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Primary Care Alberta Clinical Updates - April 30, 2026
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Expanding breast cancer screening in 2027The Government of Alberta has announced upcoming changes to breast cancer screening in the province. Effective April 1, 2027, women aged 40-44 years will no longer require a healthcare provider referral to access screening mammograms in Alberta.
Currently, women aged 45-74 years are able to self-refer to a radiology clinic of their choice for regular screening mammograms. Women aged 40-44 are also eligible following an initial, one-time referral from their healthcare provider. Eliminating the one-time referral for women aged 40-44 will help streamline the process for those looking to book screening mammograms.
Women of all ages are encouraged to talk to their healthcare provider about breast cancer risks and whether a mammogram is right for them. Regular screening is the best way to find cancer early, before symptoms arise and when treatment is likely to work best.
Urology Referral Pathway updates
- New parameters around when to send in a referral for “neurogenic bladder” and “female voiding dysfunction”
- Additional information added to “penile mass”
- Mandatory information or investigation requirements changed for the following reasons for referral:
- Fistula-female urinary genital tract
- Female voiding dysfunction
- Gross and microscopic hematuria
- Testicular mass
- Elevated PSA (previous cancer)
Public alert for cryptosporidium outbreak at Butterfield Acres Petting Farm in Calgary Please note that Primary and Preventative Health Services’ Calgary Zone Medical Officers of Health and Alberta Health Services Environmental Public Health have declared a cryptosporidium outbreak at the Butterfield Acres Petting Farm in Calgary.
Individuals who have visited the petting farm on or after April 9 may have been exposed to cryptosporidium. Some people with cryptosporidiosis do not have symptoms, but most people will have watery diarrhea. Other symptoms can include fever, nausea, vomiting, belly pain and weight loss. Symptoms usually begin two to 10 days after becoming infected and can last one to two weeks.
Recent visitors to the petting farm who have symptoms should consider calling Health Link 811 or seeing a primary care provider for medical assessment. Immunocompromised individuals should consider early medical assessment.
For more information see the full advisory.
Lab bulletin:
Effective Feb. 19, if ammonia is ordered at an acute care site that does not perform testing onsite, samples will be frozen and sent on scheduled couriers. This is a change from being automatically sent by stat transportation, and applies to Edmonton area suburban hospitals. A list of impacted sites is available in the lab bulletin. If results for ammonia are required stat at the impacted sites, please contact the laboratory to request stat transportation.
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Effective Feb. 19, if ammonia is ordered at an acute care site that does not perform testing onsite, samples will be frozen and sent on scheduled couriers. This is a change from being automatically sent by stat transportation, and applies to Edmonton area suburban hospitals. A list of impacted sites is available in the lab bulletin. If results for ammonia are required stat at the impacted sites, please contact the laboratory to request stat transportation.
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Effective Feb. 19, if ammonia is ordered at an acute care site that does not perform testing onsite, samples will be frozen and sent on scheduled couriers. This is a change from being automatically sent by stat transportation, and applies to Edmonton area suburban hospitals. A list of impacted sites is available in the lab bulletin. If results for ammonia are required stat at the impacted sites, please contact the laboratory to request stat transportation.
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Effective Feb. 19, if ammonia is ordered at an acute care site that does not perform testing onsite, samples will be frozen and sent on scheduled couriers. This is a change from being automatically sent by stat transportation, and applies to Edmonton area suburban hospitals. A list of impacted sites is available in the lab bulletin. If results for ammonia are required stat at the impacted sites, please contact the laboratory to request stat transportation.
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