In Basket Help is Here – Book a Class or 1:1 Session Now

Want to shave time off from your Connect Care In Basket/messaging workflows? Want to clean up your In Basket? The CMIO Prescriber Experience team has some great online classes and one-on-one sessions where we share small changes that will streamline your documentation and reduce unnecessary clicks.

If you have 15, 30, or 60 minutes, we can find a time to meet your needs:

• 15-min 1:1 session: Virtually meet with a trainer to learn how using the “Quick Action” feature can help you – click here and select “In Basket Quick Actions 1:1” to see available times and register.
• 30-min 1:1 session: Virtually meet with a trainer to help work through your current In Basket backlog – click here and select “In Basket Clean Up 1:1” to see available times and register.
• 1-hr class: Join an online class to learn multiple tips and tricks to help work through your messages efficiently – click here and select “In Basket” to see available times and register.
• Can’t see a date/time that fits your schedule? Email help.cmio@healthsharedservices.ca with some options what would work for you.

Prefer to learn on your own? Check out our new/updated resources: 

• CMIO Guide: In Basket Management for Prescribers (20 pages): Comprehensive guide on all things In Basket, can click to section of interest from table of contents.
• Tip: Use In Basket Quick Actions from Chart (2 pages): Did you know you can set up a Quick Action in your Ambulatory or Inpatient chart that allows you to message a clinical pool/colleague or send yourself a reminder directly from the chart? See the tip sheet for details!

Let us know at help.cmio@healthsharedservices.ca if you have questions – we're happy to help. Interested in other classes we offer? Monthly schedules are posted on the Connect Care Support Blog, with more information here.

New Blood Restrictions Documentation Workflow [Updated]

As of January 29, 2026, a new blood restrictions workflow in Connect Care will be in place to ensure clear, consistent documentation of patients’ blood preferences.

Key changes include:

• A dedicated place to document blood restrictions (including specific blood components and/or products) called the "Blood Restrictions Assessment" worksheet, to be found in the Consent & eForms Navigator.
• Documented blood restrictions will flow into the applicable Consent eForms, Consent to Surgery or Invasive Procedure and Consent to Treatment Plan or Procedure.
• Alerts about blood restrictions will be improved to support more automated and streamlined workflows when ordering blood.
• FYI Flags
• The existing FYI Flag (Blood Refusals) is renamed to "Blood Restrictions".
• The FYI Flag now triggers automatically upon documenting blood restrictions.
• When blood restrictions are updated, the user is prompted to review whether or not to remove the FYI Flag.
• Our Practice Advisories (OPAs)
• An OPA appears when a blood product/component (or related) is ordered, but the patient has documented blood restrictions.
• An OPA appears when a blood product/component (or related) is ordered, but the patient has documented beliefs that require a review of restrictions.
• When blood restrictions are updated, the user is prompted to review whether or not to remove the FYI Flag.
• A net new workflow and form will be available when a patient has blood restrictions but there is no upcoming treatment, procedure, or blood transfusion planned. The new Advanced Expressed Wishes and Instructions – Blood Components and Products consent form will be found in the Consent & eForms Navigator.

Please note that workflows for informed consent process are not changing. The new features standardize the ability to document blood restrictions and increase visibility in the system for patients with blood restrictions.

Updated resources are linked below. An upcoming Virtual Office Hour will be held on this topic for those interested, with additional post-launch dates:

• Virtual Office Hours:
• Wednesday, January 28, 12:00-13:00
• Post-launch sessions - click here for the VOH calendar
• Guide: Blood Restrictions (will include a link to a demo video when available)
• Practice Guidance: Blood Component and/or Blood Product Restrictions Guidance 

For questions not addressed by the above resources, please contact ConnectCare.Consent@healthsharedservices.ca.

