New chief medical officer of health

The Government of Alberta has announced that Dr. Vivien Suttorp is the province’s new chief medical officer of health, effective Dec. 18, 2025. For the past 17 years, Dr. Suttorp has served as lead medical officer of health for the South Zone, overseeing all aspects of public health while supporting workplace health and safety, and infection prevention and control.

• Read the full news release.

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Primary Health Care Learning Portal

Primary health care partners are invited to access e‑learning resources through the Primary Health Care Learning Portal, hosted on the Absorb Learning Management System. Through collaboration with Health Shared Services and Alberta’s health agencies, Primary Care Alberta’s Promoting Health, Partnership & Innovation department provides cost‑effective access to 57 live courses. This portal makes professional development simple, accessible and impactful with topics such as Chronic Disease Management, Healthy Children and Families, Health Change Alberta, Tobacco Cessation and much more!

• Course catalogue details: Primary HealthCare Learning Portal Course Catalogue

• Primary Health Care Learning Portal Access: Primary Health Care Learning Portal

• Have questions? Email pca@primarycarealberta.ca.

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HealthChange Learning Series

Primary Care Alberta’s HealthChange Learning Series has  availability in January, beginning with three e-Modules (prerequisites), followed by a two-part virtual workshop. The workshops offer valuable interactive activities to help learners practice using HealthChange skills.

HealthChange is an evidence-informed approach for delivering person-centred clinical services and structuring conversations in a way that meets the person’s behaviour-change needs. This approach helps patients understand and use clinical advice as it is communicated in a way that is meaningful to them. HealthChange promotes shared decision-making and engages patients and families as true partners in their care.

• Prerequisite e-module and workshop registration (you’ll need to create a free account first).

• Workshop Part 1: Wednesday, Jan.14, 8:30 a.m. – noon over Zoom

• Workshop Part 2: Wednesday, Jan. 21, 8:30 a.m. – noon over Zoom

• Alternate January workshop dates are also available.

Questions can be emailed to pca@primarycarealberta.ca.

Note that you can find information on a variety of primary care-related online courses at the Primary HealthCare Learning Portal Course Catalogue.

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Breast Practices: Navigating Guidelines in Primary Care

This in-depth, clinically focused webinar is designed to help primary care providers build confidence and clarity in applying the Alberta Clinical Practice Guidelines (CPGs) for breast cancer screening. Through short lectures and interactive breakout discussions, participants will strengthen their skills in navigating the Alberta guidelines and supporting informed, patient-centred screening decisions. This free webinar is presented by the Alberta Society of Radiologists and takes place Jan. 26, 6:30 – 8:30 p.m. over Zoom.

• Register now.

Nicotine 2.0 webinars: Vaping & emerging nicotine products 

January 18 – 24 is National Non-Smoking Week (NNSW) – it’s a great time to talk with your patients about quitting smoking. Research shows many people are motivated to quit in January.

To celebrate NNSW, the Tobacco, Vaping & Cannabis Program at Primary Care Alberta invites healthcare providers to attend a new live webinar series, Nicotine 2.0. You’ll get an engaging look at new nicotine products (such as vapes and nicotine pouches) and their role in helping adults quit smoking.

Part 1 covers new nicotine products on the market, who is using them, and why they matter. Part 2 reviews the best practices, laws and ethics behind using nicotine products in smoking cessation.

You can attend two one-hour sessions or a single two-hour session. Choose from the following sessions:

• Register here for Nicotine 2.0, Tuesday, Jan. 20 (Part 1) and Thursday, Jan. 22 (Part 2). Both sessions run from noon – 1 p.m.

• Register here for Nicotine 2.0, Wednesday, Jan. 21, 1 – 3 p.m. (Parts 1 and 2).

• Register here for Nicotine 2.0, Thursday, Jan. 22, 6 – 8 p.m. (Parts 1 and 2).

Engagement opportunities

Reminder: Virtual Health survey open to providers & patients

As a healthcare provider, do you have experience using virtual care technologies like phone calls, video chats, emails or secure messaging to communicate with your patient? If so, Primary Care Alberta’s Virtual Health team is looking for your feedback. Please complete this short (less than five-minute) survey before Jan. 23 to help improve virtual care for all Albertans.

