Alberta Healthy Living Program - South Zone

Alberta Healthy Living Program (AHLP) services provided vary slightly from Zone to Zone. Services include information, education, techniques, and support to help improve your health and quality of life with a chronic condition. The program is based on a model that includes:

Health Education:

• Healthy Eating for Reducing Your Risk Class
• Taking Care of You Risk Reduction Class
• Grocery Store Tours
• Stroke Sense Class
• Diabetes Management Class
• Heart CHEC Class
• Heart Failure Education Class
• Stress Management Series
• Managing Emotional Eating Series
• Sleep Health Series
• Weight Management Series
• Getting Started with Weight Management Class

Self-Management:

Better Choices, Better Health - Learn self-management skills for the physical and emotional challenges of living with long-term health conditions. Better Choices Better Health

Better Choices, Better Health® - Online - This online workshop is available to Albertans interested in gaining confidence and building skills to manage their chronic conditions and develop healthier lifestyles. Family members and support people are welcome to join. 

Exercise Programs:

Supervised Exercise - Learn how to self-monitor and stay safe while exercising. Improve your cardiovascular endurance, muscular strength, and flexibility with our 12 week program.

Specialty Care / Clinics:

• Asthma / COPD Specialty Clinic: Individuals and families of all ages will work with a Respiratory Therapist to work on better managing asthma or Congestive Obstructive Pulmonary Disease. Assessment, treatment and follow up is offered in individual appointments.
• Diabetes Specialty Clinic:  Provides one to one assessment and follow up for those living with Type 1 Diabetes, Type 2 Diabetes and / or Diabetes in pregnancy to individuals and families of all ages. Diabetes specialty also provides support and services to those requiring insulin pump therapy. Endocrine clinics with an internist or endocrinologist are available to pediatric patients, pregnancy patients and those interested in insulin pump therapy.
• Cardiac Rehabilitation Program: Provides education, individual assessment, and follow up to those who have been impacted with various cardiac conditions. Patients along with their support people are also welcome to attend the 2 part Heart CHEC class and join the Supervised Exercise program.
• Heart Function Specialty Clinic: (HFC) a comprehensive, multidisciplinary specialty clinic that supports patients with moderate and high risk heart failure. A physician referral is required and patients will be seen in for ongoing heart failure care in a team based care.
• Outpatient Nutrition Counselling: Work with a Registered Dietitian to improve eating habits and address nutritional needs. Please see Nutrition Counselling for information.
• Bariatric Specialty Clinic: This clinic provides medical, psychological and surgical interventions for weight management. See the Bariatric Specialty Clinic.

For more information please visit the Alberta Healthy Living website.

Children's Allied Health Services

Supports children with developmental challenges, by identifying their needs and building on their strengths and abilities. Services may include: 

• tests and treatments (e.g., audiology, speech-language pathology, occupational therapy, physiotherapy). Audiology service is offered at the Lethbridge Centre location only.
• teaching about child development
• family support
• help with assistive technology (feeding, seating) 

Services are provided in homes, schools, preschools and community health sites throughout Southwest Alberta

Community Mental Health Service

Assessment and treatment will include learning about your past history, present situation, and identifying your goals. The counsellor will talk with you about the different treatment options, including counselling to help you reach your goals. Your counsellor will help you choose goals and strategies, make suggestions, and review your progress with you.

Diagnostic Imaging Services

The types of tests provided in Diagnostic Imaging are included below.

Please click on the test you require to see the locations that are being offered:

• Computed Tomography (CT scans)
• General Radiography (X-ray)
• Interventional Radiography/Angiography
• Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)
• Mammography (Mammograms)
• Nuclear Medicine
• Positron Emission Tomography (PET, PET/CT)
• Ultrasound
• Echocardiography
• Fluoroscopy

Emergency Services

If you have an emergency, call 911.

Emergency departments:

• take care of people that are very sick or injured on a priority basis. This means the sickest people are seen first. If you go to an emergency department for care that isn’t urgent, you will not likely be seen right away.
• provide medical care, which includes assessment and treatment
• stabilize people and get them ready to transport to a higher level of care facility (if needed)
• provide follow-up care including referrals to a family doctor or specialist (if needed)

Emergency Department wait times are now available for Calgary, Edmonton, Lethbridge, Medicine Hat and Red Deer.

Environmental Public Health - Disease: Communicable, Rabies, Food Borne Illness

This service:

• investigates cases and outbreaks of illness, which are caused by germs like E. coli, salmonella, and Giardia (beaver fever) to find out the cause and prevent other people from getting sick
• investigates people with vomiting and diarrhea who don’t know how they got sick
• provides follow-up for animal bites (dogs, cats, bats, and other animals) to make sure people don’t get rabies
• investigates single cases and/or outbreaks of many diseases including botulism, hantavirus, norovirus, shigella, and Q fever

For more information visit Environmental Public Health website.