You’re Invited to a Conversation about Connect Care (October 9)

Please join us for a virtual town hall for Connect Care physicians and other prescribers on Thursday, October 9, 2025, 17:00 to 18:15 (via Zoom), where we will discuss:

• Results of the 2025 Connect Care user surveys from AHS and Specialty Care Alliance of the AMA
• Progress made since the last user surveys in 2023
• Action plan for Connect Care optimization based on 2025 results
• Your questions, submitted in advance or live during the session

Please register to attend at the below link (questions can be submitted in advance directly in the registration form): 

• Register: Connect Care Conversation with Prescribers, Thu, 9 Oct 2025 at 17:00 | Zoom

Upcoming Webinar: Improving the Quality of Discharge Summaries

As part of the Alberta Medical Association's "Transitions in Care Talk" webinar series that explores evidence-informed practices to support patients transitioning from home to hospital and back home, a session on Improving the Quality of Discharge Summaries will be taking place on June 25, 2025, from 12:00 to 13:00.

This virtual session will be hosted by AMA-ACTT and presented by Primary Care Alberta, and will feature speakers from the Chief Medical Information Office (CMIO) Prescriber Experience and Medical Informatics Team.

• Learning objectives of webinar:
• Understand the benefits and challenges of sending, receiving and acting on discharge summaries in acute care, primary care and assisted living settings.
• Learn about a newly developed quality improvement tool for physicians that works toward practice-driven or CPSA Standards of Practice quality improvement Physician Practice Improvement Program (PPIP) activities.
• This webinar is designed for:
• Primary care physicians and clinic teams
• Acute care physicians and clinic teams
• Nurse practitioners and other providers
• Panel managers
• Practice facilitators

Visit the AMA website to register, and to see related resources:

• H2H2H: Transitions in Care Talk - Improving the Quality of Discharge Summaries

Connect Quality - Third CPSA PPIP Project Now Available, Calgary In-Person Drop-Ins

It's been a year since we first announced the Connect Quality initiative, and nearly 250 Connect Care prescribers have already signed up for this amazing free program. Have you checked it out yet?

Connect Quality is a free program created by the Chief Medical Information Office (CMIO) to help you meet your College of Physicians and Surgeons of Alberta (CPSA) Physician Practice Improvement Program (PPIP) project requirements! Our goal is to make your work easier. We have organized the resources, training, reporting tools, and documentation required for you to meet CPSA PPIP requirements, so you can focus on looking after your patients.

Three Connect Quality projects are currently available, one for each of the activities CPSA requires physicians to complete over a 5-year cycle: 

• In Basket Turnaround Time for the practice-driven quality improvement activity;
• Problem List Maintenance for the CPSA's Standards of Practice quality improvement activity; and, 
• (new!) User Settings to Improve Efficiency and Well-Being, for the personal development activity. 

For each project, Connect Quality provides:

• A guide that outlines viewing objective data and metrics within Connect Care. This includes within Signal, as well as in-system Dashboards.
• An example Action Plan.
• Interventions that can be selected including Optimization classes, and self-study options.
• A template that can be used to document all CPSA requirements.

…And have we mentioned that Connect Quality is FREE?!

For those in the Calgary area, members of the CMIO Prescriber Experience and Medical Informatics team will be visiting select sites June 2 and 3 to demo how Connect Quality and the Signal tool in Connect Care can be used to meet CPSA PIPP requirements. If you're at one of these sites or are nearby and are available, consider dropping by!

• June 2, 08:30–11:00 - Rockyview General Hospital (Physician Lounge)
• June 3, 08:30–11:00 - South Health Campus (Physician Lounge)    
• June 3, 13:00–15:00 - Arthur Child Cancer Centre (10th floor, room YC101221)

For more information, reach out to your Site Medical Informatics Lead (Site MIL), email CMIO.Optimization@ahs.ca, or see:

• Manual: Connect Quality 
• Poster: CMIO Connect Quality (contains QR code)

Optimization Training - Classes in May and June

[Note: Future Optimization class schedules will be posted on the Support channel.]

We previously posted that the CMIO Training team is now offering Optimization classes (previously called Thrive classes), where Connect Care prescribers can learn how to take full advantage of the features of the clinical information system, to help maximize their productivity and spend more time with patients. Classes are 60 minutes in length each and focus on completing common workflows more efficiently.

