AHS addressing lengthy wait times at Calgary and area Dynalife locations

Alberta Health Services (AHS) has announced plans to address long wait times that Calgarians are experiencing as they attempt to get lab tests done.

AHS says it will be working with Alberta Precision Laboratories (APL) and Dynalife to address the issues.

One of the ways in which officials hope to fix the lengthy wait times is by recruiting additional staff and bringing in staff from other areas throughout Canada.

Other improvements at Calgary-area Dynalife locations include:

• Expanded operations at several locations in Calgary, Airdrie, Cochrane and Okotoks, and the addition of weekend service at existing locations, as well as the creation of new temporary locations.
• New appointments added daily, with a total of 1,450 new appointments becoming available this week.
• The addition of two phlebotomy stations at both the Beddington and Riverbend labs.
• The expansion of appointment availability at the North Hill location, which means a 25 per cent increase in daily appointments.
• An additional 125 appointments per day added at Sloan Square.
• An additional 250 appointments on Saturdays at the Riverbend and Airdrie locations.
• The expansion of the Market Mall location, beginning next week, which will accommodate an additional 200 patients per day.
• The permanent expansion of hours at the Airdrie, Avenida, Cochrane, Glenbrook, McKnight and Riverbend in June, adding an additional 150 appointments per day at each location.
• New clinics in N.E. and N.W. Calgary, which will offer 180 appointments daily at each. 
• Renovations are expected to be completed at the Airdrie location in July, expanding patient spaces to provide a 30 per cent increase in space at that clinic.

Dynalife says improvements will continue in the coming months.