Environmental Public Health - Drinking Water

Inspects public water supplies, reviews water sample results, and issues water advisories if needed. You can get water testing supplies (sample bottles) and shipping information from your local Community Health Centre. Testing for municipalities and private home owners is done through the Provincial Laboratory of Public Health and Alberta Centre for Toxicology. If there is E. coli or total coliform bacteria in your sample, you will be contacted right away.

May advise private homeowners about how safe their well, cistern, or dugout water is and talk about treatment options if needed.

Does drinking water testing for bacteria through the Provincial Laboratory of Public Health, Environmental Microbiology Services, which checks for:

• E. coli bacteria (shows if water is contaminated with sewage or fecal matter)
• total coliform bacteria (shows if water is contaminated with non-sewage pollution from the environment)

Chemical water testing of untreated ground water for private households is done by The Alberta Centre for Toxicology which checks for many different things including bicarbonate, calcium, chloride, and magnesium.

Your water sample requisition may be reviewed before your sample is sent to the right place for testing. This is to make sure your water supply is eligible for testing.

Sample Bottle Pick-up and Drop-off locations in Alberta.

• North Zone
• Edmonton Zone
• Central Zone
• Calgary
• Rural Calgary
• South Zone

For more information visit the Environment Public Health website.

Environmental Public Health - Education

Answers general environmental public health questions about topics like safe cooking, pest problems, and mould.

Offers classes, courses, presentations, and displays on many environmental public health topics. They are suited to the audience’s needs. Information can be in-person, online, or in home study, and may be available in other languages. Some services offered are:

• bed bugs presentations
• courses for childcare facility staff
• courses to operate temporary food concessions at fairs, festivals, exhibitions, carnivals, or other special events
• displays at trade shows and expos
• food sanitation and hygiene courses (the AHS Food Safety Course is required by Alberta’s Food Regulation)
• hand washing and personal hygiene presentations
• home study on food safety (a certificate in basic food safety may be issued)
• swimming pool operators course
• 3-hour courses on food safety (a certificate in basic food safety may be issued)

For more information visit our website.

Environmental Public Health - Housing and Illegal Drug Operations

Requires that owners/operators/landlords/property managers keep public housing healthy and safe for tenants. The service follows up on complaints from tenants or other agencies about housing conditions which may include no heat, water problems, structure problems, or pest problems (mice or other rodents, bed bugs or other insects). If conditions could be dangerous to tenants, they may need to move out. The service works with landlords to fix or remove problems. The service can also order dangerous conditions to be fixed like houses used for illegal drug operations (e.g., marijuana grow ops, meth labs).

For more information visit the Environmental Public Health website.

Environmental Public Health - New Business and Plan Approval

Reviews and approves plans for building or renovating restaurants or other food establishments, swimming pools, social care facilities (e.g., daycares and nursing homes), and personal service facilities (e.g., tattoo studios, spas).

Reviews plans for special events (e.g., fairs, exhibitions, or carnivals) to make sure the right services are available (including washrooms and hand wash stations).

Issues permits and licenses needed for some facilities to operate like:

• a Food Handling Permit for food establishments open to the public
• a Public Swimming Pools Regulation License for swimming pools open to the public

For more information visit the Environmental Public Health website.

Environmental Public Health - Orders, Disclosure and Legal Activity

Inspects public places. When needed, is granted the power by The Public Health Act to order dangerous conditions to be fixed, removed, destroyed, or declared unfit.

Public health inspectors are designated as executive officers under the Public Health Act (RSA Chapter P-37) and enforce these regulations and standards:

• Alberta Dishwashing Standard
• Bed and Breakfast Health Standards and Guidelines
• Bodies of Deceased Persons Regulation (AR 14/2001)
• Bottled Water and Packaged Ice Facility Standards
• Communicable Diseases Regulation (AR 238/1985)
• Food Regulation (AR 31/2006)
• Food Retail and Foodservices Code
• Health Standards and Guidelines for Barbering and Hairstyling
• Health Standards and Guidelines for Body Piercing and Ear Piercing
• Health Standards and Guidelines for Electrolysis
• Health Standards and Guidelines for Esthetics
• Health Standards and Guidelines for Tattooing
• Housing Regulation (AR 173/1999)
• Institutions Regulation (AR 143/1981)
• Meat Facility Standards
• Minimum Housing and Health Standards
• Nuisance and General Sanitation Regulation (AR 243/2003)
• Personal Services Regulation (AR 20/2003)
• Public Health Act Forms Regulation (AR 197/2004)
• Recreation Area Regulation (AR 198/2004)
• Public Swimming Pool Regulation (204/2014)
• Waiver Regulation (AR 298/2003)

For more information visit Health Enforcement Orders

Environmental Public Health - Personal Services

Prevents illness and infection from spreading by:

• reviewing plans for new businesses
• approving facilities before they open
• doing inspections to make sure practices followed are safe and facilities are maintained as regulation requires
• investigating any complaints from clients.