Below are the Optimization classes scheduled for May and June 2024. Edit (May 24): As some sessions have now passed and additional dates have been added, the information below has been updated.

• In Basket Management
• New: May 29, at 09:00
• May 30, at 08:00
• New: June 4, at 12:30
• June 6, at 12:30
• June 7, at 09:00
• June 12, at 16:00
• New: June 14, at 08:00

• Orders Optimization
• May 28, at 11:00
• May 31, at 14:00
• June 3, at 09:00
• June 6, at 15:00
• June 11, at 12:30
• June 12, at 14:00

• Notes and Documentation SmartTools
• May 27, at 12:00 
• June 11, at 12:00
• June 21, at 12:00
• June 25, at 12:00

• Therapy Plans
• June 11, at 12:30
• September 17, at 12:00

Prescribers can register for these Optimization classes at the below link. Classes will be added regularly, so please continue to check back. Spots are limited to ensure trainers can address individual questions. Please ensure that you review your confirmation email from "Bookings CMIO Thrive" for the class link, and requirements for the session.

• Register: CMIO Optimization Classes
• Manual: Optimization Training
• Questions: CMIO.Optimization@ahs.ca

Upcoming Webinar: Optimizing Dragon Medical One in Epic Hyperdrive

Are you already a user of Connect Care's in-system dictation solution, Dragon Medical One (DMO), or a Launch 8 prescriber wondering whether DMO could work for you?

A free 45-minute webinar is being hosted by the DMO vendor (Microsoft Nuance) on Tuesday, May 21, 12:00 ET/09:00 PT.

During this webinar, JM Vore, DO, FAAFP, MSHI, Chief Medical Information Officer and Family Physician at Solution Health, and Andrea Janowski, Adoption Specialist at Microsoft Nuance, will cover the following topics:

• Dragon Medical One no cost resources
• Increasing accuracy & saving time
• Adoption, efficiency, and use of commands
• Demonstration and keyboard shortcuts in Epic Hyperdrive
• Step by step commands to optimize workflow
• PowerMic and PowerMic Mobile button configurations

To sign up, click the below link (you must have an Epic UserWeb account to access):

• Register: Webinar - Optimizing DMO in Epic Hyperdrive (May 21)

Optimization Training - Classes for Anesthesia Prescribers Now Available

We previously posted that the CMIO Training team is now offering Optimization classes (previously called Thrive classes), where Connect Care prescribers can learn how to take full advantage of the features of the clinical information system, to help maximize their productivity and spend more time with patients. As of April 15, 2024, we are launching a series of classes for Anesthesia prescribers.

The Anesthesia Optimization classes are 60 minutes in length each and will focus on completing common workflows more efficiently. There are two classes; note that the order of completion does not matter.

• Anesthesia Optimization 1 covers:
• Managing active orders, fluid balances, and correcting medication orders.
• Documenting delays or postponement of cases.
• Use of intraprocedure tools to sign a record without completing hard stop requirements.

• Anesthesia Optimization 2 covers:
• Deleting records created in error.
• Correcting incorrect device data on the wrong patient.
• Using chart correction tools that have replaced the anesthesia record wizard.

The current dates available for Anesthesia Optimization classes are: April 15, April 29, April 30, May 14, and May 23.

Prescribers can register for these Anesthesia Optimization classes at the below link. Classes will be added regularly, so please continue to check back. Spots are limited to ensure trainers can address individual questions. Please ensure that you review your confirmation email from "Bookings CMIO Thrive" for the class link, and requirements for the session.

• Register: CMIO Optimization Classes
• Manual: Optimization Training
• Questions: CMIO.Optimization@ahs.ca

Upcoming Webinars - Prescriber Billing in Connect Care

The AHS Professional Billing team will be holding webinars in April for all Connect Care prescribers (including Launch 8). These 1-hour Zoom sessions will review how a prescriber can enter billing into Connect Care and access billing in reports. There will also be an opportunity for attendees to ask questions about prescriber billing in Connect Care. 

