AHS Provincial Clinical Information System (CIS) RFP

On June 21, 2016, Alberta Health Services (AHS) published an open Request for Proposals (RFP) to provide the technology platform that will support a provincial CIS. The selection process consists of two evaluation stages. Each focuses on specific criteria that will be used to fairly and objectively rank proponents, with the ultimate objective of identifying one preferred proponent.

The AHS Provincial CIS will cross the health continuum, serving all generations and all Albertans.

Stage 1 evaluation will review strategic level requirements, core functionality and the ability to scale to the continuum of care for the entire province. The goal is to shortlist 2-3 proponents.

Stage 2 involves a more detailed “deep dive” into functionality of the shortlisted solutions, examining specific criteria in multiple clinical and service domains. There will be many evaluators and careful capture of input from diverse stakeholders. Please watch for more information… it is critically important that those who know health care help select a CIS that can help make health care better.

CIS Backgrounder: ahs-cis.ca/backgrounder

CIS FAQ: ahs-cis.ca/faq

CIS Update: ahs-cis.ca/update

Mobile Access for AHS Secure Email

​AHS email can be used for both clinical and non-clinical communications between persons with AHS email accounts or from an AHS account to a non-AHS account (see above re !Private on subject line). Images, letters, lists and other sensitive materials can be shared this way. Even more convenient is secure communication via mobile devices (iPhone, iPad, Android). Until now, AHS secure email activation was only permitted on AHS-issued devices. See the tip links to the left for instructions about setting up AHS mail on personal mobile devices. It is important to secure devices as recommended.

Update: AHS secure email access changed August 2020 to be available via webmail, Outlook for Desktop devices and Outlook for Mobile devices. See more recent posting.

• Guide: Clinical Email: ahs-cis.ca/email
• Tip: AHS email for iOS: ahs-cis.ca/emailios
• Tip: AHS email for Android: ahs-cis/emailandroid

Sending AHS Secure Email to non-AHS Addresses

Electronic mail is widely used within the health sector. Most health care providers and patients have email addresses. As tempting as it may be to send personal health information via email, there are a number of risks to be aware of. Alberta Health services (AHS) provides health care providers with the opportunity to transmit clinical information via secure email, including encrypted email to external addresses. Relevant policies, procedures and best practice guides are summarized via the links to the left.

AHS securely transfers email messages and attachments between any sender and receiver with AHS email addresses (@albertahealthservices.ca, @ahs.ca). AHS mail can also be used to send secure email from an AHS sender to a receiver without an AHS email address. Simply add “!Private” (note exclamation mark and capitalization) to the email subject line. Test this before using regularly.

• Guide: Clinical Email
• Guide: Clinical Copy-Paste
• Guide: Clinical Secure Messaging