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Primary Care Alberta Clinical Updates - January 29, 2026
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Measles history in Connect Care The Primary Care Alberta members of the Cross-organizational Measles Task Force would like to share the following update:
Effective Jan. 22, 2026, at 8:30 a.m., Connect Care users will see new clinical information related to the ongoing measles outbreak in Alberta reflected in the History Activity section of the patient chart. This information will display as “History of Measles.”
The comment field will provide additional detail indicating whether the case was confirmed through epidemiological (epi) linking (public health investigation) or laboratory confirmation. The comment will also clearly identify that the History Activity entry was updated via an automated import, rather than through manual clinician entry.
This enhancement is intended to improve clarity, consistency and situational awareness for care teams during the ongoing measles response.
Please share with your respective leadership and teams as appropriate.
Gynecology pathway updated
Did you know that referral pathways change frequently to reflect current processes? So it never hurts to check back on the pathways you often reference.
The Provincial Gynecology Adult Referral Pathway has been updated with the following:
Referrals for high-risk HPV must include both HPV and Pap results in the pathology report
Electronic non-urgent advice is now only available for Calgary Zone Gynecology or for Provincial Transgender Care (Family Medicine).
Your best sources for updated information are the online referral pathways on Alberta’s Pathway Hub.
Gender-affirming care resource from CPSA
The changes introduced in the Health Statutes Amendment Act, 2024 (No. 2) that affect gender-affirming care were proclaimed by an Order in Council, bringing Sections 1.92 and 1.93 into force as of Jan. 7, 2026.
This means the prohibition against gender-affirming medical treatment and the Ministerial Order requirements are now in effect and active. The College of Physicians and Surgeons of Alberta (CPSA) has developed an Advice to the Profession document on Gender-Affirming Care to provide additional guidance.
Questions can be directed to standardsofpractice@cpsa.ab.ca.
Helping parents understand the importance of Primary Care Alberta’s newborn blood spot screening
Parental refusals for blood spot screening are increasing across Alberta, and this decline in participation in the Alberta Newborn Screening Program can lead to preventable neonatal deaths.
Healthcare providers can help. Family physicians and midwives who work with expectant or new parents can significantly influence informed decision-making, helping parents learn about the importance of screening for their newborn’s healthy development. Providers can help mitigate misinformation and concerns about pain, privacy or misunderstanding of the test’s purpose.
Last year one in 655 babies born in Alberta were born with conditions found through newborn blood spot screening. Finding these conditions early made sure treatment could begin in time to prevent irreversible health problems, improve health and save lives.
For more information, including tips on how to guide conversations with parents, please visit: Alberta Newborn Screening Program.
Eating disorders resources
Eating Disorders Awareness Week (Feb. 1–7) aims to raise awareness and foster understanding about eating disorders. Eating disorders are complex mental illnesses that occur due to many factors like genetics, brain chemistry, one’s environment as well as stressful life events. They can affect anyone at any age or income level.
For more information about eating disorders and Eating Disorder Awareness Week, visit the Eating Disorder Support Network of Alberta at edsna.ca.
Lab bulletin: Anti-Neutrophil Cytoplasmic Antibody (ANCA) test update
Effective Jan. 29, patients will only have an ANCA by indirect immunofluorescence as part of the ANCA test order completed once (first-time request). Any subsequent repeat ANCA testing will only include Anti-Myeloperoxidase and Anti-Proteinase 3 antibodies, and there will not be ANCA IIF tested.
Read the full lab bulletin.
Lab bulletin: Removal of Enter/Edit function for POCT manual glucose & POCT Transcutaneous Bilirubin test result entry
Effective Jan. 20, Epic Enter/Edit functionality for Point of Care Testing (POCT) Manual Glucose and POCT Transcutaneous Bilirubin (TcB) test result entry will be removed as part of the phased approach to remove all POCT Enter/Edit functionality.
Read the full lab bulletin.
Lab bulletin: Glomerular filtration rate calculation update
Effective Jan. 20, Alberta Precision Laboratories will update the equation used to calculate estimated glomerular filtration rate to the 2021 Chronic Kidney Disease Epidemiology Collaboration equation. Note that results using the new equation will differ from those calculated from the previous equation. Also note: The 2021 CKD-EPI eGFR equation is not validated for use in children or pregnant women.
Read the full lab bulletin.
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