Collection of Health Information

Our Primary Care Network (PCN) respects patient confidentiality and privacy.

When a patient receives health services from the PCN, the PCN will collect individually identifying health information in accordance with the provisions of the Alberta Health Information Act (HIA).

The PCN will collect this health information directly from the patient, except in the limited circumstances where the PCN is authorized under HIA to indirectly collect such information.

• The primary purpose in collecting your health information is to:
  

• Provide diagnostic, treatment, and care services to you
  

• Verify eligibility or obtain and process payment for health services
  

• Health-related educational communications
  

The PCN will only collect, use, and disclose patient health information in accordance with the provisions of the HIA.

The PCN will also protect patient health information from unauthorized access, use, disclosure, or destruction per the privacy provisions of the HIA and any other applicable legislation.

For more information please contact the PCN's Privacy Officer at 780-539-9204.

Abuse Policy

The PCN has a zero-tolerance policy around abusive language or behaviour; if a patient is abusive towards any PCN staff, services will be terminated, and the patient will be discharged.

Attendance Policy

Failure to attend an agreed upon scheduled appointment without prior notice ("no show") may result in closing the patient's file for the relevant service. 

Missed appointments waste resources, increase service costs, and increase patient wait times. Patients where possible, should keep appointments, or cancel them as soon as they can. This will allow the PCN to offer appointments to other patients.  

Appointment Cancellation

If you need to cancel a previously scheduled appointment, please notify us as soon as possible by calling 780-539-9204 between the hours of 8:30AM – 4:30PM Monday - Friday. If necessary, you may leave a detailed voicemail message. We will return your call as soon as possible.  You will be asked to book another appointment at that time.

Please note that, if we do not hear from you after a cancellation or No Show, your file may be closed from the Program or Service.

Cancellations by The Grande Prairie PCN

It is the PCN's policy to avoid appointment cancellations wherever possible. Patients should only be cancelled and rearranged in exceptional circumstances after all other options have been explored.

Following a cancellation by the PCN, patients will be contacted in a timely manner and offered an alternative appointment, at a mutually agreeable date and time. Please be aware that in some circumstances you may be contacted by an alternate PCN provider if your regular provider is not available.

Virtual Appointment Information

We use Microsoft Teams for our virtual appointments. You may need to download the App to your device to connect to your virtual visit.

Virtual appointments also require a completed consent to use electronic communication form. Click HERE to fill out form.

Once we have received your 'consent to use electronic communication form', we will send out a link to your virtual appointment roughly 24hrs before. If you do not have this, please check Junk and/or Spam folder before calling us to resend.

If we have not received your consent to use electronic communication 1-2 business days before your appointment, we will automatically change your agreed appointment to a phone call appointment. Please note this may affect how we can deliver your care.

Preparing For The Virtual Visit

Be Ready To Check For Notifications

A virtual link will be sent to you the day before your appointment. If you have not received this, please first check your spam or junk folders in your email before contacting us.

Decide Where You Will Take Your Call

Try and use a quiet, private space where you feel comfortable and will not be interrupted or distracted.

Test Your Equipment

Before you start your appointment:

• Make sure your webcam is working. 

• Check your volume controls and make sure your sound is not muted. 

• Try out and test your microphone. 

• Make sure your computer or mobile device is either fully charged or plugged in.

• Wherever possible use a wired connection which is less likely to experience connection issues.

• If you are on a mobile device (such as your phone or iPad) and you are experiencing bandwidth issues, try connecting to your home's Wi-Fi.

• Close unnecessary apps or programs. Having too many other things running on your computer or device can reduce the quality of your call. Before starting a virtual visit, close as many unnecessary programs as possible.
  

Use the App or Web Browser

When you click on your link for the virtual visit Microsoft Teams will determine the best way to access the appointment. This may be via a web browser or App. 

Technical Information

Your visit link will contain details and links to download Microsoft Teams or run on a supported web browser.

Teams fully supports the following Internet browsers. This applies to operating systems running on desktop computers.

• Microsoft Edge (Chromium-based), the latest version plus two previous versions 

• Microsoft Edge, RS2 or later

• Google Chrome, the latest version plus two previous versions
  

Internet browsers Not Supported. Unsupported browsers may run Teams with unexpected results or limited functionality:

• Internet Explorer 11 

• Firefox

• Safari 11.1+
  

Supported mobile platforms for Microsoft Teams mobile apps are the following:

• Android: Support is limited to the last four major versions of Android. When a new major version of Android is released, the new version and the previous three versions are officially supported.

• iOS: Support is limited to the two most recent major versions of iOS. When a new major version of iOS is released, the new version of iOS and the previous version are officially supported.
  

Alternately Microsoft Teams can be downloaded HERE