• Wednesday, April 10, 2024, 17:00-18:00
• Zoom link: https://albertahealthservices.zoom.us/j/64235679465?pwd=Sjk2aGpnZlVBWE01Zk5yK2pIWnNGZz09
• Tuesday, April 16, 2024, 07:00-08:00
• Zoom link: https://albertahealthservices.zoom.us/j/68140546364?pwd=QStvR0syaGYxdnpFZjJDM1UvYXE0QT09
• Tuesday, April 23, 2024, 17:00-18:00
• Zoom link: https://albertahealthservices.zoom.us/j/67759768242?pwd=d0JGZzNGZ29lRC9uT3d1NXFuT2N0UT09

If you have any questions about these sessions, please contact the Professional Billing team.

• Insite: Professional Billing
• Questions: servicecodecapture@ahs.ca
• Manual: Professional Billing

Optimization Training - March/April Sessions Available

We previously posted that the CMIO Training team is now offering Optimization classes (previously called Thrive classes), where Connect Care prescribers can learn how to take full advantage of the features of the clinical information system, to help maximize their productivity and spend more time with patients. The Optimization classes are 30 to 60 minutes in length each, and focus on completing common workflows more efficiently. 

We have added a few additional sessions on In Basket management, and have expanded our selection of classes. Edit (Mar 19): As some sessions have already filled up and additional dates have been added, the information below has been updated.

• Orders
• April 10, 2024, 09:00–10:00
• April 11, 2024, 12:00–13:00
• New: April 15, 2024, 12:30–13:30
• New: April 17, 2024, 11:00–12:00
• New: April 25, 2024, 09:00–10:00
• Notes
• March 27, 2024, 12:00–13:00
• April 2, 2024, 12:00–13:00
• April 10, 2024, 12:00–13:00
• New: April 16, 2024, 10:00–11:00
• New: April 24, 2024, 12:00–13:00
• In Basket Management
• New: April 8, 2024, 09:00–10:00
• New: April 15, 2024, 11:00–12:00
• Therapy Plans
• April 29, 2024, 12:00–13:00
• New: Letters to Netcare
• April 8, 2024, 10:30–11:00

Prescribers can register for these Optimization classes at the below link. Spots are limited in order to ensure trainers can address individual questions. Please ensure that you review your confirmation email from "Bookings CMIO Thrive" for the class link, and requirements for the session.

• Register: CMIO Optimization Classes
• Manual: Optimization Training

Optimization Training - Additional Sessions Available

We previously posted that the CMIO Training team is now offering Optimization classes (previously called Thrive classes), where Connect Care prescribers can learn how to take full advantage of the features of the clinical information system, to help maximize their productivity and spend more time with patients. The Optimization classes are 30 to 60 minutes in length each, and focus on completing common workflows more efficiently. 

As our initial offerings quickly filled, we have added a few additional sessions on In Basket management and Therapy plans:

• In Basket Management
• February 7, 2024, 08:00
• February 20, 2024, 12:00
• Therapy Plans
• April 29, 2024, 12:00

Prescribers can register for these Optimization classes at the below link. Spots are limited in order to ensure trainers can address individual questions. Please ensure that you review your confirmation email from "Bookings CMIO Thrive" for the class link, and requirements for the session.

• Register: CMIO Optimization Classes - In Basket and Therapy Plans
• Manual: Optimization Training

Optimization Training - Upcoming "Thrive" Classes

In January 2024, the CMIO Training team will begin to offer "Thrive" classes (also called optimization sessions) for Connect Care prescribers. After going live with Connect Care, many prescribers can benefit from additional support to help take full advantage of the features of the clinical information system, maximizing their productivity and allowing them to spend more time with patients.  

The Thrive classes will be 30 to 60 minutes in length each and will focus on completing common workflows more efficiently. In January, we will begin to offer sessions focusing on In Basket management and Therapy Plans. We will be adding other Thrive classes moving forward; information will be added to the Connect Care Manual when available. 

