FAQs

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Laboratory services are an integral factor in a majority of health care decisions, yet the current model is overly complex. A subsidiary corporation under AHS will be fully integrated under one employer, reducing the unnecessary complexity of the current system. The laboratory will continue to be strongly integrated with Alberta’s public health system, leveraging many of AHS’s strengths, including access to intellectual property, health service delivery, and corporate services where appropriate. Under this model, lab services in the province will be responsive, fully integrated with our public health system, and similar in structure to other high functioning lab systems seen in other jurisdictions. Ultimately this will help improve the efficiency of Alberta’s lab system and the response times for results to Albertans.

The Government of Alberta released a Health Quality Council of Alberta review of lab services in 2016 and announced several immediate next steps to ensure the ongoing delivery of quality lab services. One of these steps outlined in HQCA’s subsequent May 2017 report was a comprehensive province-wide plan for an integrated system of laboratory services.

A steering committee of senior public officials chaired by the Deputy Minister of Health and including senior leaders from AHS, government and the Health Quality Council of Alberta, has recommended this to be the most efficient way to deliver lab services in Alberta.

This approach to lab governance was one of the recommendations made by the Health Quality Council of Alberta to improve lab services. A subsidiary corporation under AHS will be strongly integrated with Alberta’s public health system and leverage many of AHS’s strengths, including access to intellectual property, health service delivery, and corporate services as appropriate.

Calgary Lab Services, as a wholly-owned subsidiary of AHS, has shown that it has been able to implement many leading and best practices, including:

 An early move to one computer system, which continues to be updated.

 A consolidated hub and spoke network of lab facilities in the Calgary region.

 Standardization and consolidation of services among 18 hospital and health centre labs.

 Being more cost-effective than comparable lab areas in Alberta.

 Strong academic links and research activities.

The subsidiary will have its own board, strategic focus, and mandate to oversee all laboratory operations, planning, and investment in Alberta.

AHS provides 47 per cent, Calgary Lab Services 30 per cent, Dynalife 20 per cent, Covenant Health 3 per cent and Lamont Healthcare Centre less than 1 per cent. Alberta Public Laboratories will bring lab staff from all five organizations together.

LSA needs all current lab employees, including corporate and support staff. All unionized positions will be transitioned in place to LSA and there will be no job loss.

Natural attrition will be the preferred approach for non-union employees impacted by change to the management structure.

AHS, Dynalife, Covenant and Lamont Healthcare Centre laboratory services staff will transition to LSA. The transition of lab employees for AHS, Covenant, and Lamont will happen at the same time.

Calgary Lab Services (CLS) is currently a wholly-owned subsidiary of Alberta Health Services. CLS’ structure will be expanded and repurposed to operate as LSA. CLS’ articles of incorporation and corporate bylaws will be amended to reflect the expanded provincial mandate and name change.

Alberta’s Treasury Board has approved funding for the entire project. Initial funding of $20 million for the Edmonton lab hub was announced as part of Alberta’s 2017 Capital Plan, and $595 million was included for the Lab Hub in Budget 2018

The lab hub facility is intended to consolidate various diagnostic laboratory services in the Edmonton area, including those currently performed under contract by Dynalife and translational research laboratories, in association with the various educational institutions.

The lab hub will be a central facility providing accommodation and future growth space for the following:

o Consolidated non-urgent clinical diagnostic testing for the Edmonton Region and Northern Alberta;

o Laboratory services currently located at the University of Alberta Hospital site (the hospital will still have appropriate capacity for urgent testing services);

o A genetics laboratory (currently located at the University of Alberta Medical Sciences Building); and

o A provincial laboratory for public health (currently located at the University of Alberta Hospital site).

The facility will also feature dedicated research and innovation space for a translational research program that will support Albertans’ access to innovative diagnostic tests.