| Primary Care Alberta’s Weekly Clinical Update aims to provide regular updates to primary care providers across Alberta.Submissions: Content from primary healthcare providers and teams is welcome – please send to PCA@primarycarealberta.ca. Include a headline, short (50-75 word) overview and a link to more information. Deadline is Monday at 5 p.m. for that Thursday’s edition.Subscribing: If you don’t receive this newsletter regularly and would like to subscribe, please email PCA@primarycarealberta.ca with “Subscribe to Weekly Clinical Update” in the subject line. | |
| In this issue:Read time: Approximately 8 minutes. | |
| Reminder: Measles resourcesFor primary care providers who have not seen a measles case and are looking for support on identifying and testing for measles, please see these key resources: | |
| Alberta Health measles announcements Alberta Health announced on May 5 that they will expand immunization access and will launch a new advertising campaign to raise awareness and help prevent the spread. The theme of the campaign will be: Don’t get measles. Get immunized. 1-844-944-3434. | |
| CPT Pearl of the Week: Adverse reactions to complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) in medical oncology patients Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology (CPT) Pearls of the Week are educational summaries developed by physician members of the AHS Section of Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology. There are several CAM medications that are known to cause toxicity in patients with cancer, either on their own or in combination with antineoplastic treatments such as chemotherapy. | |
| Welcome ACMOsI am thrilled to welcome two exceptional physicians to the Primary Care Alberta team. Dr. Nadia Salvaterra and Dr. Mike Spady join Primary Care Alberta as Associate Chief Medical Officers.The unique perspectives they bring, along with their leadership skills and connections across Alberta Health Services (AHS) and Acute Care Alberta (ACA), will play a key role in our ongoing efforts to provide integrated care to patients as they navigate Alberta’s healthcare system.Please join me in congratulating Dr. Salvaterra and Dr. Spady.Dr. Ernst GreyvensteinChief Medical OfficerPrimary Care Alberta | |
| Public Health updateAs part of the Health Statutes Amendment Act, 2025, Alberta Health announced on May 1 the transitioning of several public health functions that currently reside within Alberta Health Services to Primary Care Alberta later this year. These services will include front-line services such as communicable disease control, newborn screening, immunization and health promotion. Other public health functions, including policy development, inspections and surveillance, will move to Alberta Health. The province’s medical officers of health will also move into the Office of the Chief Medical Officer of Health. | |
| PCN Pain Rounds: Hypermobility Syndromes and Chronic Pain The next Pain Rounds session takes place May 29, 5:30 – 7:00 p.m. After this online session, participants will be able to: | |
| HQCA new Just Culture Essentials eLearning module. In collaboration with ISMP Canada, the Health Quality Council of Alberta (HQCA) is pleased to share a free, self-paced eLearning module that introduces the core concepts of just culture and its importance to patient safety. After this course, you will be able to: | |
| Emergency preparedness resourcesAs Emergency Preparedness Week (May 4-10) wraps up, the AHS Emergency/Disaster Management Division (E/DM) is circulating resources to help Albertans be prepared and know their risks. Check out these resources: | |
| Moose Hide Campaign DayThe Moose Hide Campaign is a grassroots, Indigenous-led movement dedicated to ending violence against women and children. At the heart of the campaign is the moose hide pin – a symbol of commitment to safety, respect and reconciliation.On May 15, 2025, thousands of people will come together for Moose Hide Campaign Day – a day of ceremony, reflection and action. Wear the pin. Take the pledge. Be part of the movement for a future free of violence. | |
| At ACFP, Family Docs Rock!World Family Doctor Day is on May 19, and it’s become a day to acknowledge the central role and contributions of family doctors and primary care teams play in health care systems around the world. This annual celebration also serves as the culminating event for the Alberta College of Family Physicians’ (ACFP’s) signature public awareness campaign – Family Docs Rock! To learn more about how you can partake in this year’s festivities, visit: www.familydocsrock.ca. | |
| Volunteer for the 2025 Student Shadowing ProgramThe Alberta College of Family Physicians, together with the Alberta Medical Association’s Sections of Family Medicine and Rural Medicine, is looking for family physician volunteers to be part of this year’s Student Shadowing Program. This is an amazing opportunity to show incoming medical students the breadth and depth of family medicine and help inspire them to make family medicine their specialty of choice. You can choose the days that work for you in the placement windows from June 15-28 and/or August 10-23. Sign up today! | |
| Clinical Development Survey open until May 19The Provincial Pathways Unit was pleased to present at the Primary Care Strategic Forum held from May 1-3, 2025. During the forum, the team engaged with participants to gather valuable feedback on which clinical pathways would best support their practice.If you haven’t yet shared your input, the survey remains open until Monday, May 19. We invite you to anonymously participate and let the PPU know which conditions you believe would benefit most from clear, evidence-informed pathways in your clinical work. | |
| Heart health studyPRxOACT is a province-wide initiative led by Dr. Yazid Al Hamarneh at the University of Alberta Division of Cardiology, and is designed to help Albertans learn how to improve their heart health. PRxOACT stands for “Implementation of Pharmacist Case Finding and Intervention for Vascular Prevention” and is a research study lasting six months.The study offers Albertans 18 and older an opportunity to learn about their cardiovascular (CVD) health and potential interventions to reduce their CVD risk. Find a local participating pharmacy here and speak with a pharmacist to join today.If you would like to participate or have questions, please contact Dr. Shania Liu by email: PRxOACT@ualberta.ca or telephone (825 965 3258). | |
| Better Choices, Better Health For those living with chronic illness or caring for those who do, Alberta Health Services is offering a free six-week virtual workshop to help live better lives.Better Choices, Better Health is a series of workshops designed to support Albertans who are living with chronic pain or chronic health conditions. The workshops will run on Zoom from 1:00 – 3:30 p.m. every Tuesday for six weeks, starting May 13.Topics covered will include symptom management, healthy eating, increasing physical activity, strategies for communicating with health-care professionals, emotional regulation and general tips for improving quality of life while living with chronic pain or illness. |
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