Prescribers can register for Thrive classes at the below link. Spots are limited in order to ensure trainers can address individual questions. Please ensure that you review your confirmation email from "Bookings CMIO Thrive" for the class link, and requirements for the session.

• Register: CMIO Thrive Classes - In Basket and Therapy Plans
• Manual: Optimization Training

Ambulatory Tips, Tricks, and Traps - Launch 7 Prescriber Support Session

The ambulatory component of basic Connect Care training for prescribers who also provide acute care is necessarily streamlined. However, some prescribers with a significant ambulatory workload may feel like they have not had sufficient exposure to the ambulatory tools and workflows in Connect Care via basic training to be comfortable navigating the Connect Care clinical information system during a busy clinic come launch. To help these users, the CMIO will be hosting an additional ambulatory support session. 

This 1-hour Zoom session is an opportunity to see ambulatory workflows in action, to hear advice from providers who have been using Connect Care in busy outpatient practices, and to ask questions – all in anticipation of your first day in clinic on Connect Care. To join, click the Zoom link below; if you are unable to attend, a recording will be posted here.

• Thursday November 2, 2023, 12:00-13:00
• Zoom link: https://albertahealthservices.zoom.us/j/68612367021?pwd=VjlLQWRoakNRbGhPVUZERy9EUDltQT09

Note that there are also still a few upcoming support sessions for Launch 7 prescribers regarding therapy plans (October 27 and 31). These sessions demonstrate the process of ordering therapy plans, and will prepare you for entering orders post-launch and when asked to review converted legacy orders prior to launch. For more information on the therapy plan support sessions, see this post.

Ordering Therapy Plans - Launch 7 Prescriber-Led Support Sessions

Prescribers who order recurrent, ongoing therapies (IVIG, blood, antimicrobials, procedures, etc.) known as Therapy Plans (pre-defined collection of related/standing orders that apply to multiple/recurrent encounters over time) are invited to attend a prescriber-led demonstration of the workflow. The sessions demonstrate the process of ordering Therapy Plans, and will prepare you for entering orders post-launch and when asked to review converted legacy orders prior to launch.  

The following sessions are scheduled prior to Launch 7. Although important for Launch 7 prescribers who have current patients with scheduled therapies, it is recommended for any prescriber who anticipates using these ordering tools. All Connect Care prescribers and clinicians who order or action Therapy Plans are welcome and encouraged to attend.

Clicking on the hyperlinked date for a session will open a calendar invite for that session, which you can then respond to and receive the meeting information.

• Wednesday September 27, 2023, 14:00-15:00
• Friday October 6, 2023, 12:00-13:00
• Tuesday October 10, 2023, 07:00-08:00
• Thursday October 19, 2023, 16:00-17:00
• Friday October 27, 2023, 07:00-08:00
• Tuesday October 31, 2023, 12:00-13:00

For more information, please see the below resources:

• Manual: Therapy Plans
• Key Concepts: Order-Related Clinical Decision Supports

Dragon Medical One - Launch 6 Personalization Sessions

Personalization sessions for Connect Care's in-system dictation software, Dragon Medical One (DMO), are coming up for Connect Care Launch 6 prescribers. Those in previous launches (1-5) are also welcome to attend.

The personalization sessions are scheduled for the following dates/times:

• Thursday, June 29, 2023: 18:00-19:00
• Wednesday, July 5, 2023: 12:00-13:00

Registration is through MyLearningLink (MLL) (course name: Dragon Medical One (DMO) - Dictation Optimization Sessions), and sessions are via Zoom.

• Contact: speechrecognition@ahs.ca

Webinar: Optimizing Dragon Medical One for Epic

Are you already a user of Connect Care's in-system dictation solution, Dragon Medical One (DMO), or a Launch 6 prescriber wondering whether DMO could work for you?