The requirements of the Personal Services Regulation and its related Health Standards and Guidelines apply to services which offer:

• barbering
• body and ear piercing body
• body and facial waxing
• electrolysis
• facials
• hair styling or hair replacement
• make-up application (temporary or permanent)
• manicures and pedicures
• tattooing

For more information visit the Environmental Public Health website.

Environmental Public Health - Recreational Water

Keeps the public from getting sick when using recreational water by:

• approving pool plans
• inspecting pools and other water facilities to ensure water is safe and sanitary
• teaching operators about proper pool maintenance
• reviewing water sample results (local community health centres may accept water samples for testing for E. coli, total coliforms, and Pseudomonas)

For more information visit the Environmental Public Health page.

Environmental Public Health - Risks: Indoor Air, Outdoor Air, Contaminated Sites

Responds to and investigates health risks from activities like sour gas wells, forest fires, and accidental releases of gasoline, pesticides, or other chemicals.

Reviews and makes recommendations to approving authorities regarding proposed land use developments (e.g., intensive livestock operations, industrial plants, or developments on contaminated sites).

Responds to complaints and investigates indoor air in residences, schools, malls, swimming pools, or other public places. Will also respond to and investigate complaints about outdoor air.

For more information visit our website.

Environmental Public Health - Safe Food

Inspects public food facilities (e.g., restaurants, mobile food trucks, grocery stores, kitchens in daycares and nursing homes) to make sure food is prepared safely.

Applies Food Regulation requirements in public food facilities or operations to areas like:

• bed and breakfast facilities
• commercial caterers
• community organization functions (when food is prepared for the public by volunteers)
• convenience stores and fast food restaurants
• restaurants, delis, and mobile food vendors
• farmers’ markets (licensed by Alberta Agriculture) and their stallholders
• food banks
• food facilities in halls and churches that may be rented to the public
• daycares, nursing homes, group homes, and other care facilities with over 10 clients that offer food service
• grocery stores
• temporary food facilities at special events (e.g., fairs, festivals, exhibitions, carnivals, rodeos)
• water trucks that haul drinking water
• work-camp food facilities

This program offers guidance but will not apply Food Regulation requirements at private functions like:

• bake sales when low risk foods are sold for charity
• food prepared in a private home for family and guests
• potlucks and other functions not open to the public

For more information visit our website.

Environmental Public Health - Social Care

Reviews plans for new businesses and approves facilities as requested by Child and Family Service Authority Licensing, Inspects many adult and childcare facilities routinely and follows up on complaints from clients or their families. May also provide education for staff in social care facilities.

Applies the requirements of the Institutions Regulation in social care facilities including:

• daycares and foster homes
• drop-in centres and shelters
• group family day homes and group homes
• long-term care facilities, nursing homes, and seniors’ lodges
• preschools and out-of-school care
• playgrounds

For more information visit our website

Environmental Public Health - Work Camps

Inspects work camps of all sizes, including camps that move around Alberta or stay in one place. This includes camps used for any type of business (e.g., oil exploration and development, logging, tree planting). Inspections check that food is safely prepared, water is safe to drink, sewage is properly treated and disposed of, and housing conditions are safe.

Teaches companies about requirements for work camps.

Investigates complaints from people living at work camps.

For more information  the Environmental Public Health website

Environmental Public Health Program

Work to keep public places (e.g., restaurants, daycares, pools, rental properties, tattoo studios) safe. Tell people about health risks (e.g., unsafe water or housing). Make sure that the Public Health Act is being followed.

Our services include:

For more information visit the Environmental Public Health website.

Fluoride Protection for Toddlers

Children only need to have a few teeth to start getting fluoride. Applications are given 4 times, once every 6 months. For eligibility information visit our website.

At the appointment:

• The child sits on their parent's lap while staff apply fluoride on the child's teeth using a brush, which takes less than a minute.
• The child can eat and drink right after the treatment.
• The fluoride sticks to the teeth and protects them. It slowly wears off when the teeth are brushed.

