AHS completes biggest launch of ‘Connect Care’

Alberta Health Services (AHS) has finalized its biggest launch of “Connect Care” at 135 health care sites.

Connect Care provides standardized care across AHS, where health records can be accessed through a common provincial information system. It involves more than 25,000 staff and physicians.

AHS says Launch 5 involved acute and long-term care sites in the Calgary, North, and Central zones of AHS, and two major provincial programs — Cancer Care Alberta and Alberta Kidney Care. It was also the first launch to involve sites and programs in all five AHS zones — North, Edmonton, Central, Calgary, and South zones.

“The Connect Care system improves the ability to manage medical records, which benefits not just our front-line healthcare providers, but allows patients to play a greater role in their care,” said Health Minister Jason Copping.

Albertans can use Connect Care through signing up to “MyAHS Connect,” which is an online portal, allowing them to access their health information, book appointments, and see test results. They can also communicate securely with their physicians.

AHS adds, currently, There are around 75,000 staff, physicians, and other healthcare providers using the system.

“Expanding Connect Care is an important step in healthcare in this province, and provides us with a central access point for patient information across AHS,” said Mauro Chies, AHS interim president and CEO.

“Eventually, health information will be accessible from any AHS location in the province, giving healthcare teams a more complete health history for patients, access to consistent information on best practices, and resources at their fingertips, while maintaining the privacy of their information. Healthcare teams will also be able to communicate with patients and each other more easily.”

Meanwhile, AHS says there were no remarkable complications while transitioning to the new system.

“Connect Care ensures all physicians, front-line staff, and other care providers have access to the same clinical standards, and best healthcare practices, and can provide high-quality care the same way, no matter where you are in Alberta,” said Dr. Francois Belanger, vice president, quality, and chief medical officer at AHS.

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“We had safeguards and protocols in place to protect patients during the launch, ensuring the care we provide is never compromised, including our standard practice of reducing some surgical activity at our launching sites for the transition period. Patients may see AHS staff taking a little extra time to complete their charting and other tasks during launch, and we appreciate the patience of the public while we undertake this important improvement.”

AHS says their nine Connect Care System launches started November 2019 and the final implementation is expected in fall 2024. By the completion date, 150,000 staff and physicians will be using Connect Care at 682 sites across the province.

“We are grateful to our patients, physicians, nurses, midwives, other front-line staff, technical teams, and patient and family advisors, who have been instrumental in building the system, preparing for and implementing the launch,” said Sean Chilton, AHS vice president of people, health professions and information technology.