Health care service concerns
Resolving concerns within Alberta's health system
Health Link Alberta
*Health Link Alberta can help you find appropriate services and health information. Health Link is a telephone advice and health information service, staffed with highly trained registered nurses and is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Calgary: 403-943-5465;
Edmonton: 780-408-5465;
Toll-Free: 1-866-408-LINK (5465).
Alberta’s health care system offers a wide variety of services at different venues of care*. Occasionally, patients or their family members have concerns or complaints about service, treatment or how decisions were made. The first avenue is to address your concern directly with the service provider(s) or organization(s) involved.
Depending on the nature of the concern and the service in question, you can also discuss your concern with other bodies, the professional association to which the health professional is a member, or Alberta’s Ombudsman. The areas of concern list below has contact information to organizations which can help address your concerns or complaints, or provide you with confidential assistance.
Concerns about suspected criminal acts related to health care services should be taken to the police. Concerns about injuries or disputes related to care in the health system may also be taken to the Courts.
Areas of concern
Abuse
Alberta Blue Cross Drug Plan
Alberta Health Care Insurance Plan
Alberta's health system
Alberta's Ombudsman
Ambulance services
Care in a hospital or nursing home
Caregivers' private offices, clinics or facilities
Communicable disease and other public health matters
– Public Health Appeal Board
Government of Alberta health benefits or assistance programs
Alberta Health Services facilities or programs
Health information and privacy
Health professionals conduct and competence
Mental health services
Out-of-Country health services
Products, drugs and devices
Unexpected or unexplained deaths
Worker's Compensation Board funded health Sservices
Worksite health and safety
Abuse
If you have a question or concern about possible abuse of an adult in the care of a hospital, nursing home, seniors’ lodge, group home, personal care home, shelter or day program, you can report this to the Protection for Persons in Care Reporting Line administered by Alberta Seniors and Community Supports. Call Toll-Free: 1-888-357-9339.
If you have a question or concern about possible abuse or neglect of a child, you can report this to the Child Abuse Hotline or Alberta Children and Youth Services.
Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-387-5437 (this line is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week)
Alberta Children and Youth Services
Telephone: 780-422-2001 Edmonton Area
Toll-Free: 310-0000, then ask the operator to connect you to the Child and Family Services Authority in your area.
If the incident involves a health care professional, you may report it directly to the governing body of the health care professional. (See the Health Professionals Conduct and Competence section to find contact information.)
Alberta Blue Cross Drug Plan
If you have a question or concern about the Alberta government-sponsored Alberta Blue Cross drug plan, please contact:
Alberta Blue Cross
Telephone: 780-498-8000 Edmonton Area
403-234-9666 Calgary Area
Toll-Free: 1-800-661-6995
Website:
www.ab.bluecross.ca/
Alberta Health Care Insurance Plan
If you have a question or concern about coverage under the Alberta Health Care Insurance Plan, including: eligibility, registration, claims, billing inquiries or premium assistance, please contact:
Alberta Health and Wellness
Telephone: 780-427-1432 Edmonton Area
Toll-Free: 310-0000 followed by 780-427-1432
Fax: 780-422-0102
Email:
[email protected]
Alberta’s health system
You may contact Alberta Health and Wellness for any matter related to Alberta’s health system:
Alberta Health and Wellness
Telephone: 780-427-7164 Edmonton Area
Toll-Free: 310-0000 followed by 780-427-7164
Email:
[email protected]
Alberta Ombudsman
If you have a question or concern about the fairness of how your complaint was handled, you may contact the Alberta Ombudsman. The Ombudsman conducts independent investigations into written complaints from individuals who believe they have been treated unfairly by:
The provincial government, its departments, agencies, boards or commissions;
The patient concerns resolution process of Alberta Health Services;
Professional colleges proclaimed under the Health Professions Act.
Investigators are available Monday through Friday from 8:15 a.m.– 12 p.m. and 1 – 4:30 p.m. You may also complete an on-line complaint form at
www.ombudsman.ab.ca/ and then select the “Making a Complaint” button. This service is provided free of charge.