If the child has asthma, bring his or her asthma reliever medicine to the appointment.
This provincial prevention service is available in all AHS (Alberta Health Services) zones.

General Radiography (X-Ray)

General Radiography uses x-rays to produce images of the structures inside the body, particularly bones. X-ray beams can pass through the body, but they are absorbed in different amounts depending on the density of the material they pass through.

Health Information - Access and Disclosure

In accordance with Alberta’s Health Information Act, this is a service which enables the release of individually identifiable health information with or without the consent of an individual.

Health Information / Records Management

Provides patients with information from their health records

Completes patient charts, collects data, data entry and coding, collects patient information, dictates notes, and transcribes inpatient and outpatient charts.

Hemodialysis - Southern Alberta Renal Program

Provides hemodialysis treatments (a process where the client's blood is passed through a special filter that removes waste products and water).

Most people need 3 treatments every week. Each treatment lasts 4 hours.

Home Care Services

Helps people of all ages that live at home and need support, including: 

• nursing services
• personal care services
• respite services
• palliative care
• wound care 

Home Care team members meet with clients to assess their needs and create a care plan. 

Laboratory Services

This service provides a comprehensive range of routine and specialized lab testing and clinical consultation, services may include:

• blood and body fluid sample collection
• biochemistry and toxicology
• urinalysis
• transfusion medicine
• hematology
• coagulation studies
• microbiology
• serology
• surgical pathology
• cytopathology
• autopsy pathology
• student practicum training for medical lab technologists and medical lab assistants

Nutrition Counselling - Adult and Pediatric

By completing a comprehensive nutrition assessment and developing a nutrition intervention in collaboration with the client using evidence based guidelines. The dietitian provides nutrition counselling to help clients make diet, behavioural and lifestyle changes to manage a medical condition and / or improve their health. Nutrition counselling may occur on an individual basis or in a group session. Nutrition information and resources can be found on Alberta health Services’ Healthy Eating Starts
Additional Services:

• Nutrition Counselling (Dietitian) - Alberta Healthy Living Program
• Pediatric Weight Management

Nutrition Counselling - Pediatric Weight Management

In the Outpatient Dietitian Counselling program, families work one-on-one with a registered dietitian (dietitian) trained in Pediatric Weight Management. The dietitian will help the family work on healthy eating and active living habits and set realistic goals that focus on creating a healthy lifestyle. Areas of focus include nutrition, physical activity, sedentary time and sleep.

The dietitian and the family’s healthcare provider work together to ensure the family is supported in achieving their health goals. They can also assist in connecting the family with other supports as needed, such as physical activity, mental health, and community services.

The program’s aim is to help families achieve a lifestyle that promotes healthy growth and development in their children.

For more information visit the Outpatient Dietitian Counselling website.

Occupational Therapy

Occupational Therapists enable people of all ages to engage more fully in the activities of everyday living. They work together with clients, their families and caregivers to develop ways to help clients reach their potential in caring for themselves, working, and enjoying life.

Patient Food Services

Patient Food Services ensures patients receive the diet the doctor or dietitian orders. Our team of dietitians, food service supervisors, and qualified cooks plan and continually improve menus.

In some centers we provide food services for staff and visitors (cafeteria). Refer to the specific site contact information for hours of operation and location.

Patient Information

Services offered:

• responding to patient location inquires
• providing direction on a patients whereabouts

Physiotherapy

Rehabilitation service for patients who have recently been discharged from hospital or are recovering from surgery.

Provides:

• assessment
• evaluation
• treatment
• education
• health promotion
• consultation

Services are available at outpatient hospital clinics, community health centres, patient's homes and continuing care / long term care centres.

Note: Services vary by community. Please call for information.

Population Health Promotion Program

The Population Health Promotion Program (PHPP) provides services on an individual client basis as well as to high-risk groups and the broad community utilizing a population health approach. The population health approach focuses on the entire range of individual and community factors that determine health. The Key ”Determinants of Health” include: Income and Social Status, Social Support Networks, Education and Literacy, Employment and Working Conditions, Social Environments, Physical Environments, Personal Health Practices and Coping Skills, Healthy Child Development, Biology and Genetic Endowment, Health Services, Gender, Culture.

The overall goal of this approach is to maintain and improve the health status of the entire population, reduce the incidence of disease and injury, and to eliminate inequities in health status between population groups.

