COVID-19: State of public health emergency. Mandatory measures remain in effect provincewide.
Overview
Alberta regulates a number of health professions. The majority of these health professions are regulated by self-governing colleges under the Health Professions Act (HPA). All regulated health professions will eventually come under the HPA.
The HPA was developed to regulate health professions using a model that allows for non-exclusive, overlapping scopes of practice. No single profession has exclusive ownership of a specific skill or health service and different professions may provide the same health services.
For example, physicians, dentists, optometrists and midwives are authorized to prescribe drugs within the scopes of their practices.
Restricted activities
Restricted activities are high risk activities performed as part of providing a health service that require specific competencies and skills to be carried out safely. Restricted activities are not linked to any specific health profession and a number of regulated health practitioners may perform a particular restricted activity.
- Restricted activities are set out in Schedule 7.1 of the Government Organization Act.
Health professionals who have the competencies required to perform a restricted activity safely and effectively are authorized to provide the restricted activity in their profession’s regulation.
For example, administering a vaccine is a restricted activity. Registered nurses, licensed practical nurses, and registered psychiatric nurses are all authorized to administer a vaccine under their governing regulations.
Ordering X-rays is also a restricted activity. Physicians, dentists, dental hygienists, denturists, nurse practitioners, and chiropractors are authorized to order X-rays. Respiratory therapists who have completed advanced training may also be authorized to order X-rays. Radiological technologists and dental assistants may not order X-rays, but are authorized to administer them within their scope of practice.
Governance of health professions
Under the HPA, health professions are organized into regulatory bodies called colleges. These colleges are delegated powers and authorities for self-governance. Regulatory colleges are not post-secondary institutions.
The HPA requires that colleges carry out governance responsibilities in a manner that protects and serves the public interest. Health profession colleges do this by developing, maintaining and enforcing professional regulations, standards of practice and codes of ethics.
A major responsibility of professional colleges is to investigate complaints about regulated members and to impose disciplinary sanctions if appropriate.
Professional associations usually work to advance the interests of a profession or its members. Some professional associations set voluntary standards of practice and codes of ethics for their members.
Acupuncturists are not currently regulated under the HPA. Acupuncturists are governed under the Health Disciplines Act by the College and Association of Acupuncturists of Alberta. When acupuncturists are brought under the HPA, the Health Disciplines Act will be repealed.
Colleges and associations
Regulated health professions, their colleges and regulation
- Acupuncturists – College and Association of Acupuncturists of Alberta / Regulation
- Audiologists – Alberta College of Speech-Language Pathologists and Audiologists / Regulation
- Chiropractors – Alberta College and Association of Chiropractors / Regulation
- Combined Laboratory and X-ray Technologists – Alberta College of Combined Laboratory and X-Ray Technologists / Regulation
- Dental Assistants – College of Alberta Dental Assistants / Regulation
- Dental Hygienists – College of Registered Dental Hygienists of Alberta / Regulation
- Dental Technologists – College of Dental Technologists of Alberta / Regulation
- Dentists – Alberta Dental Association and College / Regulation
- Denturists – College of Alberta Denturists / Regulation
- Dietitians – College of Dietitians of Alberta / Regulation
- Hearing Aid Practitioners – College of Hearing Aid Practitioners of Alberta / Regulation
- Licensed Practical Nurses – College of Licensed Practical Nurses of Alberta / Regulation
- Medical Diagnostic and Therapeutic Technologists – Alberta College of Medical Diagnostic and Therapeutic Technologists / Regulation
- Medical Laboratory Technologists – College of Medical Laboratory Technologists of Alberta / Regulation
- Midwives – College of Midwives of Alberta / Regulation
- Naturopaths – College of Naturopathic Doctors of Alberta / Regulation
- Occupational Therapists – Alberta College of Occupational Therapists / Regulation
- Opticians – College of Opticians of Alberta / Regulation
- Optometrists – Alberta College of Optometrists / Regulation
- Paramedics – Alberta College of Paramedics / Regulation
- Pharmacists – Alberta College of Pharmacy / Regulation
- Pharmacy Technicians – Alberta College of Pharmacy / Regulation
- Physiotherapists – Physiotherapy Alberta College + Association / Regulation
- Physicians, Surgeons and Osteopaths – College of Physicians and Surgeons of Alberta / Regulation
- Podiatrists – College of Podiatric Physicians of Alberta / Regulation
- Psychiatric Nurses – College of Registered Psychiatric Nurses of Alberta / Regulation
- Psychologists – College of Alberta Psychologists / Regulation
- Registered Nurses – College and Association of Registered Nurses of Alberta / Regulation
- Respiratory Therapists – College and Association of Respiratory Therapists of Alberta / Regulation
- Social Workers – Alberta College of Social Workers / Regulation
- Speech-Language Pathologists – Alberta College of Speech-Language Pathologists and Audiologists / Regulation
Health professions that will be regulated in the future
- Physician Assistants (College of Physicians and Surgeons of Alberta)
- Diagnostic Medical Sonographers (Alberta College of Medical Diagnostic and Therapeutic Technologists)
- Counselling Therapists (College of Counselling Therapy of Alberta)
- Addiction Counsellors (College of Counselling Therapy of Alberta)
- Child and Youth Care Counsellors (College of Counselling Therapy of Alberta)
Health professional associations
There are a number of health professional associations in Alberta and Canada, including:
- Alberta Association of Midwives
- Alberta Association of Optometrists
- Alberta Continuing Care Association
- Alberta Medical Association
- Alberta Occupational Health Nurses Association
- Alberta Paramedic Association
- Alberta Pharmacists' Association (RxA)
- Alberta Public Health Association
- Association of Alberta Dental Assistants
- Canadian Medical Association
- Canadian Mental Health Association
- Canadian Public Health Association
- Canadian Pharmacists Association
- Canadian Physiotherapy Association
- Canadian Nurses Association
- College of Family Physicians of Canada – Alberta Chapter (Not a regulatory college)
- College of Family Physicians of Canada
- Dietitians of Canada
- Nurse Practitioner Association of Alberta
- Paramedics Association of Canada
- Pharmacy Technicians Society of Alberta
- Professional Association of Residents of Alberta (PARA)
- Psychologists Association of Alberta
- Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada (Not a regulatory college)
- Society of Obstetricians and Gynecologists of Canada
Contact
For general information about regulated health professions:
Hours: 8:15 am to 4:30 pm (open Monday to Friday, closed statutory holidays)
Phone: 780-427-1419
Toll free: 310-0000 before the phone number (in Alberta)
Submit general comments or questions using the Contact Government page.