The addition of a new community lab in Calgary’s southeast means 2,000 more patients in the Calgary area will have their tests done sooner every week. Another 800 weekly appointments will be available in early 2024 once expansion of the community labs at Glenbrook Plaza in Calgary’s southwest and in Airdrie are complete.

Together, these changes will provide an additional 2,800 lab appointments in the Calgary region.

“Lab services are a critical part of a patient’s diagnosis, and quicker access to lab tests means faster results and faster treatment. These additional appointments will help Calgary region residents get the care they need, when they need it.”

Adriana LaGrange, Minister of Health

The additional appointments build on the improvements to lab capacity made by Alberta Precision Laboratories in recent months. Hundreds of additional weekly appointments were added at hospital labs in Calgary for community patients plus additional providers were enlisted to help boost capacity, which resulted in several thousand additional appointments each week.

Alberta Precision Laboratories has increased appointment capacity in Calgary by 22 per cent since September. There are currently more than 24,000 community appointments available each week.

In Calgary, on average, lab appointments are available within 12 to 14 days. By comparison, patients in Calgary were waiting approximately six weeks for an appointment in April 2023.

“Improving access to lab appointments and decreasing wait times for these important services is the priority for Alberta Precision Laboratories. This new lab will ensure those living in south Calgary have better options to access more timely lab services, close to home.”

Mauro Chies, president and CEO, Alberta Health Services

“Alberta Precision Laboratories has reduced wait times for walk-in and scheduled appointments by 34.4 per cent in Calgary. The current overall average wait time in the area is 28.8 minutes.”

Tammy Hofer, chief operating officer, Alberta Precision Laboratories

Quick facts

  • Alberta Precision Laboratories, a wholly owned subsidiary of Alberta Health Services, has provided high-quality, responsive diagnostic lab services to Albertans since 2018, generating more than 50 million lab tests from the community each year.
  • In early August, Alberta Precision Laboratories began offering more community lab appointments in Calgary. Later that month, an agreement in principle was reached with Dynalife to transfer its staff, equipment and property to Alberta Precision Laboratories. This transfer is expected to be complete by December. Service to Albertans is not affected by this transition; Albertans can continue to obtain lab tests at the same locations.
  • Services at the new Calgary lab – ­located at 2110, 1800 194 Avenue SE – are available by appointment only, weekdays from 6:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Call 1-877-702-4486 or visit albertaprecisionlabs.ca/booking to book an appointment.
  • The new location is the 124th lab collection site in Alberta and the 24th community collection site in Calgary.

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