Head Office
Suite 2800, 10303 Jasper Avenue NW
Edmonton, AB T5J 5C3
Telephone: 780-427-2756
Toll-Free: 310-0000 followed by 780-427-2756
Regional Office
Suite 2560, 801 – 6 Avenue SW
Calgary, AB T2P 3W2
Telephone: 403-297-6185
Fax: 403-297-5121
Email:
[email protected]
Ambulance services
If you have a question or concern about care received in an ambulance, you should first discuss it with the ambulance operator. The next step is to contact Alberta Health Servces, which is responsible for the ambulance program. You may also contact the Registrar responsible for licensing ambulance operators:
Alberta Health and Wellness
Telephone: 780-422-9654 Edmonton Area
Toll-Free: 310-0000 followed by 780-422-9654
Fax: 780-422-0134
Email:
[email protected]
If you have concerns about billing by an ambulance operator, contact Alberta Health Services.
Alberta Health Services Patient Advocates
Edmonton, Northern and Central Alberta
Doug Phillips
Telephone: 780-496-1533
Email:
[email protected]
Calgary and Southern Alberta
Janine Engelhardt
Telephone: 403-955-9608
Email:
[email protected]
Care in a hospital or nursing home
If you have a question or concern about care, treatment and/or standards of accommodation received by a patient in a hospital or resident in a nursing home, contact the Alberta Health Facilities Review Committee.
Caregivers’ private offices, clinics or facilities
If you have a question or concern about care received at a doctor’s or private practitioner’s office, clinic or facility (e.g. a non-hospital surgical facility), you should first discuss it with the doctor or practitioner. You may also contact the governing body of the health care professional. (See the Health Professionals Conduct and Competence information below to find contact information.)
Communicable disease and other public health matters
If you have a question or concern about communicable diseases, public health emergencies, environmental health or anything related to public health, you may contact the Medical Officer of Health of Alberta Health Services.
If you have a question or concern about a decision or order by a regional health authority, Medical Officer of Health or public health inspector under the Public Health Act or regulations, contact the Public Health Appeal Board.
Government of Alberta health benefits or assistance programs
If you have a question or concern about health benefits or assistance provided by other Government of Alberta Ministries, you should contact these departments directly. Alberta Health and Wellness can direct you to the appropriate department. All departments listed below can also be reached through the Alberta Government toll-free service: 310-0000, followed by the direct number listed.
Alberta Aids to Daily Living
Alberta Seniors and Community Supports
780-427-0731 Edmonton Area
Assured Income for the Severely Handicapped
Alberta Seniors and Community Supports
780-415-6300 Edmonton Area
Alberta Child Health Benefit
Employment and Immigration
780-427-6848 Edmonton Area or Toll-Free: 1-877-469-5437
Accommodation standards for long-term care, lodge, assisted living or other private facility
Alberta Seniors and Community Supports
780-422-0122 Edmonton Area
Income Support
Employment and Immigration
780-644-5135 Edmonton Area or Toll-Free: 1-866-644-5135
Alberta Works
Employment and Immigration
780-644-5135 Edmonton Area or Toll-Free: 1-866-644-5135
Alberta Health Services facilities or programs
If you have a question or concern about care you received in a hospital, nursing home, non-hospital surgical facility or community program administered by or under contract to Alberta Health Services, there are a number of places to turn. Concerns should first be discussed with the member of the care team who is most closely involved in your care, such as the nurse or doctor.
If not resolved, the next step is to contact the health authority’s Patient Concerns Officer who accepts all concerns and addresses or redirects people to other organizations authorized to address concerns. By law, a health authority must address all concerns that are brought forward by any individual regarding health services and other support services that are provided to, or sought by, patients.
Go to the Alberta Health Services website
Health information and privacy
If you have a question or concern about accessing or correcting health information or personal information held by a caregiver or organization in Alberta’s health system, the Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner can help you. You may also contact the Commissioner for concerns about inappropriate collection, use and disclosure or management of health or personal information.
