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Primary Care Alberta Clinical Updates - March 12, 2026
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These updates incorporate findings from usability testing conducted with primary care providers by the University of Calgary Cumming School of Medicine. The Provincial Pathways Unit welcomes and appreciates feedback on any of the pathways. You can submit feedback via email to albertapathways@ahs.ca.
Connect Care update: Unexpected delivery location for some future orders
On Nov. 25, 2025, Connect Care updated the delivery of lab results to respect each provider’s chosen primary delivery location. Since then, some future orders (including pending standing orders and therapy plan orders) have been delivered to an unexpected location when the primary delivery location was changed after the order was entered, causing results to go to the location preferred at the time of signing. To ensure results are delivered to the updated delivery preference, providers are advised to cancel outstanding orders and issue replacement orders when they next see the patient.
Autism Acceptance Week
As part of Autism Acceptance Week, March 30-April 2, the Pediatric Rehabilitation Team is offering a series of webinars for parents, caregivers and those working with children. Webinars are open to all Albertans.
Registration links are available here: Autism Acceptance and Awareness poster.
Additional information about supporting early identification and intervention for signs of autism in primary care can be found by visiting the Autism in Infants and Young Children Primary Care Clinical Pathway. A corresponding family and caregiver pathway has also been developed and is expected to be available in March 2026.
Lab bulletin: Changes to HIV NAT and HIV-1 viral load testing Effective Feb. 24, HIV-1 Viral Load (quantitative) and HIV NAT (qualitative) testing are being transitioned from the Abbott m2000 platform to the Hologic Panther Aptima Quant Assay at the Public Health Laboratory, Edmonton. Note that on Feb. 2, HIV-1 viral load testing at the Public Health Laboratory in Calgary was also transitioned to the Hologic Panther Aptima Quant Assay. This change is expected to reduce the numbers of cancelations arising from the more stringent requirements of the prior assay.
Lab bulletin: Semen analysis requisition issue (Central) Red Deer Regional Hospital (RDRH) Laboratory is experiencing significant challenges related to patient requisitions for semen analysis testing, specifically: Fertility Screening and Post-Vasectomy Testing. Physicians ordering Fertility Screening or Post-Vasectomy testing must ensure patients receive the appropriate Semen Analysis Requisition (electronic or paper) from their clinic. Physician clinics must provide clear instructions to patients to bring the requisition to RDRH and follow the collection requirements and booking instructions for their scheduled appointment. 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. |
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. |
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. |
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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