Health clinic in S.E. Calgary part of pilot program

One of three, new Alberta health care centres will open in Calgary next month as part of a pilot-program, the province says.

The East Calgary Health Centre will be staffed by an array of health-care providers including family physicians, nurse practitioners, registered nurses, social workers, psychologists, pharmacists, dieticians and physiotherapists.

Located in Forest Lawn at 4715 Eighth Avenue S.E., the facility officially becomes a family care clinic on April 2.

The other two trial clinics are in Edmonton and Slave Lake.

"The opening of the Edmonton, Calgary and Slave Lake family care clinics heralds an exciting next phase in primary care reform," said Donna Clare, president of the Nurse Practitioner Association of Alberta.

The three pilot locations are expected to cost about $15 million in 2012-13 and are funded by Alberta Health Services.

Another $75 million has been allotted for 2012-13 "to further strengthen the primary health care system through innovation, based on community need," the province said in a written release.

"For very needful communities they will help to provide access to primary care, and for all Albertans the clinics will be living laboratories to evaluate another move forward in the provinces renewal of primary care," said Dr. Paul Humphries, past president of the Alberta College of Family Physicians.

An advisory committee will help evaluate the success of the three clinics over the next year, the province said.