workshops on: makeup and skin care, hair alternatives, and post-surgical bras and breastforms.
For women age 18 years and older. Available to cancer patients. Workshops for men and teens are available online.
Provides help with:
This workshop is provided by the Oncology And Sexuality, Intimacy and Survivorship Program (OASIS) service.
For women affected by cancer treatment.
Offered monthly as virtual class.
The Lymphoma Diagnosis Program's role is to support patients with presentations that have a high likelihood of being a lymphoma diagnosis and expedite their care from the point of suspicion through diagnostic work-up, staging, definitive diagnosis and eventual consult with an oncologist.
This program works to ensure people with lymphoma get faster access to treatment. The program seeks to improve the patient journey, patient outcomes and standardize care delivery across the province. Services provided by the program include:
ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS
Presence of all three features below are indications for referral:
- Autoimmune disease (arthritis, morning stiffness, rash, Raynaud’s)
- infection (chills, morning / afternoon fever, sore throat, nasal congestion, cough, diarrhea, skin ulcer / lesions, recent travel or other exposures)
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 is a type of x-ray to look for growths or changes in breast tissue.
Based on Albertan recommendations (guidelines):
Women, aged 45 to 74, who live in Alberta and have no symptoms and no personal / family history are eligible for regular breast cancer screening using mammograms every 2 years. If you're between the ages of 45 and 74, you're automatically included in the Alberta Breast Cancer Screening program. Once you turn 50, and if you haven't had a screening mammogram in Alberta already, you'll receive a letter letting you know that you're at an age when screening is important and inviting you to get screened.
For service information, visit the Cross Cancer Institute website.
Offers care and support for people having an allogeneic or autologous blood and marrow transplant or immune effector cellular therapy (CAR T-Cell).
Clients need to meet the program standards for cellular therapy treatment / post care.
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.
A variety of in-person programs and services for patients (and their partners) across Alberta. Virtual support by telephone and over zoom available to patients across the province. Topics covered include:
Group education offered by OASIS include:
Open to cancer patients, coupled or single, regardless of sexual orientation.
Referrals are reviewed and triaged by sexual health consultants.
Closed on Statutory holidays.
Cancer drugs are provided, without charge, to registered Alberta cancer patients through specific locations in the province.
Please refer to the Alberta Health Services Cancer Drug Benefit Program.
Professional referral required.
Recipients must be:
The palliative care physician on call can be contacted for urgent after-hours referrals at 780-432-8771.
PEOLC is both a philosophy and an approach to care that enables all individuals with a life-limiting and/or life-threatening illness to receive integrated and coordinated care across the continuum. This care incorporates patient and family values, preferences and goals of care, and spans the disease process from early diagnosis to end of life, including bereavement. Palliative and End-of-Life Care Alberta Provincial Framework (2014)
Our Services Include:
Referral is from a Physician or Nurse Practitioner.
Palliative diagnosis.
An estimated wait time for a consult is 1-3 business days.
Type C Care Home placement varies based on availability of beds.
Closed on weekends and statutory holidays.
Provides the following:
Must have a pathologically confirmed malignancy. If the primary malignancy is unknown, call first to speak with the on-call Radiation Oncologist about the referral.
Provides a large collection of books, AHS resources, credible websites, and various pamphlets covering topics including:
Specially trained volunteers staff the PFRC make every effort to answer requests for information from our resources or refer to those individuals or agencies who may be able to help. Students may be given specific time or resource number limits on loans. Lending period is typically 3 weeks.
Primarily serves cancer patients and family members, but will lend to others.
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.
General hours of meal service:Breakfast: 8:15 AM - 9:00 AMLunch: 12:15 PM - 1:00 PMSupper: 5:15 PM - 6:00 PM
Patient Food Services overarching objectives are to:
PFS delivers more than 31,000 patient/resident meals each day within AHS facilities.
Switchboard responds to inquires from 4:00 PM to 11:00 PM.
Services offered:
Classes are held weekly.
This patient education class is taught by a physiotherapist. The class provides breast cancer patients with:
Most responsible health care provider can refer. For example, a doctor or a nurse practitioners.
Breast cancer patients who are currently receiving or are scheduled to receive radiation therapy treatments.
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.
Protective Services responsibilities include:
This service provides help for patients and their family with coping with the stress that often comes with a cancer diagnosis and treatment. Taking care of your emotional, social, spiritual and practical well-being is an important part of your treatment plan and coping.
We are a part of your oncology treatment team. We offer different types of programs and services to support your wellbeing;
Availability of programs and services changes depending on the cancer centre.
Services may be available via telephone, online platform (Zoom) or at your healthcare centre through Telehealth.
Pamphlets:
Services include:
Telephone interpreter services available.
Provides radiation therapy for treating tumours.
Switchboard is open 7:00am - 11:00pm Monday - Sunday
This service is not available to everyone. Call for more information.
