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How to resolve concerns
If you have a concern or complaint regarding heath care services, the first thing you should do is bring your concern directly to the service provider(s) or organization(s) involved.
You can also discuss your concerns with the professional association to which the health professional is a member, or Alberta’s Ombudsman.
Concerns about suspected criminal acts related to health-care services should be taken to the police.
Concerns about injuries or disputes related to care in the health system may also be taken to court.
Areas of concern
Abuse
Concerns about possible abuse of an adult receiving care or support services from publicly funded service providers should be reported to Protection for Persons in Care.
Report abuse – Call 911 if you or someone you know is being abused and is in immediate danger. Contact Protection for Persons in Care at 1-888-357-9339.
Complaints about a guardian, trustee, co-decision maker or agent named in a personal directive contact the Office of the Public Guardian.
Learn about bullying and famility violence.
If the incident involves a health care professional, report it to the regulatory body of the health care professional.
Alberta’s health system
Contact the Alberta government for any matter related to Alberta’s health system.
Care in a hospital
For questions or concerns about care, treatment and standards of accommodation received by a patient in a hospital contact Alberta Health Services or Covenant Health, depending on the facility.
Patient concerns about care received
For questions or concerns about care you received in a hospital, nursing home, non-hospital surgical facility or community program administered by, or under contract to, Alberta Health Services, first talk with the member of the care team who is most closely involved in your care, such as the nurse or doctor.
If not resolved, contact the AHS Patient Relations Department, which looks into all concerns or redirects people to other organizations authorized to address those concerns.
Out-of-country health services
For more information or concerns about receiving specialized health services that can't be obtained in Canada, contact Alberta’s Out-of-Country Health Services Committee.
Ambulance services
If you have concerns about billing by an ambulance operator, contact Alberta Health Services.
For questions or concerns about care received in an ambulance, you should first discuss it with the ambulance operator.
The next step is to contact Alberta Health Services EMS, which is responsible for the ambulance program.
You may also contact the Emergency Health Services office at the Ministry of Health, which is responsible for licensing ambulance operators.
Government-sponsored supplementary benefit plans
For questions or concerns about the Alberta government-sponsored supplementary health plans contact Alberta Blue Cross:
Edmonton: 780-498-8000
Calgary: 403-234-9666
Toll free: 1-800-661-6995
Mental health services
For questions or concerns relating to persons who are or were subject to a community treatment order or involuntarily detained under the Mental Health Act, contact the Mental Health Patient Advocate.
Alberta Health Advocates – Health and mental health
The Office of the Alberta Health Advocates is home to Alberta’s Mental Health Patient Advocate and the Health Advocate.
Get advice and help to deal with your concerns and find the services and patient concerns offices you need.
Continuing care
Contact the Alberta government with a general inquiry about continuing care or another government program or service. Submit your question or message by phone or online.
Complaints about continuing care services
For any complaint, first contact your case manager or the manager of the accommodation overseeing the delivery of those services.
If you feel your concerns about health care services are not addressed to your satisfaction, or if you are unsure of how to contact the relevant case manager or facility administration, contact Alberta Health Services’ patient relations department.
Complaints about accommodations
If you have concerns or complaints about accommodation standards not being followed, or about unlicensed supportive living settings, contact Continuing Care.
Communicable disease and other public health matters
For questions or concerns about communicable diseases, public health emergencies, environmental health or anything related to public health, contact the Medical Officer of Health at Alberta Health Services.
If you have a question or concern about a decision or order by Alberta Health Services, Medical Officer of Health or public health inspector under the Public Health Act or its regulations, contact the Public Health Appeal Board.
Conduct in an access zone for abortion services
It is unlawful to interfere, intimidate or protest within 50 metres of a facility that performs abortion services, or to repeatedly contact a physician or service provider without their consent with the intent of convincing them not to provide abortion services.
If you have any questions regarding the legislation, contact Alberta Health. For immediate concerns for safety or property, contact your local law enforcement.
Health information and privacy
For questions or concerns about accessing or correcting health information or personal information held by a caregiver or organization in Alberta’s health system, contact the Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner.
You may also contact the Commissioner for concerns about inappropriate collection, use and disclosure or management of health or personal information.
Health professional conduct and competence
For questions or concerns about the care provided by a health professional, first discuss it with that health professional or their direct supervisor.
If this doesn't resolve the matter, or if your concerns are about the health professional’s conduct or competence, contact the health profession's regulatory body.
Regulatory bodies ensure their members meet acceptable standards for competence and conduct, including ethical conduct.
These regulatory bodies can also provide contact information for their members if you are having trouble finding a practitioner for services.
Products, drugs and devices
For questions or concerns about the safety of products, including drugs and devices used or prescribed in the health system, contact Health Canada.
Unexpected or unexplained deaths
For concerns relating to a death that was sudden or cannot be explained, the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner could conduct an investigation.
All such deaths in Alberta are investigated under the authority of the Fatality Inquiries Act.
Members of the public must report an unexpected death they witness by calling 911. The police will then report the death to the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner (OCME).
Unfair treatment of a complaint
For questions or concerns about the fairness of how a complaint was handled, contact the Alberta Ombudsman. The Alberta Ombudsman conducts independent investigations into written complaints from individuals who believe they have been treated unfairly.
Workers’ Compensation Board funded health services
For questions or concerns about health benefits for injuries sustained in the workplace, contact the Workers’ Compensation Board.