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By Abby Zieverink

DynaLIFE to begin providing community lab services in Grande Prairie July 1

Jan 27, 2022 | 6:05 PM

Alberta Health Services says in a release that it has reached an agreement with Alberta Precision Laboratories (APL) on a contract for DynaLIFE Medical Labs to deliver community laboratory services across the province, including Grande Prairie, starting July 1, 2022.

Officials say contracting out lab services is expected to save money,. AHS says that money can be used to support other priorities and services across Alberta’s healthcare system.

Health Minister Jason Copping says contracting routine community lab work to DynaLIFE will enhance service for Albertans.

“Partnering with DynaLIFE is an innovative solution that will build upon the success of Alberta’s provincially integrated lab system, which has proven to be one of the best of its kind in North America and is critical to providing high-quality patient diagnosis and treatment across the healthcare spectrum.”

According to AHS, roughly 65 per cent of provincial lab work, or 50 million tests per year, is generated from the community and will be delivered by DynaLIFE.

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AHS officials also say the contract will include operating patient service centres and mobile collection facilities in urban centres and large rural communities.

This includes Grande Prairie, along with Calgary, Edmonton, Red Deer, Lethbridge, Medicine Hat, Fort McMurray, Brooks, Lloydminster, Camrose, Airdrie, Cochrane, Okotoks, Strathmore, Leduc, Sherwood Park, Spruce Grove, St. Albert, and Stoney Plain.

Authorities say the agreement will also provide upgrades and expansion of patient service centers in Grande Prairie along with Edmonton, Calgary, Red Deer, Lethbridge, and Fort McMurray.

“DynaLIFE has provided high-quality community lab service in Edmonton and several communities in AHS’s North Zone for more than 25 years. They will continue to provide service in these communities and will begin providing lab service in cities and towns across the rest of the province under a new contract that will begin on July 1, 2022. DynaLIFE was selected as the preferred private-sector partner to provide community lab service through a competitive request for proposals process and subsequent negotiations that took place throughout 2021,” said AHS in a release.

The release also stated DynaLIFE will be responsible for laboratory testing of all community and non-urgent hospital lab work across the province.

Hospitals and community health sites that currently handle less than 25,000 community blood test collections per year will continue to be provided by APL. This is to ensure smaller rural and remote communities continue to receive the service they need

Final negotiations for a contract and detailed planning to ensure an orderly transition of staff and facilities from APL to DynaLIFE will now begin.

AHS says no job losses are anticipated as a result of the transition process, as DynaLIFE has agreed to assume all unionized, non-unionized and medical-scientific staff under existing collective agreements (where applicable) and provide the same, or similar, terms and conditions of employment as existing prior to the transfer.

The province says more details will be provided to staff and community stakeholders in the coming weeks and months.