Physician must book the patient for admission -Phone referral in
Patient Registration registers:
Rehabilitation has many benefits: It can help manage cancer-related pain, lymphedema, fatigue and changes in speech, language, voice quality and mobility.
The Rehabilitation Oncology program consists of a team of rehabilitation specialists including occupational therapists, physiotherapists, a physiatrist and speech and language therapists. Services vary per location, however many services may be accessed through virtual care (e.g. phone, Zoom, Telehealth):
Cross Cancer Institute (CCI) in Edmonton: Occupational Therapy, Physiotherapy and Speech & Language Therapy
Grande Prairie Cancer Centre: Occupational Therapy, Physiotherapy and Speech Language Pathology
Arthur J.E. Child Comprehensive Cancer Centre (ACCC) in Calgary: Occupational Therapy, Physiotherapy, Speech & Language Therapy, and Physiatry. Physiatrists are medical doctors specializing in Physical Medicine & RehabilitationJack Ady Cancer Centre in Lethbridge: Physiotherapy
Jack Ady Cancer Centre in Lethbridge: Physiotherapy
Assessments and treatments are offered in-person (1:1, groups) and through virtual platforms (phone, Zoom, Telehealth).
Your doctor will get a written report after your assessment.
For more information, please visit:
Cancer Care Alberta: Rehabilitation Oncology
Exclusion Criteria:
Rehabilitation has many benefits, it can help manage various cancer-related symptoms and side effects such as pain, lymphedema, fatigue and changes in thinking, memory, speech, language, voice quality and mobility.
Assessment and treatments are offered in in-person, group settings and virtually (through phone and online platforms like Zoom and Telehealth).
Rehabilitation has many benefits: It can help manage various cancer-related symptoms and side effects such as pain, lymphedema, fatigue and changes in thinking, memory, speech, language, voice quality and mobility.
Assessment and treatments are offered in in-person, groups settings and virtually (through phone and online platforms like Zoom and Telehealth).
For more information, please visit: Cancer Care Alberta: Rehabilitation Oncology
Adults with cancer-related speech, language or swallowing changes.
Wait times vary.
Respiratory Therapists participate as a member of the multi disciplinary health care team in both acute and critical care environments assisting in the assessment and treatment of cardio-respiratory disease and related conditions. Respiratory Therapists manage life support equipment such as ventilators, check lung and heart function, using specialized tests and equipment and provide patient education.
Assesses clients' needs and gives support to help them deal with illness or injury.
Offers spiritual and emotional support for patients, families, and staff in the hospital. Services are for people of any religion or culture and may include:
Support is available through:
These services include:
The Community Liaison Nurse telephones or meets with the patient and family and helps arrange the services that are needed. Care is then transferred to the family doctor and Home Care.
Referral must be made by a physician or nurse practitioner.
Patient who is 18 years of age or older, has advanced cancer AND is at or near the point of discharge from the care of the Cross Cancer Institute.
An estimated wait time will be provided at the time the referral is received.
Depending on needs, a patient may see either several team members during a half-day appointment, or a few team members during a shorter appointment. The patient is followed by the team until pain or other symptoms improve. Management is then continued by the primary care physician or nurse practitioner.
Patient who is 18 years of age or older, under the care of the Cross Cancer Institute and able to attend a clinic appointment.
This clinic helps patients with pain and other symptoms from cancer, living in rural communities in the northern half of Alberta (North and Central Zones), by providing support to physicians and nurse practitioners involved in their care.
High-definition televisions link the remote care centre to a multi-disciplinary team at the Cross Cancer Institute in Edmonton. The team can then assess the patient without the patient leaving his or her home community. The patient may still require travel to Edmonton during their care, but many parts of the care can be provided to the patient through Telehealth.
Patient with cancer who is 18 years of age or older, living in the northern half of Alberta and able to attend a clinic appointment.
Ultrasound is an imaging test that captures images of soft tissue organs, blood vessels and tissues using high-frequency sound waves (no radiation). Ultrasound is also known as sonography.
Not all tests are offered at all sites. Call the location for more information.
Provides free shuttle service to appointments at the Cross Cancer Institute to clients from out of town. Clients are picked up at approved hotels or bed and breakfasts and returned after their appointment. This is a donation based service meaning every little bit counts. Donations help to continue this service for others who may not be able to afford transportation.
Service targeted to clients of the Cross Institute who are:
Our volunteer roles share a commitment to improving the quality of the patient and family experience.
Volunteers are:
For general information about volunteering with AHS please visit our website.
Call to book an appointment or drop in.
Open Monday-Friday, 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM, 1 PM to 4 PM.
Closed for lunch from 12:00 pm to 1:00 pm.
Service includes wig loans and fittings and head shaves, as well as information about wig care.
This is a donation based service.
Individuals being treated for cancer at the Cross Cancer Institute.
Donation based program.