A free webinar on DMO is being hosted next week by a fellow Epic client, the Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario (CHEO), and is open to all DMO users. The webinar will focus on the following topics:

• Increasing accuracy
• Adoption, efficiency, and use of commands
• Keyboard shortcuts in Epic
• Step-by-step commands to optimize workflow
• PowerMic and PowerMic Mobile button configurations

The webinar will take place Tuesday, March 21, 18:00-18:45 and all Connect Care prescribers (previous and upcoming launches) are welcome to attend. To register, click the link below (note you will need an Epic UserWeb account to access):

• Register: Webinar - Optimizing Dragon Medical One for Epic

Changes to Available DI Results in Patient Portals

What is changing

Beginning March 20, 2023, Albertans will be able to view diagnostic imaging (DI) results immediately upon release by the DI testing provider, through Alberta Health’s MyHealth Alberta in the My Personal Records (MPR) application. This will include DI test results from all sites and locations in Alberta, including most community providers, inpatient, ambulatory and emergency departments. This means that DI results will be available in MPR to patients at the same time they are made available to the ordering provider. 

To align with this change, starting March 20, 2023, DI test results will also be immediately available in the Connect Care patient portal, MyChart, for patients who have an active account. Currently, in MyChart, DI results are already available to patients, however there is a five-day delay from the time ordering providers receive the results to when those results are released to patients. With this change, the five-day delay will be removed, and results will be immediately available both to patients and the ordering provider. Having access to DI results in both the MyChart and My Personal Records will improve access and consistency of health information for providers and patients. 

Physicians and other providers will continue to have access to results through their usual delivery channels.

What to do

Given this change, providers may want to consider giving patients more information about the implications of different results at the time of ordering a DI test. 

To provide support and information to all AHS staff and prescribers, AHS is hosting two identical internal webinars on this topic. The Alberta Medical Association and AHS will also be co-hosting a webinar, which will be made available to prescribers both inside AHS and those in the community; a recording of that webinar will be made available after on the AMA website.

• AMA/AHS Webinar: Real time release of DI results to patients – What this means to your practice
• Wednesday, March 8, 2023, 17:00–18:00
• Register: https://diagnostic-imaging-results-changes-mar8.eventbrite.ca/  

• AHS Webinar: Real time release of DI results to patients – What this means to you
• Monday, March 13, 2023, 12:30–13:30 
• Zoom link: https://albertahealthservices.zoom.us/j/67265651457?pwd=T1JSdHBiZkxkVlBVcXVvLzNWaFROQT09
• Thursday, March 16, 2023, 08:00–09:00
• Zoom link: https://albertahealthservices.zoom.us/j/64811658470?pwd=TVdRZVpDV1c0eExqKzBIejQvMmhrUT09

More information

• FAQ: MyHealth Records - DI Reports Online via My Personal Records
• Manual: MyChart Patient Portal  

Webinar: Complex Lab Results in Patient Portals

As previously posted, more lab test results were made available last February in My Personal Records (MPR), found in MyHealth Alberta, the single access point for Albertans’ personal health information. These lab results are viewable through the MPR application. Making more results available online provides Albertans with more access to their health information and acts as an additional safety net for patient care within the system.

Through a series of rollouts, additional results are being added to MPR through to September. To date, the following results are now viewable as soon as they are released by the lab:

• About 95% of the most commonly ordered (by volume) lab test results were viewable as of February 1. 
• More complex results in pathology and other areas are being included in MPR on August 23.

Providers may notice some changes in their patterns of work, and may wish to consider giving patients more information about the implications of different results at the time of ordering a test. Physicians and other providers will continue to have access to results through their usual delivery channels.

For more information about the August 23 rollout, AHS will be hosting a 1-hour information webinar on Zoom: 

• To register: 
• Wednesday, August 18, 2021, 10:00-11:00
• Please add this link to your calendars and join the Zoom meeting.
• Dial by your location:  1 587 328 1099
• Meeting ID: 980 6212 9635
• Passcode: 884504

For more information about laboratory result release via portals:

• FAQ: MyHealth Records - Lab Results Online via My Personal Records

Non-Medical Device Assessments: What Prescribers Need to Know

Non-Medical Devices (NMDs) are computing and related devices that enable interaction with Connect Care. These include computer workstations, printers, document scanners, e-signature pads and track boards, among other things. 

