By rdnewsNOW Staff

Changes Coming

AHS announces community lab transition from APL to DynaLIFE

Dec 6, 2022 | 3:07 PM

Alberta Health Services (AHS) has announced that community lab services in larger urban centres in the province have transitioned from Alberta Precision Laboratories to DynaLIFE Medical Labs.

In addition, officials note that DynaLIFE labs are now testing specimens from hospitals throughout the province.

This is said to be the first of three phases of the provincial transition to DynaLIFE, and impacts North, Edmonton, Central and Calgary zones of Alberta Health Services (AHS). Officials say this change will improve lab services for Albertans and create savings that will be reinvested into other healthcare services.

“Contracting community lab services to DynaLIFE will give Albertans better access to high-quality community lab services, while generating cost savings that will be reinvested into other health services,” says Minister of Health Jason Copping. “DynaLIFE has a proven history of providing innovative lab services and Albertans can be assured they are getting the best care possible.”

According to AHS, about two-thirds of provincial lab work, or 50 million tests per year, is generated from the community and will be delivered by DynaLIFE under contract to AHS. Officials say the contract includes operating community labs and mobile collection facilities in cities and communities with more than 25,000 collections per year.

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AHS says APL in-hospital laboratories will continue to serve patients who have a requisition generated at a hospital or urgent care site, either through inpatient, emergency or ambulatory clinics. Hospital labs in rural areas that do not have a stand-alone community lab will also continue to serve rural community clients.

AHS says DynaLIFE has built and is continuing to develop additional capacity in Calgary and Edmonton, which is expected to enable increased volume of tests to be processed every day. New community labs are also said to be opening in several communities across the province. To learn more about the changes taking place in each zone, visit wearedynalife.ca.

“This expanded partnership with DynaLIFE will not only see investments in community lab facilities and technology but will continue to drive and support the health innovation ecosystem in Alberta,” says Mauro Chies, Interim AHS President & Chief Executive Officer. “The transition of community services to DynaLIFE will ensure hospital labs, operated by APL, are able to focus on the emergency, inpatient and urgent needs of acute and ambulatory hospital patients.”

The new Q.Me centralized online appointment system is described as mobile friendly and provides additional options for Albertans accessing lab services, including options for pre-booked or same day appointments using “Save My Place”, a queue management feature that informs patients when their appointment is time becoming available.

Albertans can book appointments online at qme.dynalife.ca, or can call the DynaLIFE appointment booking line at 1-877-702-4486, or walk into a DynaLIFE lab.

“DynaLIFE is excited to bring our internationally recognized testing facilities and community lab services to new communities across the province,” says Jason Pincock, DynaLIFE CEO. “The health and well-being of Albertans is our top priority. We live and work in the communities we serve, so it’s personal for us. DynaLIFE looks forward to helping build a better, healthier Alberta for generations to come.”

Officials say South Zone community laboratory services in Brooks, Lethbridge and Medicine Hat will transition in Phase 2, beginning Feb. 28, 2023.

For more information on lab services in Alberta, as well as this transition, Albertans can visit albertaprecisionlabs.ca and dynalife.ca.