Services encompass a continuum of health action from pre-conception to old age. Specific strategies are in line with those described in the World Health Organization’s Ottawa Charter for Health Promotion (1986) and include:

• Developing Personal Skills
• Strengthening Community Action
• Creating Supportive Environments
• Building Healthy Public Policy
• Community Needs Assessment and Program Planning

The program links with Provincial Population and Public Health Programs to deliver a wide range of health promotion interventions, including:

• Oral Health Program
• Injury Prevention
• Tobacco Reduction
• Health Equity
• Poverty Reduction Initiatives
• Health Promotion Education
• Population Health Surveillance

Prenatal Education

Group classes are offered on evenings or weekends. It is best to start the classes early in your pregnancy.

Classes provide information about:

• physical and emotional changes in pregnancy
• eating well and other lifestyle choices for you and your baby
• getting ready for birth
• birthing choices
• preparing for feeding your baby
• becoming a new parent
• giving your baby a good start

Public Health Nursing

The four areas that are covered by public health nurses include:

• maternal, child and family health
• communicable disease control
• school health
• health promotion

Registration

Patient Registration

• registers and pre-registers patients and collects demographic and financial information.
•  registers patients for  inpatient admissions, ambulatory clinic appointment, and  emergency department services

Rural Outpatient and Community Respiratory Therapy Services

This service provides:

• lung function testing
• smoking cessation counselling in association with lung function testing
• home oxygen assessments
• sleep apnea testing
• chronic disease management: asthma and COPD education

School Oral Health Services

Services are offered to eligible schools and may include:

• fluoride varnish, provided to kindergarten, Grade 1 and Grade 2
• dental sealants, provided to Grade 1 and Grade 2

A child diagnosed with asthma must have their short acting asthma reliever medication with them to receive service.

Speech Language Pathology - Adult

Speech-language pathology is for adults with a physical, emotional, neurological, or developmental problem that makes it harder for them to communicate and/or affects how well they swallow. Speech-language pathology can help people with the issues listed below:

• stroke/head injury
• dementia
• neurological conditions such as multiple sclerosis and Parkinson’s disease
• developmental delays
• other neurological / degenerative diseases such as ALS (Lou Gehrig’s disease)
• people who use their voice professionally (like teachers and lawyers)

The speech-language pathologist assesses the person to learn if they will benefit from treatment.

Treatment may include learning to:

• make sounds correctly / reduce stuttering
• understand and speak language more completely
• use the voice in a healthier way
• learn another way to communicate (through a communication board or other device)
• learn ways to make swallowing easier to prevent food from entering the airway or choking
• read or write after damage to the brain

The service also teaches learning strategies to help improve:

• thinking skills around communication (like memory, problem solving, and verbal reasoning)
• word finding

Switchboard

These services include:

• answering incoming telephone calls
• transferring telephone calls and
• giving out authorized telephone numbers

Therapeutic Recreation

Helps people with physical, social, emotional, and mental challenges that affect their leisure activity by assessing their needs and strengths, developing, following and evaluating a therapy plan.  Teaches how to use resources and take part in recreation and leisure activities by:

• improving coping and reasoning skills
• supporting new learning
• supporting greater independence and quality of life
• increasing self-efficacyand adjusting to disability
• reducing stress, depression, and anxiety
• promoting a positive attitude
• teaching how to reduce the risk of falls
• improved memory and cognitive functioning

Travel Health Services

Promotes awareness of the possible risk of communicable disease when travelling and ways to prevent them. Travel Health can also give travel immunizations. Not all services are offered at all locations. The services below are offered on a fee-for-service basis:

• information on health risks according to country or region
• required and recommended vaccines
• information about preventing travel-related illnesses

Book your appointment at least 6 to 8 weeks before you leave to make sure there is enough time to have all your immunizations.

For more information visit our webpage

Quick Links 

• Edmonton - Seventh Street Plaza
• Calgary - Sheldon M. Chumir Health Centre

Tuberculosis Testing

Offers free tuberculosis (TB) skin testing to eligible Albertans. The Mantoux skin test is not recommended to diagnose TB.

Testing is done at public health centres throughout the province:

• North Zone
• Edmonton Zone
• Central Zone
• Calgary Zone
• South Zone

If you are not eligible for free testing but still need to be tested there will be a charge for the test.

For travel or work related TB testing contact the Travel Health Services in your area. With the exception of Edmonton, you would contact the Immunization Business Unit to have school or work-related TB skin testing done.

Volunteer Resources

Our volunteer roles share a commitment to improving the quality of the patient and family experience.

Volunteers are:

• way-finders who help guide patients and families around our busy facilities,
• friendly visitors who spend time with our socially isolated patients,
• patient and family advisors who provide input and direction to AHS on numerous committees,  
• supporters of our volunteer retail operations - where the proceeds are returned to AHS to provide patient care and comfort.

For general information about volunteering with AHS please visit our website.