A message from Dr. Verna Yiu and Dr. Laura McDougall:
With the successful launch of Connect Care’s second wave on October 24, we are starting to look ahead to our next launches. We know each launch of Connect Care involves thousands of people and hours of preparation. We want to acknowledge the efforts you are making to make Connect Care a reality in your waves, zones and sites, especially with the added pressures of COVID-19.
Wave 3 will launch on February 27, 2021, at 5 a.m. Teams are heavily involved in training and preparation for that launch, which will take place at 38 locations, including acute and combined acute/long-term care sites across the Calgary and North zones, and urgent care sites in Calgary Zone. This wave also includes related pharmacy and diagnostic imaging services, and Alberta Precision Labs (North Zone sites only) associated with these programs and services. The details of which sites are launching in Wave 3 can be found here.
Recently, the Connect Care Executive Committee approved the launch timing for Waves 4 and 5, as follows:
- Wave 4 will launch Saturday, June 5, 2021, at 5 a.m. in Calgary and Edmonton Zones, including:
- the Alberta Children’s Hospital, Peter Lougheed Hospital, Glenrose Rehabilitation Hospital, Lois Hole Hospital for Women, Royal Alexandra Hospital and many Addiction and Mental Health programs and services in the Edmonton Zone.
- It incorporates related clinical support programs, including pharmacy, diagnostic imaging services, Alberta Precision Labs associated with these programs and services (Edmonton Zone sites only, plus genetics labs at Alberta Children’s Hospital), Health Information Management, Nutrition and Food Services, and other support areas.
- Wave 5 will launch Sunday, November 7, 2021, at 4 a.m. in various locations in all five zones. Major sites include:
- the Foothills Medical Centre, Richmond Road Diagnostic and Treatment Centre, acute and combined acute/long-term care sites in Central Zone, the Centennial Centre for Mental Health and Brain Injury in Ponoka, Sylvan Lake Advanced Ambulatory Care Centre, Cancer Care, Screen Test and Alberta Kidney Care (Central, Calgary and South zones).
- It also incorporates all of the related clinical support programs, including pharmacy, diagnostic imaging services, and Alberta Precision Labs (Central Zone sites only) associated with some of these programs and services, Health Information Management, Nutrition and Food Services, and other programs.
Connect Care remains one of AHS’ highest priorities. It will give patients and their healthcare team a more complete picture of their health history, improved access to consistent information on best practices, and other resources at their fingertips. It will facilitate communication between patients and their healthcare providers, and among members of the healthcare team.
Connect Care is being introduced to all AHS programs, facilities and many AHS partners in phases, which started in 2019 and will continue through 2023. The full implementation timelines and sequencing are available, here.