Edmonton
410, 9925 – 109 Street NW
Edmonton, AB T5K 2J8
Telephone: 780-422-6860
Fax: 780-422-5682
Calgary
640 – 5th Avenue SW.
Calgary, AB T2P 3G4
Telephone: 403-297-2728
Fax: 403-297-2711
Either location toll-free: 1-888-878-4044 or e-mail:
[email protected]
Health professional conduct and competence
If you have a question or concern about the care provided by a health professional you should first discuss it with the health professional or their direct supervisor. If this does not resolve the matter or your concerns are about the health professional’s conduct or competence, contact the health profession's governing body. The governing bodies ensure their members meet acceptable standards for competence and conduct, including ethical conduct. The governing bodies can also provide you with contact information for their members if you are having trouble finding a practitioner for services.
Read list of Alberta’s governing bodies of health professions
Mental health services
If you have a question or concern relating to patients who are or were involuntarily detained under the Mental Health Act, you may contact the Mental Health Patient Advocate. The Advocate can provide information on how to obtain legal counsel, apply to a Review Panel or the Court of Queen’s Bench, or deal with care-related concerns. The Advocate may also undertake an investigation of a formal patient’s complaint that could result in recommendations to the designated facility, officials or the Minister.
Read more about the Alberta Mental Health Patient Advocate
Out-of-country health services
If you have a question or concern about receiving specialized health services that cannot be obtained in Canada, please contact Alberta’s Out-of-Country Health Services Committee through Alberta Health and Wellness. The committee will determine if the Alberta Health Care Insurance Plan will fund these services.
Alberta Health and Wellness
Attention: Out-of-Country Health Services Committee
PO Box 1360, Station Main
Edmonton, AB T5J 2N3
Telephone: 780-415-8744 Edmonton Area
Toll-Free: 310-0000 followed by 780-415-8744
Contact the Committee
Products, drugs and devices
If you have any questions or concerns regarding the safety of products, including drugs and devices used or prescribed in the health system, contact:
Health Canada
Address Locator 0900C2
Ottawa, ON K1A 0K9
Telephone: 613-957-2991
Toll-Free: 1-866-225-0709
TDD/TTY Toll-Free: 1-800-267-1245
Unexpected or unexplained deaths
If you have a concern relating to a death which occurred suddenly or cannot be explained, the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner could conduct an investigation. All such deaths in Alberta are investigated under the authority of the Fatality Inquiries Act. Medical Examiners determine the date, time and place of death, the circumstances under which a death occurred and the cause and manner of death.
A Medical Examiner, the next of kin of the deceased or anyone that the Chief Medical Examiner considers to be an interested party can request the Fatality Review Board to review findings and determine if a public fatality review should be held.
Chief Medical Examiner
Edmonton
7007 – 116 Street NW
Edmonton, AB
Telephone: 780-427-4987
Fax: 780-422-1265
Calgary
4070 Bowness Road NW
Calgary, AB
Telephone: 403-297-8123
Fax: 403-297-3429
Fatality Review Board Justice and Attorney General
Telephone: 403-297-8123
Fax: 403-297-3429
Workers’ Compensation Board funded health services
If you have a question or concern about health benefits for injuries sustained in the workplace, contact the Workers’ Compensation Board:
Telephone: 780-498-3999
Toll-Free: 1-866-922-9221
TDD/TTY: 780-498-7895
Website:
http://www.wcb.ab.ca
Worksite health and safety
If you have a question or concern about workplace health and safety, please contact Employment and Immigration, Worksite Health and Safety. Occupational Health and Safety Officials will investigate worksite incidents and hazards, including concerns about safety of radiation equipment or potential radiation exposure.
Worksite Health and Safety
Telephone: 780-415-8690 Edmonton Area
Toll-Free: 1-866-415-8690
TDD/TTY 780-427-9999 Edmonton Area
TDD/TTY Toll-Free: 1-800-232-7215
Fax: 780-422-3730
Email:
[email protected]
Website:
http://www.worksafely.org
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