AHS provisions and supports NMDs in clinical areas in order to match peak staff and workflow needs. To better estimate site-specific needs, NMD Assessments are completed prior to each Connect Care launch. The assessments are collaborative, facilitated by visiting teams working with site managers and prescribers. AHS NMD standards help set expectations for the quantity, types and locations of devices that can be deployed to sites. Information about NMDs and the NMD Standards can be found on Insite. 

Prescriber participation in NMD Assessments is important for ensuring that device type and location support physician workflows. For example, a printer placed in the wrong location can add significant burden to a physician’s workflow if inconvenient for retrieving printed prescriptions or outpatient laboratory test requisitions. 

Prescribers are encouraged to attend the first 30 minutes of NMD Assessment sessions at their sites. North Zone Wave 7 NMD Assessments begin May 17, 2021 and run until October 1, 2021. Dates will be emailed to site Medical Leadership directly. If you have questions about NMD Assessments in your Zone, please contact your Zone's CMIO supports:

• North Zone: cmio.nz@ahs.ca
• Edmonton Zone: cmio.ez@ahs.ca
• Central Zone: cmio.cez@ahs.ca
• Calgary Zone: cmio.caz@ahs.ca
• South Zone: cmio.sz@ahs.ca

MyHealth Records: More Lab Results Released to Patients via My Personal Records

The following information is provided by Alberta Health respecting some important changes to the My Health Records service:

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In 2021, Albertans will be able to view more laboratory test results in "My Health Records" (MHR), the integrated access point for Albertans’ personal health information. These lab results will be viewable through the "My Personal Records" (MPR) application. This change is being made to provide Albertans with more access to their health information, and as an additional safety net for patient care within the system. These results will be viewable as soon as they are released by laboratory services:

• About 95% of the most commonly-ordered (by volume) lab test results will be viewable by Feb 1, 2021. 
• All remaining lab tests, including more complex results in microbiology, pathology and genetics, will be available in MPR by July 1, 2021.

Lab results ordered from all sites in Alberta, including labs ordered during inpatient and emergency visits will be included in MPR. Once the changes are in place, new users will see an 18-month retrospective view of any lab results slated for release. Existing users will not have labs added retroactively, but they will be able to see the expanded lab results moving forward. 

After the changes, patients will have immediate access to more of their own information. Providers may notice some changes in their patterns of work, and may need to consider giving patients more information about the implications of different results when initially ordering a test. Physicians and other providers will continue to have access to results information through their usual channels, including Alberta Netcare.

To support Albertans, Alberta has created the MyHealth.Alberta.ca Web site, a trusted source of health information, and MyHealth Records Support is available at 1-844-401-4016, 24 hours daily. Technical assistance is available between 8:15 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. (MT), Monday to Friday, but a connection to 811 for health-related inquiries, including test results, is available at all times.

For more information about lab results online, please visit:

• FAQ: MyHealth Records: Lab Results Online via My Personal Records
• List: Additional Test Results Available to MPR 31-01-2021
• Info: MyHealth Records information for Albertans

The Alberta Medical Association and Alberta Health Services will be hosting webinars for providers: 

Webinar: Real Time Release of Labs to Patients: What This Means to Your Practice
Speakers: Dr. Allen Ausford, Dr. Brad Bahler, Dr. Jay Easaw, Dr. Rob Hayward, Dr. Nigel Flook

Date: Wednesday January 20, 2021
Time: 12:00 PM
Moderator: Dr. Heidi Fell, Informatics Chair, Alberta Medical Association
Register: https://albertadoctors.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJEuduqqqjgsGtDTMnZy0HftCmbufOJQlxft

Date: Wednesday January 27, 2021
Time: 5:00 PM
Moderator: Dr. Stuart Rosser, Interim Chief Medical Information Officer, Alberta Health Services
Register: http://ahs-cis.ca/mhrwebinar   

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