Share with your patients

The survey is also open to patients, so please encourage them to share their experiences using virtual healthcare technologies. The patient survey is open until Feb. 27.

• Take the survey now.

• For more information, email virtualhealth@primarycarealberta.ca.

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Unifying MyHealth Alberta applications

The Government of Alberta has announced that the MyHealth Alberta account will replace MyHealth Records as the new unified access point for online provincial health information and services. A MyHealth Alberta account will consolidate access to multiple applications, including My Personal Records and MyChart, making it easier to access reliable health information, services and programs. 

A limited-production rollout of the new application and web experience will be available beginning January 19, with a broader production rollout planned for March 2026.

Marking National Non-Smoking Week with AlbertaQuits

Many people who smoke cigarettes or vape nicotine set New Year’s resolutions to quit. National Non-Smoking Week (Jan. 18 – 24) is a key time to promote the rewards of quitting and encourage people to stop using nicotine.

AlbertaQuits is Primary Care Alberta’s go-to suite of resources for helping people quit smoking, vaping, or using other nicotine products. By connecting people with the AlbertaQuits services that are right for them, you can double their chances of quitting for good.

• The AlbertaQuits helpline provides free, confidential advice on quitting or cutting back on nicotine. Albertans can call 1-866-710-QUIT (7848) to speak with a professional quit counsellor. Translation services are available.

• QuitCore is the AlbertaQuits group support program for people who are ready to go on a quit journey with others. Over six sessions, participants learn, share, and build skills for quitting with support from a trained facilitator. Albertans can register for virtual and in-person QuitCore programs by calling the AlbertaQuits helpline (1-866-710-7848).

• The AlbertaQuits website offers quit tips and tools backed by science. Albertans can go to AlbertaQuits.ca to build a quit plan, learn about quit medications, and get tips to handle cravings.

• The AlbertaQuits text support program sends motivational messages and tailored advice based on keywords. It also includes a live chat feature to connect with a professional quit counsellor. Albertans can opt-in by texting ABQUITS to 123456.

If you have questions or need more information about AlbertaQuits programs and services, email tvcp@primarycarealberta.ca. To boost your skills in offering tobacco cessation interventions, search “tobacco” on the Primary Health Care Learning Portal.

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HPV primary screening launched for ages 50 to 69

As of Nov. 5, Alberta has transitioned to HPV primary screening as the standard for cervical cancer screening beginning with women and people with a cervix aged 50 to 69. This change strengthens early detection and introduces a more sensitive test for individuals nearing the end of the target age for cervical cancer screening.

• For provider resources, including FAQs, the clinical pathway and follow-up instructions, visit Primary Care Alberta’s Screening for Life website.

• Note: The Cervical Cancer Screening Clinical Practice Guidelines will be undergoing a review process over the next several months. Healthcare providers will be notified when updated guidelines are available.

The sample collection and lab submission process will remain unchanged. However, referral decisions will now be based on HPV genotype and cervical cytology results.

If a patient has a positive HPV result, they may seek the support of their primary care provider for follow-up testing.

Planning for provincial access to HPV primary screening for women and people with a cervix aged 25 to 49 is ongoing. At this time, these patients will continue to be screened using Pap tests.

Get more information on Primary Care Alberta’s Screening for Life website.

PCN Pain Rounds webinar on digital pain solutions

Get ready for the first PCN Pain Rounds webinar for 2026: Digital Solutions to Scale Up Pain Psychology, featuring Dr. Maxwell Slepian. The session explores virtual cognitive behavioural therapy: Is it as good as in-person? What about AI for psychological strategies?

• Tuesday, Jan. 13, 5:30 – 7 p.m.

• Sign up now!

This series is presented by Primary Care Networks and the Alberta College of Family Physicians. In case you missed the recent session, Harnessing the Role of Parents in Addressing Intergenerational Pain, by Professor Melanie Noel, a recording of it and all past sessions are available in the Chronic Pain & Addiction Community on ACFP Networks.